Happy Birthday Shel Silverstein

Sheldon ("Shel") Allen Silverstein, is one of the greatest children's poets of all time. He was born on September 25, 1930, in Chicago and is well known for his poetry, cartoons, music, and children's books. When he was young, Shel enlisted in the army and served in Korea and Japan. During his time in the military, Shel worked for a military publication "Pacific Stars and Stripes" where he drew cartoons for the magazine. He was a very talented cartoonist and after the army he decided to make this talent a career and began drawing for magazines like "Look" and "Sports Illustrated."


However,  he did not start writing for children until he met Ursula Nordstrom, a book editor who convinced him to try to write short stories. Shortly after, his career took off with one of his best selling children's books The Giving Tree. This book was translated into 30 languages and is a novel that is read by children all around the world. Later, Shel published Where the Sidewalk Ends, his first collection of poetry and his comical rhyming style and cartoons are what truly set him apart. 

Today, Shel Silverstein would be 87 years old but unfortunately he passed away in 1999 from a heart-attack. Over the course of his life, Shel Silverstein wrote 8 books which have sold over 20 million copies and reached the hands of children all around the world. 

What is your favorite poem by Shel Silverstein and why? If you do not have a favorite poem, follow Shel Silverstein's advice, "If there is a book you want to read but isn't written yet, write it."