Shel Silverstein

by Molly Kolpin Narrated by Various Narrators

Overview

Did you know Shel Silverstein drew cartoons in a military newspaper while serving in the army? Discover how an aspiring writer and cartoonist went on to become a bestselling children¿s author.

Editorial Reviews

Children's Literature - Barbara L. Talcroft

Poet Silverstein glowers from the cover of this skinny volume of Capstone's "Your Favorite Authors" series. As Kolpin points out, Silverstein isn't everyone's favorite, his Giving Tree being especially controversial. Born in Chicago in 1930 (or maybe 1932), he grew up playing baseball, turned to drawing, and studied art at colleges in Chicago. That is all kids will learn of Silverstein's personal life—the rest is a catalogue of his publishing history. His career change from military cartoonist to children's book writer was facilitated by Tomi Ungerer, whom many children will not know (try Crictor or The Three Robbers). Starting in 1963 with Lafcadio and Where the Sidewalk Ends in 1974, Silverstein became a best-selling poet and illustrator in 1981 with his work, A Light in the Attic. Then, working more often as a cartoonist, songwriter, and playwright, he wrote and illustrated Falling Up in 1996. After an activity book in 1998, Silverstein died suddenly in 1999. Kolpin cites two posthumous releases (2005 and 2011), telling readers Silverstein's "incredible stories live on." It is hard to know just who is the intended audience. The content seems more appropriate for older readers, though the oversized type may put them off. For kids who do not know what glossary words poem and rhyme mean, the text and stark black-and-white photos of the poet might make the book meaningless or off-putting. It is probably best just to try Silverstein's poems with young readers and see how they react. They will not learn very much from this volume. Reviewer: Barbara L. Talcroft

School Library Journal

11/01/2013
Gr 2–5—This colorful, informative, and engaging series focuses on six beloved children's authors. Each book echoes its subject's best-known works, using the same font and color schemes as their bestsellers, so young readers can make an easy connection to what they are familiar with. After this clever hook, the content is strong and consistent, delving into the writers' personal lives, childhoods, and how they came to be successful. Without being too dense or too sparse, the text has high readability, and the full-color photos are matched to aid in comprehension. Text boxes scattered throughout provide supplemental information without being distracting. Vocabulary is bolded and defined on the page, and there is a glossary in the back of each volume as well.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940172265631
Publisher:	Capstone Press
Publication date:	08/10/2017
Series:	Tharn
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

Related Subjects

• Kids
• Fiction & Literature - Kids
• Biography - Kids
• Literary Figures - Kids Biography
• Literature - Authors & Writers - Kids
• Other Literary Figures - Kids Biography

Videos