Where the Sidewalk Ends

Title: Where the Sidewalk Ends

Author: Shel Silverstein

Poetry #3

Reading Where the Sidewalk Ends was a blast in the past for me. I enjoyed reading Shel Silverstein very much when I was a child and found myself remembering several of the poems as I was reading them. Some of my personal favorites include: Hector the Collector, Where the Sidewalk Ends, and Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out. One of the things I love about the book is that all of the poems included are unique, entertaining, and downright funny. It is hard to keep a straight face while reading most of them. The topics are quirky, the words are silly, and the illustrations are kooky, yet they somehow all fit together to create this amazing collection of poems that I think kids (and adults) of all ages will enjoy. Not to mention, there are a great deal of educational connections that can be made with the text.

I see Shel Silverstein’s work being a great way to help teach not only about poetry itself but also about rhyme, humor, alliteration, onomatopoeia, figurative language, imagery, etc. Poetry is also a great way to get struggling readers to pick up a book. I would hand Where the Sidewalk Ends to any of the reluctant readers in my class in hopes that it would provide a reading opportunity that is non-threatening and entertaining. In the end, there is no doubt in my mind that Shel Silverstein’s books should be a part of my classroom library. In fact, I believe they should be a part of any good classroom library. He will forever be one of my favorite children’s authors.