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The most popular current writer of humorous verse for children, Shel Silverstein was born in Chicago, Illinois, has been married and divorced, has one daughter, and currently lives in Brooklyn, New York. His career includes composing popular songs, drawing cartoons, writing many adult articles (several for Playboy), and acting. However, he is best known for his self-illustrated children's poetry. His first such book was Uncle Shelby's Story of Lafcadio, the Lion Who Shot Back (1963), the humorous tale of a lion who turns the tables on hunters. It was followed by The Giving Tree (1964), a story of a parentlike tree that gives endlessly and is endlessly used by its son. Several other such picture books followed, including The Missing Piece (1976), about a circle that goes in search of a missing piece, and its sequel, The Missing Piece Meets the Big O (1981). However, two collections of poetry are probably his best-loved work: Where the Sidewalk Ends: The Poems and Drawings of Shel Silverstein (1974), and A Light in the Attic (1981). All of Silverstein's poetry for children employs the language play common to Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear. Silverstein is probably the best of the contemporary nonsense poets for children. (Bowker Author Biography) — biography from The Giving Tree… (more)
The Giving Tree 18,043 copies, 997 reviews
A Light in the Attic: Poems and Drawings 10,357 copies, 201 reviews
Falling Up: Poems and Drawings 7,585 copies, 199 reviews
Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook 2,402 copies, 69 reviews
The Missing Piece 2,124 copies, 53 reviews
A Giraffe and a Half (Cover artist, some editions; Illustrator) 1,709 copies, 55 reviews
Every Thing On It 1,442 copies, 78 reviews
The Missing Piece Meets the Big O 1,172 copies, 24 reviews
Lafcadio, The Lion Who Shot Back 966 copies, 10 reviews
Who Wants a Cheap Rhinoceros? 693 copies, 29 reviews
Arbor Alma/the Giving Tree 238 copies, 2 reviews
Draw a Skinny Elephant 43 copies, 1 review
Shel's Shorts 27 copies, 1 review
Take Ten 8 copies
Falling up (Audio) 5 copies, 2 reviews
The Smoke-Off 2 copies
The Unicorn 2 copies
My Enemy 2 copies
The End 1 copy
Pancake? 1 copy
Snowball 1 copy
Top Cat 1 copy
The Enemy 1 copy
For Rachel 1 copy
My Dog Does My Homework! (Contributor) 834 copies, 5 reviews
Free to Be... You and Me (Contributor) 465 copies, 8 reviews
Beware!: R.L. Stine Picks His Favorite Scary Stories (Contributor) 217 copies, 5 reviews
The Best American Mystery Stories 2000 (Contributor) 141 copies, 3 reviews
Murder for Love (Contributor) 85 copies
Murder for Revenge (Contributor) 69 copies
Laugh Lines: Short Comic Plays (Contributor) 56 copies, 1 review
The Signet Book of Short Plays (Contributor) 27 copies
Monster Poems (Contributor) 20 copies
Report from Practically Nowhere (Illustrator) 18 copies, 3 reviews

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