Falling Up

Book review by Peter Lewis, Common Sense Media
Falling Up Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 6+

Silverstein has childhood covered like a rug.

Shel Silverstein Poetry 1996
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Parents say

age 17+

Based on 2 reviews

Kids say

age 11+

Based on 2 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this book.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that the art in this book is inviting, and the style and economy of the writing, plus the subject matter, hold children's interest.

Community Reviews

Lebron12James3
Lebron12James3 Adult
January 19, 2022
age 18+

RIPOFF OF THE MOVIE UP

thehandyman
thehandyman Adult
December 13, 2016
age 15+

Derranged, suggestive, and dark.

If you don't want your child's young innocent mind exposed to witchcraft, nudity, hypnosis, tattoos and violence then this isn't the book for you. Many of the "poems" don't really rhyme well. The illistrations look dark and derranged. There is an illistration of a woman giving a nude man a tattoo on his buttocks. Also it mocks the william tell story and shows an illistration of a man with an arrow shot into his head. Basically teaching your kids that william tell missed the apple and killed his son. I wouldn't recommend this trash for adults, let alone children.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Shel Silverstein is on the loose with wise, witty, unconventional verse and electrifying line drawings. From thoughtful observations to bathroom humor, Silverstein has childhood covered like a rug. His insight and humor make this a favorite for adults as well as children.

Is It Any Good?

This book's expressive verse and narrative line drawings make a good match. A little girl bends over and looks through her legs: "Upside-down trees swingin' free, / Buses float and buildings dangle; / Now and then it's nice to see / The world--from a different angle." Another little girl looks right and left before crossing the street, while her tentative sense of safety is about to be erased by a falling safe.

Sometimes it's Silverstein's indecorum that lights up the page: "We gave you a chance / To water the plants. / We didn't mean that way-- / Now zip up your pants." The verse is quick and economical, the spirit unconventional, and the voice unique and distinctly American.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the poetry and language in this book. Does writing conjure up vivid images? What are some of your favorite passages, and why?

Book Details

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