Born on this Day: Shel Silverstein September 25, 1930
- Library Zest Team
- Sep 25, 2021
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 30, 2021
Shel Silverstein was an American illustrator, cartoonist, playwright, songwriter, and poet, best known for his children’s books, The Giving Tree and Where the Sidewalk Ends. His unique poetry style and distinct illustrations made him a household name much to the delight of children, parents, and teachers alike. His books have been translated into 30 different languages, selling in excess of 20 million copies.
Sheldon Allan Silverstein was born in Chicago, Illinois on September 25, 1930. Silverstein began drawing at the age of seven, tracing the illustrations of Al Capp, a well-known American cartoonist and humourist.
As a young adult, he was expelled from the University of Illinois and began his studies at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts before he was drafted into the U.S. Army.
Silverstein was first published in a student paper in university. During his time in the military, he had some cartoons published in Pacific Stars and Stripes, a publication where he had initially been assigned to do layouts.
Upon his return to Chicago, Silverstein sold hot dogs at ballparks while simultaneously submitting cartoons to magazines and other publications. His first book “Take Ten” was initially published under the title “Grab Your Socks” in 1956.
In 1957, Silverstein became one of the leading cartoonists for Playboy magazine, illustrating a regular column titled “Shel Silverstein Visits…”, which depicted his travels around the world. His cartoons in Playboy appeared from 1956 until the 1970s. One of his regular features in the magazine became material for “Uncle Shelby’s ABZ Book”, published in 1985 which included a conspicuous cover because it was unclear whether his cartoons were meant for children or adults.
Silverstein studied music briefly while attending the Chicago College of Performing Arts but he is not widely known for his achievements in music, at least not for us literary folks. Silverstein has a number of musical credits to his name including songs he wrote for Loretta Lynn, Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show, Tompall Glaser, and Johnny Cash.
Silverstein first performed “A Boy Named Sue” for Johnny Cash at a party in 1969. A few days later Cash played it in a live recording of At San Quentin. Columbus Records released the song which went to #2 on the pop charts, becoming Cash’s biggest-selling single. Silverstein was awarded a Grammy for the tune and a year later he performed it on The Johnny Cash Show alongside the Man in Black himself.
His songs have also been used in a number of movies and television shows including Almost Famous, Thelma and Louise, and Coal Miner’s Daughter.
Silverstein always maintained that he never planned to write or draw for kids. In fact, he famously stated that it was a friend of his, Tomi Ungerer, who “practically dragged me into Ursula Nordstrom’s office.” Nordstrom became his editor at Harper & Row, overseeing his poetry and illustration compilations for children. The Giving Tree became his biggest best-seller, selling 8.5 million copies by 2011. It is often described as “the most divisive book in children’s literature”, which denotes a controversy stemming from whether the protagonists, a boy and an eponymous tree, share a positive relationship (ie: the tree gives selflessly to the boy out of love) or a negative relationship (ie: the boy and the tree have an abusive relationship).
Another well-known Silverstein children’s book is “Where the Sidewalk Ends”. It was released in 1974. In 2007, The National Education Association voted to include the book in its “Teacher’s Top 100 Books for Children” list.
Silverstein never married, though he did father a daughter, who died at the age of 11, and then later a son. In May 1999, Silverstein died of a heart attack in his home in Key West Florida at the age of 68.
Silverstein’s Books in the Essa Public Library Collection…
Where the Sidewalk Ends (Angus & Thornton branches)
The Giving Tree
Runny Babbit: a billy sook
Don’t Bump the Glump! and other silly fantasies
A Light in the Attic
By Tracy Ward
Comments