Author: Shel Silverstein
Genre: Poetry
By: Brittany Gorle
 Shel
Silverstein was born in Chicago,
Illinois in 1932.
 Wrote his first book in 1962, but became
better known in 1964 when he wrote The
Giving Tree.
 Before
publishing poetry books, Shel
wrote songs.
 Johnny Cash sang one of his songs. It was
called, A Boy Named Sue.
 In
1974, Shel Silverstein published his
first book, Where the Sidewalk Ends.
 In 1981, he published A Light in the Attic.
 His last book of poems was published in
1996, it was called Falling Up.
 Not
only was Shel Silverstein an author,
he was an illustrator.
 He illustrated his books with black and
white line drawings.
 Shel has sold over 14 million copies of his
books.
 Shel
Silverstein died on May 10, 1999.
 Shel
Silverstein’s first book of poems.
 Changed the way poetry was written
because, theses poems were so different.
 An
example of a poem:
 From Where the Sidewalk
 “Sick” by Shel Silverstein
 "I
Ends:
cannot go to school today," Said little
Peggy Ann McKay. "I have the measles and
the mumps, A gash, a rash and purple
bumps. My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,
I'm going blind in my right eye. My tonsils
are as big as rocks, I've counted sixteen
chicken pox And there's one more--that's
seventeen, And don't you think my face
looks green? My leg is cut--my eyes are
blue-- It might be instamatic flu.
I
cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,
I'm sure that my left leg is broke-- My hip
hurts when I move my chin, My belly
button's caving in, My back is wrenched,
my ankle's sprained, My 'pendix pains
each time it rains. My nose is cold, my
toes are numb. I have a sliver in my
thumb. My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,
I hardly whisper when I speak.
 My
tongue is filling up my mouth, I think
my hair is falling out. My elbow's bent,
my spine ain't straight, My temperature is
one-o-eight. My brain is shrunk, I cannot
hear, There is a hole inside my ear. I have
a hangnail, and my heart is--what? What's
that? What's that you say? You say today
is. . .Saturday? G'bye, I'm going out to
play!"
 These
poems are based on children’s
lives.
 Some schools ban this book because they
feel it encourages children to be messy
or behave poorly.
A
Light in the Attic
 By: Shel Silverstein
 Last
night while I lay thinking here
Some Whatifs crawled inside my ear
And pranced and partied all night long
And sang their same old Whatif song:
Whatif I flunk that test?
Whatif green hair grows on my chest?
Whatif nobody likes me?
Whatif a bolt of lightning strikes me?...
 From A Light in the
 “Strange wind”
Attic:
What a strange wind it was today
Whistlin and whirlin and scurlin away
Like a worried old woman with so much
to say.
What a strange wind it was today.
What a strange wind it was today.
Cool and clear from a sky so grey
And my hat stayed on but my head blew
away
What a strange wind it was today.
 Falling
Up was the recipient of the
Booklist Editors’ Award.
 The book has 144 poems, and is very
well known for the humor in each poem.


“Falling Up”
I tripped on my shoelace
And I fell up-Up to the roof tops,
Up over the town,
Up past the tree tops,
Up over the mountains,
Up where the colors
Blend into the sounds.
But it got me so dizzy
When I looked around,
I got sick to my stomach
And I threw down.
 GARDENER
by Shel Silverstein
We gave you a chance
To water the plants.
We didn't mean that way-Now zip up your pants.
 Have
students log on to
www.shelsilverstein.com
 Choose one of the many interactive
activities to play around with.


Shel Silverstein began drawing cartoons while serving in the
Armed Forces in Japan and Korea in 1950.
It took 4 years to get one of his most popular books, THE GIVING
TREE, published because of its sad ending and appeal to readers
of all ages making it difficult to categorize.

He wrote a number of highly popular songs for performers like
Johnny Cash, Dr. Hook, and Waylon Jennings.

Silverstein's narration of his poetry collection WHERE THE
SIDEWALK ENDS won a Grammy Award for Best Children's Album.

He received an Academy Award nomination for the music he
composed for the film Postcards From the Edge.

His books have sold over 20 million copies and been translated
into 20 different languages.

Silverstein illustrated his own poems with whimsical black and
white drawings.

His poetry has won numerous awards and honors including ALA
Notable Children's Book Award, New York Times Outstanding
Children's Book, Association of Booksellers for Children Notable
Titles and A Library of Congress Children's Book selection.



Loser
Mama said I'd lose my head
If it wasn't fastened on.
Today I guess it wasn't
'Cause while playing with my cousin
It fell off and rolled away
And now its gone.
And I can't look for it
'Cause my eyes are in it,
And I can't call to it
'Cause my mouth is on it
(Couldn't hear me anyway
'Cause my ears are on it),
Can't even think about it
'Cause my brain is in it.
So I guess I'll sit down
On this rock
And rest for just a minute…
 Channels
 Channel 1's
no fun.
Channel 2's just news.
Channel 3's hard to see.
Channel 4 is just a bore.
Channel 5 is all jive.
Channel 6 needs to be fixed.
Channel 7 and Channel 8Just old movies, not so great.
Channel 9's a waste of time.
Channel 10 is off, my child.
Wouldn't you like to talk a while?
 POEM
1 - Shel
Silverstein's "Mr.
Smeds and Mr.
Spats"

1.__________ and 2.________________
2._________
Had 3.___ 4._______
And none of them were the same.
And 1._____________
Had 3._____ 5.__________
And only one 4.___________ to his name.
Now when 1.___________
1. A friend's name
2. Your name
3. A number
4. A noun
5. A different noun
Met 2.____________,
They talked of the
Buying and selling of 4.________.
And 2.____________
Bought 1.____________ 5.________________!
Did you ever hear anything
Crazier than that?

POEM 2 - Shel
Silverstein's "Arrows"
1. A noun
2. A verb
3. A different noun
4. An adverbial phrase

1._______________
I 2.________ a
1.___________ to the sky.
It hit a 3.__________
4.______________.
The 3.________ fell dying
to the shore.
I don't 2._______
1.____________ anymore.