Common Sense Media Review
By Darienne Stewart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Irresistible collection of clever, hilarious poems.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Shel Silverstein opens WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS with an invitation to dreamers, wishers, liars, and more to gather round and spin "flax-golden tales." What follows is a charming collection of wittily subversive poems and line drawings: There's a fed-up boy trying to sell his sister, a child who hoards wishes, a boy who uses his magical eraser to handle a skeptic, a lazy girl who just waits for it to rain so she can have something to drink, a warning about the sharp-toothed snail that lies in wait for nose-pickers. The 30th anniversary edition published in 2004 includes an extra dozen poems.
Is It Any Good?
Where the Sidewalk Ends is a treasure trove for young readers: eloquent, outrageous, subversive, nonsensical, and daring. Shel Silverstein comes across as favorite uncle, gleefully snickering along with the kids even as he comforts their hurts and gently shares lessons on living a good and vibrant life.
Silverstein's poems -- rhythmic and packed with clever gags -- are favorites for memorization and recitation. His playful language and eccentric artwork are irresistible. And his joyful glee is contagious: His work is a surefire way to inspire kids to write poems of their own.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the many styles of poetry in Where the Sidewalk Ends. Look for rhyming words, visual gags, and different forms of rhythm and repetition.
Write poetry together. To get started, choose one of Silverstein's poems and try writing an extra verse or two. A good starting point is "Toucan," which ends with the lines: "Who can write some/ More about the toucan?/ You can!"
Listen to Silverstein's recording of Where the Sidewalk Ends. Some of the poems in collection were also set to music, including "The Unicorn," "Helping," and "Boa Constrictor."
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Shel Silverstein
- Genre : Poetry
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : HarperCollins Publishers
- Publication date : January 20, 2004
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 4 - 8
- Number of pages : 192
- Available on : Hardback
- Award : ALA Best and Notable Books
- Last updated : February 13, 2025
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