Shel Silverstein facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shel Silverstein
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| Born | Sheldon Allan Silverstein September 25, 1930 Chicago, Illinois |
| Died | May 10, 1999 (aged 68) Key West, Florida |
| Resting place | Westlawn Cemetery Norridge, Illinois |
| Occupation | Author Poet Cartoonist Songwriter Playwright |
| Nationality | American |
| Genre | Children's fiction Black comedy Playwright |
| Notable works | Where the Sidewalk Ends (1974) The Giving Tree (1964) "A Boy Named Sue" (1969) |
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Sheldon Allan "Shel" Silverstein (September 25, 1930 – May 10, 1999) was an American writer, poet, and artist. He was also a singer-songwriter, musician, and cartoonist. Many people know him best for his children's book The Giving Tree. He won two Grammy Awards for his work.
Shel Silverstein was good at many different things. In the 1950s, he drew cartoons for a military newspaper called the Pacific Stars and Stripes. He also wrote plays for adults. A book editor named Ursula Nordstrom suggested he should try writing for children.
Writing for Kids
Shel Silverstein's first book of poetry was called "Don’t Bump the Glump! and Other Fantasies". It came out in 1964. He became very famous for his children's books like A Light in the Attic, The Giving Tree, and Where the Sidewalk Ends.
His books are often compared to those by other famous writers. These include A. A. Milne, Edward Lear, and Dr. Seuss. Shel Silverstein won many awards for his children’s poetry. Where the Sidewalk Ends won the Michigan Young Readers’ Award in 1981. He also won the George C. Stone Center for Children’s Books Award twice. Even after he passed away, two more poetry books were published: Runny Babbit and Every Thing on It.
Music and Songs
Shel Silverstein was also a very successful songwriter. Some of his poems were even based on songs he had written.
He wrote the famous song "A Boy Named Sue" in 1969. This song was sung by Johnny Cash and became a huge hit. It reached number 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. Silverstein even recorded his own version of the song that same year.
Many other artists recorded and made his songs popular. These include Tompall Glaser, The Irish Rovers, and Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show. He won two Grammy Awards for his songs. He was also nominated for Golden Globe Awards and Academy Awards.
He wrote many songs for Bobby Bare, such as "Rosalie's Good Eats Café" and "The Mermaid". He also wrote "Marie Laveau" with Baxter Taylor. Silverstein wrote the words and music for many songs on Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show's early albums. Some of these were "The Cover of "Rolling Stone"" and "Sylvia's Mother".
Silverstein also wrote "Hey Nelly Nelly," a folk song from the 1960s. He composed music for several movies too. He could play many instruments, including the guitar, piano, saxophone, and trombone.
His Life
Sheldon Allan Silverstein was born in Chicago on September 25, 1930. He grew up in the Logan Square area of Chicago. He went to Roosevelt High School and later attended the University of Illinois. He also studied at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts. While he was there, he joined the U.S. Army and served in Japan and Korea.
Shel Silverstein had two children, Shoshanna Jordan Hastings and Matthew De Ver. Shoshanna passed away at a young age. His book A Light in the Attic is dedicated to her memory.
Shel Silverstein died at his home in Key West, Florida, on May 10, 1999. He was 68 years old and passed away from a heart attack. Even though he is gone, his wonderful poetry and songs are still enjoyed by people of all ages today.
Images for kids
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"Now here's my plan...", one of Shel Silverstein's best-known cartoons from the 1950s.
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A collection of Shel Silverstein's cartoons from Pacific Stars and Stripes, published in 1956.
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A play called "The Lifeboat is Sinking" from An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein.
See also
In Spanish: Shel Silverstein para niños
