Where the Sidewalk Ends

by Shel Silverstien

This isn't a story, it's a collection of poems.  I grew up reading his books and I love them to this day.  The longest poems cover two pages, but that's including the illustrations, but many are only 10 lines long.

Audience
As soon as children know what poetry is.

What I Love:
1) The pencil illustrations are so funny and charming
2) Most of the poems are funny and relateable to children (ie Sister for Sale)
3) There are quite a few serious poems, like the one posted at the bottom.

Cautions:
1) All the poems are stand-alone, they don't relate to anything else in the book
2) There is implied nudity in one or two of the drawings (always from the back, not showing anything)
3) Silverstien has an irreverent sense of humor about teachers and parents.  Sometimes (not often) the joke is at their expense.

Series
Where the Sidewalk Ends
A Light in the Attic
Falling Up
Everything On It
Don't be a Bump in the Glump