Review: Where the Sidewalk Ends/Every Thing on It by Shel Silverstein

Published: HarperCollins, 2016
Genre: Poetry, Children’s
Pages: 380
My rating: 5/5 stars

Description: Where the Sidewalk Ends: “Where the sidewalk ends, Shel Silverstein’s world begins. There you’ll meet a boy who turns into a TV set and a girl who eats a whale. The Unicorn and the Bloath live there, and so does Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who will not take the garbage out. It is a place where you wash your shadow and plant diamond gardens, a place where shoes fly, sisters are auctioned off, and crocodiles go to the dentist.”

And Every Thing on It: “Have you ever read a book with everything on it? Well, here it is! You will say Hi-ho for the toilet troll, get tongue-tied with Stick-a-Tongue-Out-Sid, play a highly unusual horn, and experience the joys of growing down.

What’s that? You have a case of the Lovetobutcants? Impossible! Just come on in and let the magic of Shel Silverstein bend your brain and open your heart.” (Goodreads)

Why I picked it up:
I’ve loved Silverstein’s work ever since I was younger, from The Giving Tree to his poetry to Johnny Cash’s “A Boy Named Sue” (of which Silverstein was the songwriter, in case you didn’t know!). This gorgeous leatherbound classic edition of two of his poetry books combined, Where the Sidwalk Ends and Every Thing on It, was bought for me at Barnes & Noble by my girlfriend. I had actually never read And Every Thing on It before, so I jumped at the chance to reread some of my favorites and experience a few new poems as well!

Thoughts:
I had so much fun revisiting some of my favorite childhood poems. Where the Sidewalk Ends is one of those books I could read over and over and always makes me smile when I’m feeling down. I also loved getting to rad some of Silverstein’s work that I hadn’t before. I know I’ll be revisiting And Every Thing on It just as frequently as I have his other work.

Of course, this book had me smiling and laughing out loud and feeling inspired. Even as an adult, this book is good for you. I would come home from a full day of work at a job that I, well, don’t exactly love, and crack this open to read a few pages before bed. It definitely lifted my spirits after a long day.

This is the kind of book I’d read out loud to my kids. I actually used to read my very first copy of Where the Sidewalk Ends to my little brother back in elementary school. It was the only book we had that kept him still and paying attention, and one of my favorite memories from our childhood. I think it would be great to read a few poems out of this book to kids before bed.

Honestly, there’s not much negative I have to say about this book. Of course, there’s a few poems in the 380 pages I didn’t love, but overall, I absolutely loved this and it was everything I wanted it to be.

There’s just no other way to put it—this is a feel-good, pick-me-up book that I feel like I need to have in reach like medicine during allergy season. Medicine for the heart and soul. Silverstein’s work never fails to inspire me and make me smile, and this gorgeous leather-bound edition is certainly no exception.

Buy the book: Amazon, Barnes & Noble

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