A Light in the Attic
by Shel Silverstein
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| this book is ducking awesome!!! | 2 | 04/02/2008 02:02PM |
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Hiccups, painters, ponies, questioning zebras! What more could you ask for out of Shel Silverstein!! 'A Light in the Attic' is one of Silverstein's best. In fact, it's so good, that I have read it again and again.
Prayer of the Selfish Child
Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
And if I die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my toys to break.
So none of the other kids can use 'em. . . .
Amen.
Rain
I opened my eyes
And looked up at ...more
Prayer of the Selfish Child
Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
And if I die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my toys to break.
So none of the other kids can use 'em. . . .
Amen.
Rain
I opened my eyes
And looked up at ...more
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recommended to Austin by:
Almost Everyone
recommends it for: Everyone
recommends it for: Everyone
Every child eventually discovers the perverted old man who wrote songs for Johnny Cash, did illustrations for Playboy, appeared on the Dr. Demento show numerous times, and managed to get a few books published along the way.
For some reason, parents never seem to think this creepy old guy who was so fond of children was in any way "disturbing," something I'm continually impressed with in the "ban now, ask questions later" climate of modern culture. If there are pe...more
For some reason, parents never seem to think this creepy old guy who was so fond of children was in any way "disturbing," something I'm continually impressed with in the "ban now, ask questions later" climate of modern culture. If there are pe...more
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recommends it for:
people who giggle
Shel Silverstein was misunderstood.
He was a genius, but not an evil one. Just a hilarious one.
His books are looked at with suspicion. But shouldn't be, because they are full of fun, pun, and literate value.
Here is why this one was challenged by others, however:
"features a caricature of a person whose nude behind has been stung by a bee; the poem 'Little Abigail and the Beautiful Pony' is morbid; imparts a 'dreary' and 'negative' message; encourages kids to break dishes so t...more
He was a genius, but not an evil one. Just a hilarious one.
His books are looked at with suspicion. But shouldn't be, because they are full of fun, pun, and literate value.
Here is why this one was challenged by others, however:
"features a caricature of a person whose nude behind has been stung by a bee; the poem 'Little Abigail and the Beautiful Pony' is morbid; imparts a 'dreary' and 'negative' message; encourages kids to break dishes so t...more
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Read in January, 1982
recommends it for:
Anyone who is or was a child. Those who were never children probably wouldn't get it anyway.
The feelings I have about Shel Silverstein's A Light in the Attic and Where The Sidewalk Ends contrast so sharply with the books themselves. I loved these funny, whimsical and sometimes downright sadistic poems with all of my young heart. Even now, I feel like I'm getting away with something when I think of Clarence Lee from Tennesee who loved the commercials he saw on TV. I am still afraid for Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too who never returned to the world they knew. In Shel Silverstein's bo...more
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When I first got this book, I thought it was really weird. Funny, but really weird. The fact that it was a Christmas gift and I liked picking out my own books further spooked me from it. But as I heard more and more about Shel Silverstein, I took a bit of pride from the fact that I had one of his books before any of my (few) book reading friends had ever heard of him, and now it is one of those books where no matter how many times I read a poem from it, or look at the illustrations, it never get...more
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This book, as well as Where the Sidewalk Ends, won me several awards in grade school and junior high school for various speech contests, and for that alone I'm thankful! I still use it today, I just presented a speech in my English class on the poem Where the Sidewalk Ends, and I got an A on it. :) My daughter auditioned for a play using the poem "Sick" and got a lead role. I must say Shel Silverstein is a genius, as well as a good luck charm for my family and me.
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Who doesn't like Shel Silverstein?? His poems and illustrations are the best! I always liked "A Light In The Attic" just a bit better than "Where the Sidewalk Ends". I hear his works are a little controversial these days, but I think his stuff (like Maurice Sendak's) is just just plain genius - speaking to children's innermost thoughts, secrets, desires and fears. He's one of those rare and gifted children's books artists/authors who just "gets it".
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recommends it for:
Someone who needs to giggle.
I used this book for a talent show in Jr High. I don't remember what poem I did, but one that I incidentally memorized along the way is still really funny to me.
Crowded Tub
There s too many kids in this tub.
There s too many elbows to scrub.
I just washed a behind
That I m sure wasn t mine
There s too many kids in this tub.
I quote it for my kids and they look at me in shock and then start giggling. The imagery is just too good. :)
Crowded Tub
There s too many kids in this tub.
There s too many elbows to scrub.
I just washed a behind
That I m sure wasn t mine
There s too many kids in this tub.
I quote it for my kids and they look at me in shock and then start giggling. The imagery is just too good. :)
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Read in March, 2008
recommended to Luke by:
Everyonerecommends it for: Everyone
I am going to start out by saying I really loved this book. i have been getting into poems lately so i decided to read this. There really is no main story but is just a collage of poems. It is primarily meant for children but the values expressed in it are one everyone should know-no matter what age. Everything is pretty direct and simple so its not a chore to read. This is a very simple book that i think everyone should read.
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i wanted to be shell silverstein when i was little. in fact i was constantly writing him a fan letter in my head. i always wanted to look up where i could send it and finally do the thing, but he died. talk about depressing. luckily i grew up and started reading his messed up stuff, so i don't feel so bad anymore about not sending him a hand-crayoned collage of unicorns and polar bears in a bathtub, but still.
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Read in January, 1991
Picture this,
I am 7,its Christmas and all the gifts are wrapped and under the tree.
I could see through the wrapping paper a faint outline of the cover of A Light in the Attic.
I begged.
I screamed.
I was not allowed to open the present even though I knew what it was.
But... I still have the original copy and read it to my son and because of my harrowing experience I love this book even more.
I am 7,its Christmas and all the gifts are wrapped and under the tree.
I could see through the wrapping paper a faint outline of the cover of A Light in the Attic.
I begged.
I screamed.
I was not allowed to open the present even though I knew what it was.
But... I still have the original copy and read it to my son and because of my harrowing experience I love this book even more.
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3 comments
Read in January, 1986
i had an extensive discussion with two friends last night about Shel Silverstein's bizarre portrait on the back cover of this book. his smile is huge and his teeth are the brightest white i've ever seen; while i now believe that what i once thought was a lion's mane growing from his neck is actually the fur-lined hood of a winter coat, it remains almost indistinguishable from his beard.
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Read in September, 2005
This is one of my childhood favorites. I've had it for years and it's all battered because I've read the poems so often. Oddly enough, it's the only book of Silverstein's poems that I own, though I'm familiar with many more of his poems. This one will always be my favorite, though. I can recite so many of the poems from memory. If you ever need to be cheered up, I'd recommend this book!
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Read in January, 1990
recommends it for:
Parents of Children
s.s.'s books open the mind and the imagination...i find it hard to define my mothers' parenting style without mentioning this book. it was one of the first books my mother bought us 'for keeps' and read to us on a regular basis...the funny poems made story time fun and enchanting and i still own our copy of this book. all parents should read s.s.'s books for their children!
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Almost as great as Where the Sidewalk Ends, I loved reading this book myself in 1st grade, and now I love reading it with my girls even more. It was a HUGE hit during Alexa's "Friday Mystery Reader" a few weeks back, too. The kids demanded an encore! The poems can be a little creepy at times, but that's just part of Silverstein's awesome style.
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A staple in my home growing up--my brother loved reading about the polar bear in the frigedar, while I loved...
There's too many kids in this tub
There's too many elbows to scrub
I just washed a behind
That I'm sure wasn't mine
There's too many kids in this tub!
A book that will always instill the importance of laughter!
There's too many kids in this tub
There's too many elbows to scrub
I just washed a behind
That I'm sure wasn't mine
There's too many kids in this tub!
A book that will always instill the importance of laughter!
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recommends it for:
Everyone Young and Old
I lived on these books as a child! Every parent, Aunt, Uncle, Grandparent needs to buy these books for the children in their lives, because they are great books that let children use thier imagination and have fun! And then you need to read them along with that child, because everyone can use a little laughter and fun in life.
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Read in April, 2008
CIP/Summary: A collection of Humorous poems and drawings for children.
I loved A Light in the Attic as a child, and enjoy reading Shel Silverstein's poems just as much as an adult. Poems like "Messy Room" and "Superstitious" are easy for many children to identify with and laugh about.
Starred review in SLJ.
I loved A Light in the Attic as a child, and enjoy reading Shel Silverstein's poems just as much as an adult. Poems like "Messy Room" and "Superstitious" are easy for many children to identify with and laugh about.
Starred review in SLJ.
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recommends it for:
Poetry lovers
Again, Shel Silverstein shines. My children owned both A Light in the Attic and Where the Sidewald Ends before they could talk. Good poetry is just good poetry and Shel knew how to do good poetry. He could put two words together,much like Dr. Seuss, that made no sense to the rest of us and before it was over we knew exactly what he was talking about. He will indeed be missed. We love you Shel Silverstein.
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I had to do a skit off of the poem
HOT DOG
I have a hot dog for a pet,
The only kind my folks would let me get.
He does 'smell sort of bad and yet,
He absolutely never gets the sofa wet.
We have a butcher for a vet,
The strangest vet you ever met.
Guess we're the weirdest family yet,
To have a hot dog for a pet
when I was in middle school. So much fun.
HOT DOG
I have a hot dog for a pet,
The only kind my folks would let me get.
He does 'smell sort of bad and yet,
He absolutely never gets the sofa wet.
We have a butcher for a vet,
The strangest vet you ever met.
Guess we're the weirdest family yet,
To have a hot dog for a pet
when I was in middle school. So much fun.
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book data (includes all editions)
avg rating (all editions): 4.35 (11894 ratings) avg rating (this edition): 4.36 (1517 ratings) number of reviews: 287popular shelves
other editions
quote
"If you have to dry the dishes
(Such an awful boring chore)
If you have to dry the dishes
('Stead of going to the store)
If you have to dry the dishes
And you drop one on the floor
Maybe they won't let you
Dry the dishes anymore
"
more quotes »