Where the Sidewalk Ends (4-7-13)

Silverstein, S. (1974). Where the sidewalk ends: The poems & drawings of Shel Silverstein. New York: Harper and Row.

Genre: Poetry- Juvenile

Age: 6-8 (However, poetry is GREAT for all ages to enjoy!)

Summary: This is a collection of funny poems, all by Shel Silverstein, with interesting and silly characters that will put a grin on any reader’s face. Both short and long poems, with a fun and carefree essence cover the pages and invite readers to fall into this crazy world of poetry.

Reflection:This collection of poetry warms my heart. This is the one and only book I am reviewing that I have read before. Reading this as an adult is even more fun than reading it as a child, because I can appreciate some of the humor more than I did then. Shel Silverstein is a talented author that writes a variety of poems that are entertaining for both adults and children. Each poem has a single illustration. The simple, black ink drawings are not the focus of the book, yet they give the reader a starting point for their imagination. Almost all of the poems are written in rhyme, although each poem has a different rhythm, some flowing easier than others.

 Some of the poems are written in a concrete style, which adds interest to the text and captures the reader and puts them inside the poem.

This collection will always be one of my favorites and should be a staple in any person’s book collection.