Book Description

Runny Babbit lent to wunch
And heard the saitress way,
"We have some lovely stabbit rew --
Our Special for today."

From the legendary creator of Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic, Falling Up, and The Giving Tree comes an unforgettable new character in children's literature.

Welcome to the world of Runny Babbit and his friends Toe Jurtle, Skertie Gunk, Rirty Dat, Dungry Hog, Snerry Jake, and many others who speak a topsy-turvy language all their own.

So if you say, "Let's bead a rook
That's billy as can se,"
You're talkin' Runny Babbit talk,
Just like mim and he.

Amazon.com

To say that this particular apple tree is a "giving tree" is an understatement. In Shel Silverstein's popular tale of few words and simple line drawings, a tree starts out as a leafy playground, shade provider, and apple bearer for a rambunctious little boy. Making the boy happy makes the tree happy, but with time it becomes more challenging for the generous tree to meet his needs. When he asks for money, she suggests that he sell her apples. When he asks for a house, she offers her branches for lumber. When the boy is old, too old and sad to play in the tree, he asks the tree for a boat. She suggests that he cut her down to a stump so he can craft a boat out of her trunk. He unthinkingly does it. At this point in the story, the double-page spread shows a pathetic solitary stump, poignantly cut down to the heart the boy once carved into the tree as a child that said "M.E. + T." "And then the tree was happy... but not really." When there's nothing left of her, the boy returns again as an old man, needing a quiet place to sit and rest. The stump offers up her services, and he sits on it. "And the tree was happy." While the message of this book is unclear (Take and take and take?Give and give and give? Complete self-sacrifice is good? Complete self-sacrifice is infinitely sad?), Silverstein has perhaps deliberately left the book open to interpretation. (All ages) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (345)

Deeply powerful
I had read and treasured The Giving Tree as a child, but I had largely forgotten it when I discovered a copy in a children's book store last year. I picked it up and showed it to my friend. "Look," I said. "I remember this book. What a cute story it was." We read it together, in the bookstore, for the first time in many years.

I nearly cried. What I remembered as a cute and slightly silly children's story is in fact an extraordinarily powerful parable of life and faith. The wisdom and simple power of this book still holds, even after all these years. We have lost a very fine author who wrote some of the greatest children's books in our language.

This is Essential Reading For Fans Of Children's Literature
The Giving Tree, written by Shel Silverstein, is a controversial story for children. People either hate or love it. Like The Little Prince, The Giving Tree ultimately delivers a message which is both moving and profound. The illustrations, rendered in simple black and white line drawings, tell the story of a tree and the little boy who comes to visit her every day. As the story progresses the boy grows into a selfish adult who does nothing but take from the tree. He takes and takes until nothing is left of her but a stump. Finally one day the boy returns as a beaten down old man with no place left to go. The tree, always happy to see him, offers the old man the only thing she has left. She offers her stump for him to rest on. The Giving Tree is a powerful metaphor for the unconditional love parents and children share. Frustrating, sad, and ultimately beautiful, this is a story no child should miss reading.

Preston McClear, author The Boy Under the Bed

The spirit of giving with nothing expected in return
This is my favorite book of all time. In fact, I have designed the nursery for my newborn around this book, with the main focus of the room being a mural showcasing the cover. I believe the book shows that giving without expecting anything in return can be fufilling. The last line in the book states this, "and the tree was happy", what better lesson for a parent to teach their child. Sure you can look at the dark side, and focus on the selfishness of the little boy, but I choose not to. Shel Silverstein purposely left the meaning up to the reader for interpretation.

The Power of Simplicity, Taps into the Deeply Human
There's not really a "plot" in this story in any traditional sense. It is a series of vignettes in the relationship between a boy and a tree. The symbolism is pretty straightforward, the tree representing parental nurturing, but there is nothing trite about it. This illustrations are simple black-and-white line drawings. Somehow this simple book really packs a punch. All I can really say is that I have never once, ever, in dozens of readings, whether alone or to the kids, made it through this book without crying. It's simply...touching.

Further Comments: Silverstein was one weird, scary-looking dude. If you're interested in very idiosyncratic people, Google him and you'll be surprised. He has several other children's books with which I'm only vaguely familiar (I remember Where the Sidewalk Ends being on the shelf at my grade school, but I'm not sure if I ever read it. I think it's a collection of poems). I'd love to see some of those reviewed.

(...)

inspirational
I first read this book 3 years ago when I started working with children...my reaction was that this kid was a selfish little (...). As I have matured I've realized that children are supposed to be selfish and as a child care worker or parent it is our job to sacrafice everything that we have for the benefit of the child and then to give a little more. Personaly I think the highest point that a parent or teacher can reach is that of a stump. Everytime I feel myself tiring as the kid next to me at the dinner table eats 2 servings of potatos and leaves nothing for me, I picture myself as a stump and I pass them the rolls. ... Read more

Book Description

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?...

Here in the attic of Shel Silverstein you will find Backward Bill, Sour Face Ann, the Meehoo with an Exactlywatt, and the Polar Bear in the Frigidaire. You will talk with Broiled Face, and find out what happens when Somebody steals your knees, you get caught by the Quick-Digesting Gink, a Mountain snores, and They Put a Brassiere on the Camel.

From the creator of the beloved poetry collections Where the Sidewalk Ends and Falling Up, here is another wondrous book of poems and drawings.

Notable Children's Books of 1981 (ALA)
Best Books of 1981 (SLJ)
Children's Books of 1981 (Library of Congress)
1981 Children's Books (NY Public Library)
1981 USA Children's Books of International Interest
Winner, 1983–84 William Allen White Award (Kansas)
Winner, 1983 Garden State Children's Book Award (New Jersey Library Association)
1984 Garden State Children's Book Award for Non-Fiction (New Jersey Library Association)
1984 George C. Stone Center for Children's Books (Claremont, CA) "Recognition of Merit" Award

Reviews (28)

Where does the sidewalk end? In the attic.
If you don't remember these rhymes from your childhood, then it's about time you visited the attic, "A Light in the Attic," that is. Silverstein combines humorous sketches, whimsical poetry and fanciful word play in another amusing collection. "Where the Sidewalk Ends" will always be my favorite, but poems like "Spelling Bee," "Deaf Donald," "Nobody" and "Little Abigail and the Beautiful Pony" definately make "A Light in the Attic" a close runner-up.

If you know Silverstein's work, then you are familiar with his simple rhyming style. His flair for combining drawings and words make for a book that's much more than just a collection of poetry. His poems are an experience that would be diminished without the visual aspect.

Silverstein's collections are great for all ages. I read them as a kid, but I enjoy them just as much now. Silverstein has the soul of a child, but the wit of a sage.

"The saddest thing I ever did see
Was a woodpecker peckin' at a plastic tree.
He looks at me, and 'Friend,' says he,
'Things ain't as sweet as they used to be.'"
-Shel Silverstein page 83

The best book of all times, exiting and very funny.
This poem book is the best yet, I have never read any poems as funny as the ones Shel Silverstein writes."A Light in the Attic" is a book for people of all ages.The whole class of seventh graders enjoyed it.We were laughing our heads out when we heard the poem,"Standing is Stupid".I recomend this book to anyone who is having a bad day and wants a moment of happiness!

A MUST HAVE
I am not a big poem fan but I love this book! Drawings are great and so fun!

A review by a children's author
I read Shel Silverstein when I was young and I loved his poetry. I used to read it to the kids I babysat (and I never sat on a baby) and I now read it to my own children. What can be said that hasn't been said already?

This: Shel Silverstein wrote more than just silly. Some of his greatest poems bring tears to my eyes and make me think about things like justice, death, love, and even my Creator. Pretty deep stuff. I personally believe it's that inane sense of humor he had combined with an almost philosophical take on life that mades Shel a great children's poet.

Some of my favorite poems by Shel are in this collection, The Light in the Attic.

The Little Boy and the Old Man should make any person who reads it think about aging and reaching out to our loved ones who are er, how shall I say it, a little past their prime and also to those who haven't quite reached their prime yet. And How Many, How Much is a wonderful reminder that friendship starts in your own heart.

And I wonder, was one of my favorite movies (Bruce Almighty) inspired by one of my favorite Shel Silverstein poems (God's Wheel)? Did the writer read that poem and think "What a great premise for a movie!" Could be. Whatever the case I know his work was one of my inspirations in becoming a children's writer. And now I'm writing a book of poetry for children and as I craft it I returned to all these funny, touching, ironic, wistful, poems and realized, "Uh oh, I set the bar too low. I need to kick it up a notch." I so I strive to do just that.

My nightmare is being compared by a cranky reviewer to Shel Silverstein, "This writer is an imposter to the throne of the great Shel." Let me state here and now that I don't want the throne. I would just like to sit under a oak tree in the courtyard outside the palace if that's okay. And while I'm there I'll just take a big whiff of the rosebush that stayed so very small (read the book and you shall see what I mean).

Finally, let me add this, I believe these poems expanded my creativity in my younger years and I believe they expand it to this very day. Buy a Light in the Attic for your children and read the poems together. You will expand their vocabulary, help them develop a sense of comedic timing, cultivate an interest in poetry, and give them their first lessons in philosophy, all the while having a fantastic time together. Now that's what I call maximum return on a minimal investment(...)

the laughing stock
Hula eels, magic carpets and tickilish tom are all things in A Light in the Attic. This hilarios book has fun filled poems all over! such as Little Abigail and the beautiful pony. What happens to Abigail when she doesn't get what she wants?
The author Shel Siverstein uses rymes through out the whole book to make it super funny. I would recomend this book if you like fantasy and magic. You will love these poems and be rolling on the floor laughing. ... Read more

Book Description

If you had a giraffe
and he stretched another half …
you would have a giraffe and a half.

And if you glued a rose
to the tip of his nose …

And … if he put on a shoe
and then stepped in some glue …

And if he used a chair
to comb his hair …

Shel Silverstein’s incomparable line drawings add to the hilarity of his wildly funny rhymes. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

An Amazing Book
"A giraffe and a Half" By Shel Silverstein is an amazing book, especially for kids. I loved when my mom read it to me as a child or when I read it becuase it was always fun to see what came next. Sometimes I would even guess what was comming next. Both the pictures and the sayings made me laugh or smile. I would have to say it was one of my favorite books as a kid.

A Book My Mom Read To Me As A Child
I think this is a very good book for childeren becuase it is funny and also has alot of funny pictures. This book makes you laugh, and it also has many tounge twisters which, i think, makes it funnier.
This book is about a giraffe and a little boy and he keeps making the giraffe do things or adds things to him. Everytime he adds something to him you read what the giaffe has on or did all over again. The giraffe ends up taking off everthing of giving it away. In the end he is just a normal giraffe again.

Delightful
One of the best children's books I've read. The rhymes are contagious. The story slides off your tongue as you read it. Children are taken with it. And then we create the game of adding new verses and rhymes for the giraffe, and a half.

Giraffe & a Half :()
Giraffe and a half is great for kids that love repetition. Your child could learn to memorize better with this book. I really love this book and I would recommend getting other Shel Silverstein books because I have the whole collection.

Hilarious
I read it to my own kids when they were small, read it until they and I had it memorized. I then took it to school where I read it to my eighth--yes, eighth-graders who laughed and got sing-songy and guessed the next line and who chanted along as soon as they figured out the pattern. We next wrote our own versions and read them to the elementary kids. Good stuff for all ages. One of my favorite books! ... Read more

Book Description

Including 12 New Poems!

If you are a dreamer, come in,
If you are a dreamer,
A wisher, a liar,
A hope-er, a pray-er,
A magic bean buyer . . .

Come in . . . for where the sidewalk ends, Shel Silverstein's world begins. You'll meet a boy who turns into a TV set, and a girl who eats a whale. The Unicorn and the Bloath live there, and so does Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who will not take the garbage out. It is a place where you wash your shadow and plant diamond gardens, a place where shoes fly, sisters are auctioned off, and crocodiles go to the dentist.

Shel Silverstein's masterful collection of poems and drawings is at once outrageously funny and profound.

Reviews (2)

A classic made even better
This book is wonderful.. I had the original version as a child (I am now 32) and can still recite the words to many of the poems (I cannot go to school today, said little Peggy Ann McKay...)! Someone just gave this new edition to our 4 month old daughter, and I know she will enjoy the poems as much as I did. Right now, she may not understand the words, but the rhyming sounds make her smile. A must for kids of all ages.

Genius
I had this book when I was little and did a project on one of the poems in the 3rd grade (I'm 34 yrs old now). The poem was about a sharp toothed snail who lives in your nose. I can recite it still, line for line. I just bought a copy for my nephew (4yrs old) so that he can enjoy it also. Buy it and you won't regret it! ... Read more

Book Description

It was missing a piece.
And it was not happy.
So it set off in search
of its missing piece.
And as it rolled
it sang this song -

Oh I'm lookin' for my missin' piece
I'm lookin' for my missin' piece
Hi-dee-ho, here I go,
Lookin' for my missin' piece.

What it finds on its search for the missing piece is simply and touchingly told in this fable that gently probes the nature of quest and fulfillment.

Reviews (21)

Silverstein's Guidebook for Being a Person.
Once, when I was a very young boy, I had the privilege of experiencing Shel Silverstein reading this guidebook to personhood at the Chicago Public Library. At the time, I appreciated it as a story about a Pac-Man figure, (Which was my primary focus at the time), who couldn't find "a missing piece." As I have grown now, in age, intellect, character, loss, and all other forms of life experience, I understand so much more what he was really trying to say to us. He was speaking, in very clear terms about all that is good and beautiful about realizing the worth of one's self, in a simple manner that we will understand well into senescence as well as we understood it in our youth. In summation...purchase this book, share it with those that you love, and most importantly, understand it for yourself. Peace be with you.

Simple yet so meaningful
Shel Silverstein can say more with a few words and a few lines than someone with all of the vocabulary and artistic mediums of the universe. This simple book carries a beautiful message about the search for fullfillment. Don't let the label of "children's book" turn you away... The Missing Piece and it's sequel The Missing Piece Meets The Big O are brilliant books dealing with this journey we call life. Enchanting and moving.

amazing work!
wow....a master piece! Little words but ton of ideas to write about (i'm writing an essay for my children literature course.)

Delightful Fable
A stunningly simple but poignant fable for adults and children, teaching the joy of independence and partnership in all our relations in a way that enlightens without preaching.

The Missing Piece
Shel Silverstein has done it again! Every book I have read of his has intrigued me. This is a great story about a lonely circle that is missing a piece. He is sad because of this and searches for his piece. He searches high and low. He does not realize that he is happy without his piece....You should find out why by reading The Missing Piece. It demonstrates well that u can be happy without having everything you want. You just need to find it in yourself. ... Read more

Book Description

The missing piece sat alone
waiting for someone
to come along
and take it somewhere....

The different ones it encounters - and what it discovers in its helplessness - are portrayed with simplicity and compassion in the words and drawings of Shel Silverstein.

Reviews (21)

This simple story puts "The Rules" to shame.
Three days after ending a relationship where I was constantly trying to be someone or something else in order to please my partner, I took a vacation that changed my life. On the first night of that vacation, while I was out with friends and family and the last thing I was looking for was another boyfriend, I met the most amazing person to enter my life so far. The next day, I found this book and decided to live my life like the big O. The man and I keep the book on our coffee table, and when we aren't rolling through the streets of the city, side by side, we go home to that wonderful story. Shel Silverstein has amazing insight. Every human should read this book.

Get it with "The Missing Piece"!
I bought this book along with "The Missing Piece" almost 10 years ago, when I was in college. My friend introduced me to those books, and I had to get my own copies. In fact, a good number of people among my circle of friends got their own copies as well.

I think those two books are the only "children's books" I have in my possession, but they are among the most touching and most memorable of all the books I own and read. And even though they're labeled as children's books (and they sure look that way too), I feel they're a better fit (haha, no pun intended) for grown-ups.

If you plan on getting this book (as you well should), then definitely get "The Missing Piece" as well. I don't think the story and the message of The Missing Piece fable is complete with just one book. You gotta get both books to fully appreciate it.

Highest utmost recommendations. God, I love this book.

Uplifting, Encouraging, and Personal
Whether simply a children's book or an adult self-help book, this one is a gem! Adorable simplistic line drawings that make you wonder how an artist is able to create such an expressive characters out of basic circle shapes. Matched with a story that can be taken lightly or taken to heart.

Really, this is the journey of a character becoming a "whole" person...independantly being able to "roll" by itself. It also hints that to be happy in a relationship you must be your own independantly happy person...you can't rely on others to complete your deficiencies.

Anyone who is a "relationship leapfrog" needs to read this book. It may even make you cry-and probably will make you laugh-at the similarities with your own experiences. It is also appropriate for children...it is never to early to introduce someone to lifelong happiness, independance, and stability.

Rolling along...

So great!
A very inspirational and loving story. Quick read, with a simple message.

Great little book
I really enjoyed this book. A fellow co-worker was passing it around because he had received it as a gift and I really connected with it. The message is simple and the book isn't too preachy with it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Shel Silverstein shook the staid world of children's poetry in 1974 with the publicationof this collection, and things haven't been the same since. More than four and a half millioncopies of Where the Sidewalk Ends have been sold, making it the bestselling children'spoetry book ever. With this and his other poetry collections (A Light in the Attic and Falling Up), Silverstein reveals his genius for reaching kidswith silly words and simple pen-and-ink drawings. What child can resist a poem called"Dancing Pants" or "The Dirtiest Man in the World"? Each of the 130poems is funny in a different way, or touching ... or both. Some approach naughtiness or are a bitdisgusting to squeamish grown-ups, but that's exactly what kids like best about Silverstein'swork. Jim Trelease, author of The New Read-Aloud Handbook, calls this book"without question, the best-loved collection of poetry for children." (Ages 4 to10) ... Read more

Reviews (110)

Imaginative, Silly and Timeless
Sometimes I'll lay in bed before work and I'll recite in my head a poem I learned when I was 10 - I can not go to school today said little Peggy Anne McKay. I have the measles and the mumps, a gash, a rash and purple bumps... - and to this day I still retrieve my old copy of Where the Sidewalk Ends and read through Mr. Silverstein's compilation of poems. I will never tire of his genius musings and look forward to sharing them with my children, grandchildren, etc. I'm buying the audio format along with the book for my baby goddaughter for Christmas so that she can listen to Mr. Silverstein's voice narrating his wonderful collection, then read along when she gets old enough. I recommend this book for anyone who is looking for something imaginative, silly and timeless.

Delightful, nonsensical poetry for ages 2-102
I was intrduced to "Where The Sidewalk Ends" by my second grade reading teacher in the fall of 1978. The author, Shel Silverstein, had an incredible gift. He could make kids fans of poetry! (One of those kids happened to be my 38 year-old father). From the moment I opened the book and recited "Sick" for the very first time, I fell in love with Mr. Silverstein's books.

My brilliant teacher had each member of the class perform a poem from "Where The Sidewalk Ends". He made lovers of poetry of us all, and an actress out of me. For years to come, I won numerous talent contests performing "Sick" for audiences of all ages.

I love each and every poem in this book. Everybody who loves to laugh MUST read "Ma and God", "Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out", "The Dirtiest Man In the World", and "Sick", my all-time favorite.

"Where the Sidewalk Ends" and Shel Silverstein changed my life forever. It was today, May 10, 1999, that I read he had passed away. The world has lost an amazing contributer to children's literature. "Where the Sidewalk Ends" and all of Mr. Silverstein's other books are the delightful legacy that he has left behind. I encourage children and parents alike to open this book and let the laughter in.

"For the Children, they mark,and the children, they know

The place where the sidewalk ends."

the best book ever
I love this book!!! I have read probably a thousand times since i got it when i was 6. I never get tired of it. I like the way he mixes the serious poems in with the funny ones.My favorite poem is Ickle me, Pickle me, Tickle me too. This is the best book ever!!!

Fun Poetry for People of Any Age
Silverstein's poems may not be beautiful or thought-provoking. In fact, they are a bit on the strange side. I have first gotten this book in first grade, and I have read it many times. A great poem that I would recommend is 'The Crocodile and the Dentist' (I believe that is the correct title of it).

If you're a parent, take time to read this with your children. Both of you will enjoy the creative and funny poems by Shel Silverstein.

Fun in a Book
I am reading this book right now and thought that I would come onto the website to review it for you. Actually my older sister who is sixteen is in speech and used one of the poems out of this book for her speech. She had three minutes to say 6 poems about friendship, she recieved a 1 and 2 2's. The scoring was one is the best and 3 is the worst. The poem she used was "Hug O' War". I absolutely love this book! ... Read more

Book Description

Millie McDeevit screamed a scream
So loud it made her eyebrows steam.
She screamed so loud
Her jawbone broke,
Her tongue caught fire,
Her nostrils smoked...

Poor Screamin' Millie is just one of the unforgettable characters in this wondrous new book of poems and drawings by the creator of Where the Sidewalk Ends and A Light in the Attic. Here you will also meet Allison Beals and her twenty-five eels; Danny O'Dare, the dancin' bear; the Human Balloon; and Headphone Harold.

So come, wander through the Nose Garden, ride the Little Hoarse, eat in the Strange Restaurant, and let the magic of Shel Silverstein open your eyes and tickle your mind.

1996 Children's Books (NY Public Library)
Editor's Chice 1996 (Booklist)
1997 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (ALA)
1997 Books for the Teen Age (NY Public Library)
Children's Choices for 1997 (IRA/CBC) ... Read more

Reviews (49)

Shel Silverstein Rocks!
Shel Silvertein's book Falling Up was the second of his books I ever recieved. (The first was The Giving Tree.) I loved it so much that I read it cover to cover in less than a day! His book has inspired me to write silly poems of my own. I look at his works for reference when I write school asignments because they give me great ideas. I now have all of his poem books and would reconmend each and every one (Where the Sidewalk Ends, and A Light in the Attic). His works should be spread across the nation to young and old alike. Read his poems and thank me later!

Shel Silverstein's Falling Up will not let you down!
Falling Up is the third collection of poems and drawings offered to us by the multi-talented Silverstien. This book will appeal to the child and inner-child alike. Regarding age, this book like: "Where the Sidewalk Ends" and "A Light in the Attic", knows no boundries. In addition to being a poet, Shel Silverstien is an accomplished cartoonist, playwrite and lyricist. Mr. Silverstein played a big part in the early career of Dr. Hook, writing such hits as "The Freaker's Ball", "Cover of the Rolling Stone" and many others. The popular country classic "One's on the Way" by Loretta Lynn was penned by Shel Silverstein. The Irish Rover's signature song "The Unicorn" was also written by Silverstein and can be found in "Where the Sidewalk Ends".
If the author is Shel Silverstein, you can't miss, as the copy within is sure to be a hit!

Falling Up
I read Falling up by Shel Silverstine. It has over 125 poems.All of them are fun interesting and humoreous. Most poems have drawings and rhyme. The poems are perfect for kids of all ages
My persoal favorite poem is called "the Monkey". I like it for two resons. The first is it tels a story. Seacond is it has great Illustrations. The last is it replaces words with numbers as in "He'd neverr climbed be 4". that poem is on page 40.
this is a great book filled with poems and storys for children. I rcomend this book to all people interested in poems and funny thimgs.

the best
since I was a little girl,I always wanted my mother to read me this book. It was full of deleight and surprises, I enjoyed it alot.when she finished 1 poem, I would always ask her to read another after another.Truly, this is a book that everyone should read and have.I have the entire collection of Shel Silverstein books.He has a very special talent in writing, I have always admired him.His books are one of a kind.

Falling Up
Falling up by Shel Sylverstien is one of the all time greatest poem books. This is a great book for someone who just wants to relax and enjoy reading something silly not serious. It is good to laugh and even better to laugh at what you are reading because at the same time you are working your brain as well as exercising your sense of humor. Mr. Sylverstien uses the most interesting words to express himself in his poems. It amazes me at how he can pull all of these funny things out of his head. There are so many great poems in this one book so that I could not possibly tell you about just one. Some of the poems are so outrageously funny and the few serious ones are still a little humorous which is what makes the poems so good. Shel wrights many poems and has published many books. It surprises me that all of these different ideas and feelings can come from one man. From a tattooed suit to a pet snowball, from a pencil made wrong to a world where things are completely opposite, even the stories that are about life lessons are still really good. Some books by Shel Sylverstien are Where The Sidewalk Ends, A Light In The Attic, and The Giving Tree. Those stories are just as good as Falling Up. The author Shel Sylverstien, the book, Falling up. It is an enjoyable read that can be found at most bookstores, libraries, and online. ... Read more

Amazon.com

First published in 1963, the late Shel Silverstein's children's bookdebut Lafcadio: The Lion Who Shot Back, will resonate with youngreaders much as it did 40 years ago. The affable narrator Uncle Shelby'sstory begins: "Once there was a young lion and his name was--well, Idon't really know what his name was because he lived in the jungle witha lot of other lions and if he did have a name it certainly wasn't aname like Joe or Ernie or anything like that." That all changes,however, when a circus man discovers the lion's skills as a marksman(the lion took a gun from a hunter he ate) and names him Lafcadio theGreat. When the circus man takes Lafcadio to New York City, the storytakes on a certain Crocodile Dundee quality--the lion eats themenu at a fancy restaurant, demands marshmallows (he likes the sound ofthem), and is captivated by the hotel elevator. As Lafcadio becomes morecivilized and rich and famous, however, he becomes more unhappy. In theend, to entertain the increasingly despondent star, the circus man takesLafcadio hunting in Africa where he encounters his old lion friends onthe other end of his gun. Is Lafcadio now a man or is he a lion? Hedecides he is neither and wanders alone into the valley. In typicalSilverstein style, this exuberantly-silly-yet-poignant fable,illustrated with simple, expressive line drawings, asks more questionsthan it answers. The glee the author derives from wordplay and the soundof language is positively contagious. This read-aloud classic belongs onevery child's bookshelf. (Ages 6 to 10) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Reading this book for the 100th time
I am reading this book for the 100th time but I am reading it for the first time to my new son. My mother first read me Lafcadio in 1978. I made here reread it over and over. Now I am shareing it with my son Garrett. I hope he askes me to read it 100 times to him.

My Favorite Book
Lafcadio is a young lion who is different from the rest. One day he meets face to face with hunters and he eats them up. He took the gun along with him. Everyday he went behind the mountain and practiced shooting and he became the best shooter in the jungle. But one day, a man came to him.

This book is great!! I first read it in fourth grade and I loved is so much, I read it more often!!

I Loved This Book as a Child
I first read Lafcadio when I was in, oh, first grade I think. Now I am thirteen years old, and just two nights ago I decided to read Lafcadio again.

This book tells an interesting tale of how one lion out of many always dreams of something new. Lafcadio is a young lion who is, instead of afraid, curious, about hunters and their ways. He meets one one day and soon eats the hunter and takes the gun. Lafcadio learns how to shoot it in as many ways possible. Soon the lion is taken into the city and becomes famous.

I love the book for the creativity, humor, and description put into it. I always loved Shel Silverstein's work as a kid but this one takes the cake.(...)

Great read-a-loud book
I discovered this treasure after reading Shel's poetry books to the kids. I read it to them on a long flight across the country and had the people in the seats around me listening in discreetly. It has some great morals and gems in it. About knowing who you are inside and finding your way in this world. And about the absurdity of hunting from the lion's point of view. The kids just love the bit about every lion having their own hunter's rug.

Six Stars!!!
This is an exceptional book for all ages. Silversteins wonderful illustrations and humor are throughout this book. But the message is what makes this book so wonderful. It is a story about a lion but what this lion is dealing with child experience and grow up with this peer pressure and then the consequences we must pay for our action. This is a great book that everybody should read. Shel Silverstein has the most original way to get this message across and the humor with this book and how he describes " Uncle Shelby " is very insightful! ... Read more

Book Description

Shel Silverstein's three best-selling, beloved poetry collections -- Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic, and Falling Up -- are now available together for the first time in exclusive smaller editions in a beautifully designed slipcased box set.

Reviews (1)

Couldn't ask for better
These were my favorite books when I was in elementary school and they still remain high on my list. This is the set of all poetry and drawings books - makes a great gift!!! Your kids will loves these poems and the pictures that go along with them - and so will you! ... Read more

Amazon.com

For over 20 years, kids and kids at heart have giggled at the jumbled,goofy nonsense poems of Shel Silverstein. And now, lucky readers canlisten to his mad meanderings as well with this 20th anniversary editionof A Light in the Attic, which includes a CD read by the author himself.Eleven classics, including "Twistable, Turnable Man," "The Dragon of GrindlyGrun," "Prehistoric," and "Backward Bill" are performed by the late virtuoso ofverse, while the tremendously popular book contains every one of the originalpoems that made Silverstein's name a household word: "Poemsicle," "Hula Eel,""Standing Is Stupid," "Moon-Catchin' Net," "Meehoo with an Exactlywatt," anddozens upon dozens more. Silverstein's amusing, cartoonish line drawings areevery bit as familiar and beloved to readers as his poems. Gone, but notforgotten, the creator of the irresistible poetry collections Where the Sidewalk Ends andFalling Up, left anindelible mark on children's poetry. (All ages) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Book Description

An evocative parable, The Giving Tree-the story of a lifelong relationship between a boy and the tree who happily responds to the boy's every need -is retold in Latin in Arbor alma. This edition features the original artwork of Shel Silverstein and a translation in a style that echoes the spirit of The Giving Tree.

The Giving Tree is Shel Silverstein's simple yet profound telling of a lifelong relationship between a boy and a nurturing tree. The boy becomes an old man, and, from branches to trunk, diminishes the tree's stature with his requests-or does he? This tender tale has invited generations of readers, young and old, to ponder what it means to give and what, to receive.

The Giving Tree is here rendered in exquisite Latin, a language whose own simple grandeur complements that of Silverstein's original story and illustrations. Arbor Alma adds one more dimension to this multifaceted classic. This Latin-language edition is a welcome, all-occasion gift, a delightful way to revisit a treasured tale, and an enjoyable way to refresh your high school Latin.

*originally published in English by HarperCollins Publishers, New York, 1964.

Special Features
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Exquisite Latin translation in a style that echoes the spirit of the original
Original artwork of Shel Silverstein
Latin-to-English vocabulary
Note on the translation and the translators ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Giving Tree
I think that this book is a good book because it is short and sweet. In a way it kinda relates to life. The Giving Tree is a easy and fun to read.

Erat quondam arbor...
Shel Silverstein's 'The Giving Tree' has become a classic parable of modern times. Like good parables, it has a multivalent quality toward interpretation. Some people love it, and some people hate it. The story is simple, as is the vocabulary and grammar. There is a tree, who loved a boy, and gave the boy whatever he needed that was within her power to give. When the boy was hungry, she gave apples. When the boy was tired, she gave shade. When the boy, now grown, needed a home, she gave lumber. Over the course of the story, the tree gets reduced to a stump from having given and given (give 'till it hurts?). The boy, typical of humans, is never-ending request of needs. The tree, typical of nature, perhaps typical of parents, perhaps typical of God (one never knows if Silverstein had an intended metaphor here), gives and gives without complaint and without counting the cost. The boy likewise doesn't count the cost. But what is the real cost, and isn't it worth it?

The publishers Bolchazy-Carducci, of Wauconda, Illinois, have devoted efforts toward an enterprise to publishing modern classics into Latin - and who ever said it was a dead language? There are many titles to be had, but few as well known at Silverstein's 'The Giving Tree'.

This is a book of few words, the better to make it a book for teaching reading to young children. Similarly, the plot is not complicated -- the sentences are simple constructions and the action fairly standard. This helps those who might use this text to learn or re-learn Latin, too, as the vocabulary required is small -- all the words needed can be found in the glossary at the end, consisting of fewer than four pages.

The translators note that there are a few stylistic differences. While keeping to Silverstein's basic informal style, they have varied the text more (in English, Silverstein uses a repetitive pattern that the Tunbergs have opted to change now and then, as Latin texts would be more likely to do so). This is not a word-for-word translation, but rather 'an interpretative translation, not a mere verbal image of the original text.' (postscript, About the Text)

While this is not a Latin grammar, and the construction of verbs, noun endings, etc. are not explicated, still one can begin to pick up the basics of Latin grammatical construction from texts like 'Arbor Alma'. Jennifer Tunberg (Ph.D., Oxford) and Terence Tunberg (Ph.D., Toronto) are both educators, and thus have a care for the reader learning something from the text in addition to gaining enjoyment from it. While one could easily see the translation of a book such as 'The Giving Tree' into Latin as a purely academic exercise, in fact the book serves several purposes, including teaching (or re-teaching) Latin to students, and introducing the language to people who might not otherwise be exposed to it. Books like 'The Giving Tree' and Dr. Seuss (another of the translation projects of the Tunbergs) eliminate somewhat the 'intimidation factor' that Latin has for some, particularly when presented with Caesar or Cicero in long-winded passages.

This is a wonderfully fun book, a good gift for those who have everything, a good offering to the budding or the latent Latin scholar, and an interesting conversation piece even for those who have no Latin background at all. The classic line-art drawings of the boy, the tree, the apples, and more, are kept here intact. At first glance, one might think this was the 'real' thing -- looking more closely, one discovers that the mystery of Silverstein's parable becomes yet more paradoxical in the Latin language.

And the tree was happy.

Rendered in an exquisite Latin
Arbor Alma/The Giving Tree In Latin by Shel Silverstein is the profound and simple story of a lifelong relationship between a boy and a tree who happily responds to the boys's every need. As the boy grows to become an old man and, (from branches to trunk) diminishes the tree's stature with his continuing requests, both the human and the tree find themselves transformed -- yet the tree remains happy. An evocative and engaging parable, The Giving Tree is rendered in an exquisite Latin which wonderfully complements Shel Silverstein's original story and illustrations, adding an unexpected and very welcome dimension to a multifaceted classic with its ageless and timeless appeal.

Children's Classic in the True Sense
I was first introduced to Shel Silverstein's "The Giving Tree" as a young child, and immensely enjoyed the tale of the tree who cared so very much for the little boy. Just recently, I was given a copy of "Arbor Alma" - "The Giving Tree" in Latin. Seeing the story itself brought back fond memories, but seeing it in Latin gave it a fresh appeal. Having taken Latin in high school, and also being aided by the user-friendly glossary of terms in the back of the book, I was taken back to the story of the caring tree with new zeal. This book would be a wonderful way to introduce children to the Latin language, which has so influenced our world today and continues to provide advantages to students in grammar, vocabulary, and understanding. While still staying clear, the book introduces any reader to the complexities of the Latin language in word order, grammar, etc. Think of it as a first step towards reading the Classics - the actual Latin of Ancient Roman poets, playwrights, and scholars. I would highly recommend "Arbor Alma" to any age group, because it connects a beautiful story with a beautiful language. ... Read more

Book Description

Shel Silverstein

Who wants a cheap
Rhinoceros?

Looking for a new pet? Bored with cats, dogs, goldfish, gerbils, and hamsters? How about a cheap rhinoceros?

Shel Silverstein's loving look at the joys of rhino ownership may convince you to be the one lucky kid to take home this very, very unusual pet. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

"And he is easy to love" -- as is this whimsical book.
I adore rhinos. A "cheap" rhinoceros -- well, there is no such thing, which is one of the tell-tale signs that Silverstein is up to his wonderful, tender, down-to-earth antics. ... It's a read-aloud book, so you can share your view of the world with them and vice versa. A great, honest book from one of our most honest children's writers. You'll love rhinos even more after reading the book with your kids (or, as an adult, with those you love or even by yourself). Now, if you're concerned by what other reviewers have written, read on; if not, stop here!

Let's not go too deep here; if we want literary criticism, one could argue that Shel's objectifying a living creature -- one that may soon be extinct! Rhinos are poached for their horn (among other things), after all, and the rhino in Silverstein's book is often used as an object.

But I don't think that's Silverstein's point; in fact, it's the exact opposite -- how fun to have a friend with whom you can play pirates and "good guy-bad guy" and all kinds of other fun pretend stuff and who will help you out just as you help him -- in short, a friend who is with you through thick and thin, good and bad. We should all be so lucky.

Two key lines that helped me survive college come from this book. "He is awfully good for yelling at . . ." is one, and I'm tearing up (really!) just remembering the line. It's not fair that our rhino friend be the brunt of our sadness or anger, but as a friend he's willing to take it. And then, immediately following, is the book's sweet ending: " . . . and he is easy to love." That's what human relationships are all about: sometimes we give of ourselves as little more than a foot stool; we try to protect the ones we love; sometimes we let our friends yell at us because they have stuff to get off their chest; and always, always, because we give of ourselves, we are easy to love.

I've written a lot into this (always do), but it's a simple book with some complex stuff lurking under the surface. I mean, all the great children's authors, from Frank Baum to Maurice Sendak to William Steig, write books that appeal to all ages -- kids take the story on a "surface" level, whereas adults (like me) read subtext into the story. Please don't be scared of this book!! Embrace it, just as you would a cheap rhinoceros. None of us are cheap, and that's just where Silverstein leads us.

Disapointing from a great author
This looks like another great Silverstein book saved from the obscurity of being first copyrighted in 1964, but perhaps it should have stayed there, as one particular page ruins the whole book. A rhino is good for many things, but I could never read to a young child that "he is great for not letting your mother hit you when you haven't really done anything bad."

Since mothers shouldn't be hitting their kids in their first place, and certainly not for no reason, I'm having trouble with this as appropriate to read to kids, especially when there are so many other great books to read instead.

I Want a Cheap Rhinoceros!
In this Shel Silverstin sleeper (not one of his best-known books), the value of owning a rhinoceros is illustrated on each page in the most delightful black and white drawings. It seems a rhino can double as a table lamp, keep one warm at night (although a rhino lying on one's body at night can be a bit smothering), play jump rope, keep one's angry parents at bay if one has been naughty, and so many other things.

We also find out that rhinos are not partial to bathing, and although they will allow themselves to dress up as a girl for Halloween, it's not a favorite with the average male rhino.

By the time this book is over, your kids will be clamoring to go to the store and buy a rhinoceros--and who can blame them! I want one too!

For a growing imagination
This book came out when I was four and is one of only two books I remember from my childhood so it holds a special place in my memory. This is a book about love and affection. It is also a book that stretches one's imagination as you must imagine all the possible uses of a rhino. Frankly, the book is funny. Does the book contain certain passages that some parents might find objectionable? Opening a beer can with the horn? Perhaps politically incoreect, but give a child credit in just enjoying this story of love and imagination. I can't wait for my daughter to be old enough for me to read this book to her.

A treasure
Not only is this a highly imaginative book for children, but it also about love, vulnerability and humor. Between the ages of 4 to 8, children have generally become well aware of the imperfections in their parents and to a more limited extent in the world, as well. Regrettably, it is often parents who are the last to face the truth. If anyone can understand Charlie Brown's love for a skinny X-mas tree, then you will appreciate this funny, little, love story between a child and a used rhinoceros. When a book has great cartoons like this one, don't just give the book to your kid to read and look at, but read it together and enjoy. My own daughter is now an adult, but when she was in this in age range, she made me read it to her before bed, every night, and sometimes, twice.... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Poetry Galore & More with Shel Silverstein
Although this book was written with teachers in mind as the reader, it is very useful for parents as well. I think every teacher for this age group should definitely have this book. And as a parent who wants to be intimately involved in my child's education and literary growth, I'm thrilled to have the book as a resource. It has great, fun games and activity ideas for many of Shel Silverstein's writings. The activities are simple enough that I don't feel intimidated to follow through with doing them (instead of just reading about it). The games and activities are simple and explained concisely. I enjoyed reading it, and I look forward to using several of the ideas when my daughter is a little older (and reading). ... Read more