A spider lives inside my head Who weaves a strange and wondrous web Of silken threads and silver strings To catch all sorts of flying things,
Like crumbs of thought and bits of smiles And specks of dried-up tears,
And dust of dreams that catch and cling For years and years and years . . .
Have you ever read a book with everything on it? Well, here it is, an amazing collection of never-before-published poems and drawings from the creator of Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic, and Falling Up. You will say Hi-ho for the toilet troll, get tongue-tied with Stick-a-Tongue-Out-Sid, play a highly unusual horn, and experience the joys of growing down.
What's that? You have a case of the Lovetobutcants? Impossible! Just come on in and let the magic of Shel Silverstein bend your brain and open your heart.
A second posthumous collection from the archives of the multitalented Silverstein is definitely a cause for celebration.
"Although I cannot see your face / As you flip these poems awhile, / Somewhere from some far-off place / I hear you laughing—and I smile." This and 129 other poems chosen by Silverstein's family see light here for the first time. Those vexed by the relentless spoonerisms of 2005's Runny Babbit will delight that these buried gems are different each to each. There are tales of garlic breath and child-eating plants (and child-eating land sharks and a horse that's pretty hungry). There are admonitions never to eat a snake (whole) or look up the chimney for Santa. The poems vary in length as much as in subject matter, running from a line or two to several pages. Silverstein's inspired word play and impish sense of humor are in abundant evidence. His signature line drawings accompany many of the poems and complete the jokes of some. If there are one or two that feel a bit flat, the hijinks or silly grossness of the next poem more than make up for them. "When I am gone what will you do? / Who will write and draw for you? / Someone smarter—someone new? / Someone better—maybe YOU!"
Adults who grew up with Uncle Shelby will find themselves wiping their eyes by the time they get to the end of this collection; children new to the master will find themselves hooked. (Poetry. All ages)
Shel Silverstein is the author-artist of many beloved books of prose and poetry. He was a cartoonist, playwright, poet, performer, recording artist, and Grammy-winning, Oscar-nominated songwriter.
It's a testament to Silverstein's abilities as a cartoonist and storyteller that he was able to endow such subjects with just the right silliness and humor, endearing him to both children and adults. In collections such as the classic Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic, and Falling Up, Silverstein makes poems into page-turners -- aided in no small part by his grungy, whimsical black-and-white drawings. He also displays a tenderhearted understanding for kids' fears and peccadilloes; one poem in A Light in the Attic, for example, all but endorses nailbiting: "It's a nasty habit, but ... I have never ever scratched a single soul."
A lifelong writer and illustrator, Silverstein had been a cartoonist for an army newspaper in Korea in the 1950s, and then a contributor to magazines. Like many succesful writers for children, Silverstein never planned to author children's books. Ironically, his first attempt at the genre -- the book that established the one-time Playboy cartoonist as a school library fixture -- is something of an anomaly in his ouevre: The Giving Tree. This bittersweet story of a tree that ultimately sacrifices itself -- down to the stump -- to the boy she loves over the course of his life was initially rejected by Silverstein's editor. Of course, it has gone on to be a great, if sentimental, success. But it was Where the Sidewalk Ends, Silverstein's straightforward collection of crooked poems, that cemented his place as a must-read for the young and young at heart. Silverstein bristled at comparisons to fellow "nonsense poet" Edward Lear, preferring instead to cite his former teacher, Robert Cosbey, as an influence.
It's worth looking at some of Silverstein's less well-known picture books, such as Who Wants a Cheap Rhinoceros? and Lafcadio, the Lion Who Shot Back, as examples of how funny (and how subversive) Silverstein could be. In Lafcadio, the ultimate anti-hunting story, a lion learns to become such a good marksman that he provides "hunter rugs" for his fellow lions and ends up touring as a celebrity. Lafcadio soon gets bored with his opulent life, and what used to be thrilling no longer is: "This morning I went up and down in the elevator 1,423 times," he cries at one point. "IT'S OLD STUFF!"
In later years, Silverstein turned more attention to dramatic writing. Titles such as The Lady and the Tiger, Wild Life and The Devil and Billy Markham were produced with varying degrees of success, and some are still being staged by small theater groups. Silverstein also wrote a well-received screenplay, Things Change, with pal David Mamet in 1988.
Still, Silverstein's poetry is what remains his most popular contribution. His verse gave kids permission to be a little grown-up for a while, and (just as importantly) let adults experience the not-always-simple perspective of children.
Silverstein wrote several songs. His country-western song "A Boy Named Sue" was a hit for Johnny Cash in 1969. His song for Postcards From the Edge, "I'm Checkin' Out," was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.
Anonymous
Posted Tue Sep 20 00:00:00 EDT 2011
Readers of all ages will delight in this new collection from Shel Silverstein. It's so rare to have the opportunity to enjoy new work from a beloved artist who has passed away, so thanks to the Silverstein Estate for giving this collection to Shel's fans so we might have that pleasure of discovering something new from the brilliant and inventive Shel Silverstein once more.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Balina
Posted Fri Dec 02 00:00:00 EST 2011
I Also Recommend:
Wonderful book with beautiful poems. Highly recommended
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.TyroneFreeberg
Posted Sun Sep 25 00:00:00 EDT 2011
This is a must have for every collector out there. The fun and light story will definitely lighten up your mood.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Spaghetti
Posted Tue Sep 20 00:00:00 EDT 2011
As usual, witty, clever, funny. The pictures say it all! Silverstein is brilliant.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.gammaRK
Posted Sun Apr 28 00:00:00 EDT 2013
Our three-year old loves the rhyming Much of the subject matter is over her head, but it presents a good gateway to discuss meanings of things. Have read each poem at least three times within the last three weeks.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.book4children
Posted Mon Feb 18 00:00:00 EST 2013
From the delightful and crazy genius of Shel Silverstein comes this wacky collection of poems and drawings. I doubt there has ever been or ever will be another poet that can move audiences the way that he can.
Call me crazy, but I was not expecting this book to be so funny. Weird, yes. But funny? You should know that I laughed the whole way through. So did my kids.
Silverstein's writing is impeccable. His lines flow off the tongue with ease and captivate children and grown ups alike. Often, rhyming books and poetry lack an ease of reading out loud. But the poems in Everything On It rhyme perfectly and flow smoothly, making them easy and fun to read.
Just like his writing, Silverstein's black and white drawings are entertaining and engaging. Often, the picture works with the writing to tell the entire story. His style is easily loved by children. I think that this is because his artwork looks a lot like something a child would draw. They relate to art that looks like it belongs in their world.
Silverstein is a kid that never really grew up. His poems encompass a wide range of crazy subjects including oddly shaped heads, cheating in school, strange salesmen, and obscure shops. The one subject I noticed pop up more than any other was cannibalism. If that is a subject that bothers you, then you probably shouldn't read it. There are monsters, man eating plants, child eating horses, and people eating giants to be found in the pages of this book. If you enjoy the wacky and the weird and are ready to find a book full of laughs, then this is the one for you.
Anonymous
Posted Wed Oct 17 00:00:00 EDT 2012
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted Wed Nov 16 00:00:00 EST 2011
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Overview
A spider lives inside my head Who weaves a strange and wondrous web Of silken threads and silver strings To catch all sorts of flying things,
Like crumbs of thought and bits of smiles And specks of dried-up tears,
And dust of dreams that catch and cling For years and years and years . . .
Have you ever read a book with everything on it? Well, here it is, an amazing collection of never-before-published poems ...