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A Light in the Attic
Last night while I lay thinking hereThis 20th anniversary of Shel Silverstein's A Light in the Attic includes a CD of highlights from his Grammy Award-winning album.
Some Whatifs crawled inside my ear
And pranced and partied all night long
And sang their same old Whatif song:
Whatif I flunk that test?
Whatif green hair grows on my chest?
Whatif nobody likes me?
Whatif a bolt of lightning strikes me?...
Here in the attic of Shel Silverstein you will find Backward Bill, Sour Face Ann, the Meehoo with an Exactlywatt, and the Polar Bear in the Frigidaire. You will talk with Broiled Face, and find out what happens when Somebody steals your knees, you get caught by the Quick-Digesting Gink, a Mountain snores, and They Put a Brassiere on the Camel.
From the creator of the beloved poetry collections Where the Sidewalk Ends and Falling Up, here is another wondrous book of poems and drawings.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published October 7, 1981
About the author
Shel Silverstein
169 books9,527 followersShel Silverstein was the author-artist of many beloved books of prose and poetry. He was a cartoonist, playwright, poet, performer, recording artist, and Grammy-winning, Oscar-nominated songwriter.
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February 13, 2022
A Light in the Attic, Shel Silverstein
A Light in the Attic is a collection of poems by the American poet, writer, and children's author Shel Silverstein. It was first published by Harper & Row in 1981.
Bored
I can't afford
A skateboard.
I can't afford
An outboard.
I can't afford
A surfboard.
All I can afford
Is a board.
عنوانهای چاپ شده در ایران: «فانوس زیر شیروانی»؛ «نوری در اتاق زیر شیروانی»؛ «چراغی در زیر شیروانی»؛ «چراغی زیر شیروانی»؛ نویسنده شل سیلورستاین؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش ماه نوامیر سال 2001میلادی
عنوان: فانوس زیر شیروانی؛ نویسنده: شل سیلورستاین؛ مترجم فاطمه جعفرزاده، تهران، انتشارات کیا، سال1378 ؛ در48ص، شابک9649219390؛ موضوع: شعر برای کودکان و نوجوانان از نویسندگان ایالات متحده آمریکا - سده20م
عنوان: نوری در اتاق زیر شیروانی؛ نویسنده: شل سیلورستاین؛ مترجم حمید خادمی؛ مشخصات نشر تهران، کتاب پنجره، چاپ دوم سال1380، در197ص، مصور، شابک9649225757؛ دو زبانه فارسی انگلیسی؛
عنوان: چراغی در زیر شیروانی؛ نویسنده و تصویرگر شل سیلورستاین؛ مترجم طوبی یکتایی؛ مشخصات نشر تهران، تندیس، سال1379، در127ص، مصور، شابک9649198431؛
عنوان: چراغی زیر شیروانی؛ نویسنده: شل سیلور استاین؛ مترجم رضی خدادادی (هیرمندی)؛ مشخصات نشر تهران، هوای تازه، سال1383، در200ص، مصور، شابک9647222874؛
نقل از متن: خانه تاریک است و پرده ها کشیده اند / اما چراغی زیر شیروانی روشن است / من میدانم آن چیست / شوقی است که بیتاب سوسو میزند / حتی میتوانم آنرا از بیرون ببینم و میدانم / که تو آن بالایی و بیرون را نگاه میکنی.؛
بچه خفاش جیغ کشید: «کلید خاموشی رو بزنید، من از روشنایی میترسم!»؛
شتره رو لباس زیر پوشونده اند / آخه میدونید، لباسش درست و حسابی نبود، یا آبرومند / شتره رو لباس زیر پوشونده اند / حالا دیگه کوهان هاش بیرون نمونده اند / اونا طرحهای آبرومندانه ی دیگه ای هم دارند / حتی اصرار دارند که همه ی خوکها شلوار پاشون کنند / اگه بهشون اجازه و امکانات بدیم / تن اردکها هم لباس میپوشونند / از وقتی که شتره رو لباس زیر پوشونده اند.؛
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 20/12/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 23/11/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیان��
A Light in the Attic is a collection of poems by the American poet, writer, and children's author Shel Silverstein. It was first published by Harper & Row in 1981.
Bored
I can't afford
A skateboard.
I can't afford
An outboard.
I can't afford
A surfboard.
All I can afford
Is a board.
عنوانهای چاپ شده در ایران: «فانوس زیر شیروانی»؛ «نوری در اتاق زیر شیروانی»؛ «چراغی در زیر شیروانی»؛ «چراغی زیر شیروانی»؛ نویسنده شل سیلورستاین؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش ماه نوامیر سال 2001میلادی
عنوان: فانوس زیر شیروانی؛ نویسنده: شل سیلورستاین؛ مترجم فاطمه جعفرزاده، تهران، انتشارات کیا، سال1378 ؛ در48ص، شابک9649219390؛ موضوع: شعر برای کودکان و نوجوانان از نویسندگان ایالات متحده آمریکا - سده20م
عنوان: نوری در اتاق زیر شیروانی؛ نویسنده: شل سیلورستاین؛ مترجم حمید خادمی؛ مشخصات نشر تهران، کتاب پنجره، چاپ دوم سال1380، در197ص، مصور، شابک9649225757؛ دو زبانه فارسی انگلیسی؛
عنوان: چراغی در زیر شیروانی؛ نویسنده و تصویرگر شل سیلورستاین؛ مترجم طوبی یکتایی؛ مشخصات نشر تهران، تندیس، سال1379، در127ص، مصور، شابک9649198431؛
عنوان: چراغی زیر شیروانی؛ نویسنده: شل سیلور استاین؛ مترجم رضی خدادادی (هیرمندی)؛ مشخصات نشر تهران، هوای تازه، سال1383، در200ص، مصور، شابک9647222874؛
نقل از متن: خانه تاریک است و پرده ها کشیده اند / اما چراغی زیر شیروانی روشن است / من میدانم آن چیست / شوقی است که بیتاب سوسو میزند / حتی میتوانم آنرا از بیرون ببینم و میدانم / که تو آن بالایی و بیرون را نگاه میکنی.؛
بچه خفاش جیغ کشید: «کلید خاموشی رو بزنید، من از روشنایی میترسم!»؛
شتره رو لباس زیر پوشونده اند / آخه میدونید، لباسش درست و حسابی نبود، یا آبرومند / شتره رو لباس زیر پوشونده اند / حالا دیگه کوهان هاش بیرون نمونده اند / اونا طرحهای آبرومندانه ی دیگه ای هم دارند / حتی اصرار دارند که همه ی خوکها شلوار پاشون کنند / اگه بهشون اجازه و امکانات بدیم / تن اردکها هم لباس میپوشونند / از وقتی که شتره رو لباس زیر پوشونده اند.؛
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 20/12/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 23/11/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیان��
March 7, 2008
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 people who don't like Shel Silverstein, I don't want to meet them. Or, more to the point, you shouldn't meet them if that is an option.
Children need to experience this kind of creepy / weird / funny / sad stuff, not just for their own sake, but for the sake of having a conduit through which they can make sense of most of the rest of the world. Knowing that Shel sees things this way, too, makes it all easier to take, and makes your own oddness that much more tolerable. We, as humans, need to come to terms with inexplicable and unfathomable in the world, and it wasn't until Shel that we began to realize that the only way to gently help our children do just that, is to let a perverted old weirdo with a large stack of Playboys in his basement lead 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 people who don't like Shel Silverstein, I don't want to meet them. Or, more to the point, you shouldn't meet them if that is an option.
Children need to experience this kind of creepy / weird / funny / sad stuff, not just for their own sake, but for the sake of having a conduit through which they can make sense of most of the rest of the world. Knowing that Shel sees things this way, too, makes it all easier to take, and makes your own oddness that much more tolerable. We, as humans, need to come to terms with inexplicable and unfathomable in the world, and it wasn't until Shel that we began to realize that the only way to gently help our children do just that, is to let a perverted old weirdo with a large stack of Playboys in his basement lead the way.
August 3, 2016
“Do a loony-goony dance
'Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world
That ain't been there before.”
'Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world
That ain't been there before.”
October 19, 2022
Did I read a children’s book last night for comfort? Yes, yes I did.
This is definitely not as amazing as where the sidewalk ends, but these poems hit just as hard. They’re fun for kids (totally recommend you to read them to your children: 5 and up) and you’ll be shocked every time these give you some adult life lessons as well 🫶🏻
also they’re so hilarious and intelligently written, every kid who grows up with this will 100% be smarter than everyone else.
February 18, 2023
I'm in love with the following poem (page 59) 😍😍...
"ATIONS
If we meet and I say, 'Hi,'
That's a salutation. 👋
If you ask me how I feel,
That's consideration. 🤔
If we stop and talk awhile,
That's a conversation. 🗣️
If we understand each other,
That's communication. 💬
If we argue, scream and fight,
That's an altercation. 🤬
If later we apologize,
That's reconciliation. 🤝
If we help each other home,
That's cooperation. 🚶
And all these ations added up
Make civilization. 🫂
(And if I say this is a wonderful poem,
Is that exaggeration❓)"
Not at all, mister. I commend your ability to string together seemingly random words to form such a glorious and lyrical piece of poetry.
Needless to say, I will definitely be continuing to read more of yours works, despite the fact that they are intended for younger audiences. It's a shame, really, that you have succumbed to the inevitable end that we all face as human beings. The world needs more people like you.
Ciao 👋
"ATIONS
If we meet and I say, 'Hi,'
That's a salutation. 👋
If you ask me how I feel,
That's consideration. 🤔
If we stop and talk awhile,
That's a conversation. 🗣️
If we understand each other,
That's communication. 💬
If we argue, scream and fight,
That's an altercation. 🤬
If later we apologize,
That's reconciliation. 🤝
If we help each other home,
That's cooperation. 🚶
And all these ations added up
Make civilization. 🫂
(And if I say this is a wonderful poem,
Is that exaggeration❓)"
Not at all, mister. I commend your ability to string together seemingly random words to form such a glorious and lyrical piece of poetry.
Needless to say, I will definitely be continuing to read more of yours works, despite the fact that they are intended for younger audiences. It's a shame, really, that you have succumbed to the inevitable end that we all face as human beings. The world needs more people like you.
Ciao 👋
November 25, 2019
I got some Shel Silverstein books from the library to feed my nostalgia, and it was an interesting reread. They're as funny and easy and light as I remember, but I'm shocked by how much I didn't remember. Maybe I just skimmed it for the pictures as a kid, but still, these were entertaining to read out loud to my cats.
February 15, 2016
2016 Genre Challenge: Poetry
April 9, 2007
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 books I found all of my childish wishes drawn out to their natural, absurd conclusions. But I was also given a glimpse of the way that language could create beauty and inspire wonder, for we have some flax-golden tales to spin. Come in! Come in! I never guessed how a bald, bearded, barefoot man with a guitar could read my mind. It is not too much to say that I revere both works. Which is not the point of these poems at all.
May 3, 2014
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!! When I saw my Goodreads friend 'post' she read this book, I smiled BIG time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 15, 2014
“A Light in the Attic” is one of Shel Silverstein’s best yet most controversial books of poems ever written. This book is full of poems about clowns, pirates, monsters and all manner of strange people and animals doing crazy things. “A Light in the Attic” may be too suggestive and morbid for smaller children, but older children will easily delight themselves with the silly shenanigans of the characters.
Shel Silverstein’s writing is as witty as it is funny as he writes each character’s stories in a poetic prose. One of the funniest poems I have read was “Squishy Touch” when the main character turns everything into Jell-O. Shel Silverstein’s illustrations are highly creative as the images make the characters look scratchy and also I love the images being presented in black and white colors, a technique that is usually used for long books. The image that probably stood out the most was the image of the Gink as it has a large mouth with sharp teeth and the image of the kids coming out of the Gink on the next page.
Parents should know that there are some suggestive and morbid content in this book that young children might not understand. One poem that might be too suggestive for children would be the poem “How not to have to dry the dishes” as it entices children to break the dishes in order not to dry them. Another poem that might be too morbid for children would be “Little Abigail and the Beautiful Pony” as it deals with the death of a child and parents might want to explain to their children about the concept of death before they read this poem.
“A Light in the Attic” is an excellent book about silly poems about silly people who do crazy stunts and it will surely be an instant for many children young and old. I would recommend this book to children ages six and up since smaller children might be a bit disturbed by the suggestive and morbid content displayed in this book.
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
Shel Silverstein’s writing is as witty as it is funny as he writes each character’s stories in a poetic prose. One of the funniest poems I have read was “Squishy Touch” when the main character turns everything into Jell-O. Shel Silverstein’s illustrations are highly creative as the images make the characters look scratchy and also I love the images being presented in black and white colors, a technique that is usually used for long books. The image that probably stood out the most was the image of the Gink as it has a large mouth with sharp teeth and the image of the kids coming out of the Gink on the next page.
Parents should know that there are some suggestive and morbid content in this book that young children might not understand. One poem that might be too suggestive for children would be the poem “How not to have to dry the dishes” as it entices children to break the dishes in order not to dry them. Another poem that might be too morbid for children would be “Little Abigail and the Beautiful Pony” as it deals with the death of a child and parents might want to explain to their children about the concept of death before they read this poem.
“A Light in the Attic” is an excellent book about silly poems about silly people who do crazy stunts and it will surely be an instant for many children young and old. I would recommend this book to children ages six and up since smaller children might be a bit disturbed by the suggestive and morbid content displayed in this book.
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
September 29, 2017
Why I love it: Really? This is a banned book? Somewhere, Mr. Silverstein is shaking his head sadly. It’s a hilarious book of illustrations and poems. Silly poems. Its message is clear: use your imagination, laugh often and your life will be good. It promotes kindness, goodness and understanding. There’s nothing wrong with that.
My Rating: 5 stars
My Rating: 5 stars
May 16, 2015
"The saddest thing I ever did see
Was a woodpecker peckin' at a plastic tree.
He looks at me, and "Friend," says he,
' "Things ain't as sweet as they used to be."
While reading I noticed that I've had read it long ago.. But I just couldn't stop! I just love Shel!
Was a woodpecker peckin' at a plastic tree.
He looks at me, and "Friend," says he,
' "Things ain't as sweet as they used to be."
While reading I noticed that I've had read it long ago.. But I just couldn't stop! I just love Shel!
August 5, 2008
Recently, I started re-reading A Light in the Attic with my younger daughter, who's four-and-a-half. I think when I first read it I must have been about eight or nine years old, because I remember reading it myself, and loving it. (I must have checked it out of the library about a million times.) What's not to love? Shel gives us such gems as:
BEAR IN THERE
There's a Polar Bear
In our Frigidaire--
He likes it 'cause it's cold in there.
With his seat in the meat
And his face in the fish
And his big hairy paws
In the buttery dish,
He's nibbling the noodles,
He's munching the rice,
He's slurping the soda,
He's licking the ice.
And he lets out a roar
If you open the door.
And it gives me a scare
To know he's in there--
That Polary Bear
In our Fridgitydaire.
and
HOT DOG
I have a hot dog for a pet,
The only kind my folds 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.
Of course, she loves almost all of the poems. And I'd forgotten that the wonderful illustrations were also by Silverstein. One word of caution for parents reading to younger kids: some of the poems do deal (albeit in a silly way) with issues such as drowning (in your own tears), getting kidnapped (by a Wild Barbazzoop), and Ticklish Tom (who unfortunately giggles his way onto a railroad track). Small matters, surely, but good to know when you're reading something to your child that's slightly over their head in terms of age-appropriateness. It's nice to be prepared for the moment just after you've finished reading, and your little one turns to you and says, "Mommy, what's kidnapping?"
BEAR IN THERE
There's a Polar Bear
In our Frigidaire--
He likes it 'cause it's cold in there.
With his seat in the meat
And his face in the fish
And his big hairy paws
In the buttery dish,
He's nibbling the noodles,
He's munching the rice,
He's slurping the soda,
He's licking the ice.
And he lets out a roar
If you open the door.
And it gives me a scare
To know he's in there--
That Polary Bear
In our Fridgitydaire.
and
HOT DOG
I have a hot dog for a pet,
The only kind my folds 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.
Of course, she loves almost all of the poems. And I'd forgotten that the wonderful illustrations were also by Silverstein. One word of caution for parents reading to younger kids: some of the poems do deal (albeit in a silly way) with issues such as drowning (in your own tears), getting kidnapped (by a Wild Barbazzoop), and Ticklish Tom (who unfortunately giggles his way onto a railroad track). Small matters, surely, but good to know when you're reading something to your child that's slightly over their head in terms of age-appropriateness. It's nice to be prepared for the moment just after you've finished reading, and your little one turns to you and says, "Mommy, what's kidnapping?"
March 27, 2013
Need to feel like a kid again? Cozy up with this humorous and whimsical book of poetry. Kids of all ages are sure to enjoy Shel Silverstein's fanciful word play in this amusing collection.
Besides reading this book myself, I also purchased a copy of this book for my children and grandchildren. It is a good book to get your children into reading.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book!
Excerpt:
"Somebody Has To
Somebody has to go polish the stars,
They’re looking a little bit dull.
Somebody has to go polish the stars,
For the eagles and starlings and gulls
Have all been complaining they’re tarnished and worn,
They say they want new ones we cannot afford.
So please get your rags
And your polishing jars,
Somebody has to go polish the stars."
Besides reading this book myself, I also purchased a copy of this book for my children and grandchildren. It is a good book to get your children into reading.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book!
Excerpt:
"Somebody Has To
Somebody has to go polish the stars,
They’re looking a little bit dull.
Somebody has to go polish the stars,
For the eagles and starlings and gulls
Have all been complaining they’re tarnished and worn,
They say they want new ones we cannot afford.
So please get your rags
And your polishing jars,
Somebody has to go polish the stars."
March 18, 2022
I rarely read poetry because it's a hit or miss for me. There are always some poems that I really like and the rest of them I just skim read. But I find children poetry more tolerable and usually more amusing.
This poetry collection was very funny, quirky and easy to read. Some of the poems may seem suggestive and even a little bit morbid (especially the last few in this collection) but overall I think most of them promote positive thinking and kindness.
I haven't read this as a child and I think I value this better as an adult. Most of the poems are very straightforward but also profound and witty in a way I probably wouldn't have appreciated as a child.
Some of my favourites are:
Draw a crazy picture,
Write a nutty poem,
Sing a mumble-grumble song,
Whistle through your comb.
Do a loony-goony dance
'Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world
That ain't been there before.
This one is my favourite because we bookworms would have more time for reading when we wouldn't have to work, but then how would we buy ourselves new books to read!?
This poetry collection was very funny, quirky and easy to read. Some of the poems may seem suggestive and even a little bit morbid (especially the last few in this collection) but overall I think most of them promote positive thinking and kindness.
I haven't read this as a child and I think I value this better as an adult. Most of the poems are very straightforward but also profound and witty in a way I probably wouldn't have appreciated as a child.
Some of my favourites are:
Draw a crazy picture,
Write a nutty poem,
Sing a mumble-grumble song,
Whistle through your comb.
Do a loony-goony dance
'Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world
That ain't been there before.
This one is my favourite because we bookworms would have more time for reading when we wouldn't have to work, but then how would we buy ourselves new books to read!?
January 4, 2022
This was one of my favorite books as a child, and I loved being able to read it again. Even more so I got to read it to my 7 year old daughter and some to my 10 year old nephew. They both loved it. They laughed at most of them and my daughter commented about it being sad when it was a sad poem. I got two more of his books from the library and I'm very excited to read them for both myself and my daughter.
July 29, 2010
4.0 to 4.5 stars. One of those books that can be enjoyed by children and adults depending on how deeply you dive into the meaning of the stories. Incredibly imaginative and very well done.
April 17, 2021
I've got no complaints. Seriously. This is such a wonderful all-ages poetry book with illustrations; a childhood favorite of mine. Anyone who wants a lighthearted, funny book should probably read this.
Bored
I can't afford
A skateboard.
I can't afford
An outboard.
I can't afford
A surfboard.
All I can afford
Is a board.
Gumeye Ball
There's an eyeball in the gumball machine,
Right there between the red and the green,
Lookin' at me as if to say,
"You don't need any more gum today."
Wild Strawberries
Are Wild Strawberries really wild?
Will they scratch an adult, will they snap at a child?
Should you pet them. or let them run free where they roam?
Could they ever relax in a steam-heated home?
Can they be trained to not growl at the guests?
Will a litterbox work or would they leave a mess?
Can we make them a Cowberry, herding the cows,
Or maybe a Muleberry pulling the plows,
Or maybe a Huntberry chasing the grouse,
Or maybe a Watchberry guarding the house,
And though they may curl at your feet oh so sweetly,
Can you ever feel they you trust them completely?
Or should we make a pet out of something less scary,
Like the Domestic Prune or the Imported Cherry,
Anyhow, you've been warned and I will not be blamed,
If your Wild Strawberry cannot be tamed.
Turtle
Our turtle did not eat today,
Just lies on his back in the strangest way
And doesn't move.
I tickled him
And poked at him
And dangled string in front of him,
But he just lies there
Stiff and cold
And sort of staring straight ahead.
Jim says he's dead.
"Oh, no," say I,
"A wooden turtle cannot die!"
Anteater
"A genuine anteater,"
The pet man told my dad.
Turned out, it was an aunt eater,
And now my uncle's mad!
Bored
I can't afford
A skateboard.
I can't afford
An outboard.
I can't afford
A surfboard.
All I can afford
Is a board.
Gumeye Ball
There's an eyeball in the gumball machine,
Right there between the red and the green,
Lookin' at me as if to say,
"You don't need any more gum today."
Wild Strawberries
Are Wild Strawberries really wild?
Will they scratch an adult, will they snap at a child?
Should you pet them. or let them run free where they roam?
Could they ever relax in a steam-heated home?
Can they be trained to not growl at the guests?
Will a litterbox work or would they leave a mess?
Can we make them a Cowberry, herding the cows,
Or maybe a Muleberry pulling the plows,
Or maybe a Huntberry chasing the grouse,
Or maybe a Watchberry guarding the house,
And though they may curl at your feet oh so sweetly,
Can you ever feel they you trust them completely?
Or should we make a pet out of something less scary,
Like the Domestic Prune or the Imported Cherry,
Anyhow, you've been warned and I will not be blamed,
If your Wild Strawberry cannot be tamed.
Turtle
Our turtle did not eat today,
Just lies on his back in the strangest way
And doesn't move.
I tickled him
And poked at him
And dangled string in front of him,
But he just lies there
Stiff and cold
And sort of staring straight ahead.
Jim says he's dead.
"Oh, no," say I,
"A wooden turtle cannot die!"
Anteater
"A genuine anteater,"
The pet man told my dad.
Turned out, it was an aunt eater,
And now my uncle's mad!
July 26, 2020
I was introduced to the works of Shel Silverstein when my fourth grade teacher read Where the Sidewalk Ends to my class. Sadly, the author passed away not long after I discovered his poetry; still, he lives on thanks to his timeless works. This book has some crazy poems; between the zany words and hilarious illustrations, kids and even some adults are sure to laugh. Occasionally, the poems were crude, but only in a "PG" way. While I was disappointed when I found out about Mr. Silverstein's lifestyle--and, if you check out his Wikipedia page, you'll see why--that doesn't reflect on this book.
December 16, 2016
I read a little bit from this book everyday to my younger brother this past week. I can't remember if I finished this myself in my own childhood, but it felt like I read it for the first time, so I'll put this in the list of books I read this year.
This is a book full of poems about jokes or about little lessons presented in comical ways. It gets little kids thinking and gets them interested about deeper thinking. Definitely a must-read for children!
This is a book full of poems about jokes or about little lessons presented in comical ways. It gets little kids thinking and gets them interested about deeper thinking. Definitely a must-read for children!
December 5, 2016
Absolutely brilliant.
Every time I read it, every time I love it more.
Many poems are my favorite, I can't write all of them here but couldn't resist myself sharing these two,
The Nailbiter
Some people manicure their nails,
Some people trim them neatly,
Some people keep them filed down,
I bite ’em off completely.
Yes, it’s a nasty habit, but
Before you start to scold,
Remember, I have never ever
Scratched a single soul.
Zebra Question
I asked the zebra
Are you black with white stripes?
Or white with black stripes?
And the zebra asked me,
Are you good with bad habits?
Or are you bad with good habits?
Are you noisy with quiet times?
Or are you quiet with noisy times?
Are you happy with some sad days?
Or are you sad with some happy days?
Are you neat with some sloppy ways?
Or are you sloppy with some neat ways?
And on and on and on and on
And on and on he went.
I'll never ask a zebra
About stripes
Again.
Every time I read it, every time I love it more.
Many poems are my favorite, I can't write all of them here but couldn't resist myself sharing these two,
The Nailbiter
Some people manicure their nails,
Some people trim them neatly,
Some people keep them filed down,
I bite ’em off completely.
Yes, it’s a nasty habit, but
Before you start to scold,
Remember, I have never ever
Scratched a single soul.
Zebra Question
I asked the zebra
Are you black with white stripes?
Or white with black stripes?
And the zebra asked me,
Are you good with bad habits?
Or are you bad with good habits?
Are you noisy with quiet times?
Or are you quiet with noisy times?
Are you happy with some sad days?
Or are you sad with some happy days?
Are you neat with some sloppy ways?
Or are you sloppy with some neat ways?
And on and on and on and on
And on and on he went.
I'll never ask a zebra
About stripes
Again.
July 14, 2010
Shel Silverstein was the author of my childhood, and I was surprised to find that, in (sort of) adulthood, A light in the Attic hasn't lost any of its charm. In fact, I've discovered new layers of humor and meaning I couldn't have processed when I was eight.
I credit Shel Silverstein with my early love of poetry and, ultimately, literature. Recommend to anyone at any age, but a GREAT gift for a godson/ goddaughter, niece/ nephew, etc.. They'll cherish it forever!
I credit Shel Silverstein with my early love of poetry and, ultimately, literature. Recommend to anyone at any age, but a GREAT gift for a godson/ goddaughter, niece/ nephew, etc.. They'll cherish it forever!
August 12, 2018
This book holds happy memories for me. I used to read the poems to my son Matt, who is now 26 years old. He and I both enjoyed their sweet silliness and the great illustrations!
January 30, 2022
A very blizzard, brilliant, and quirky novel for the readers young and old! I do agree with the social movement mentioned in this book. That being “Union for Children Rights.” As someone currently preparing for my SAT in May this hit me close to home. I need seventeenth summer breaks and longer weekends for sure!
April 29, 2021
I read this book a long time ago as a kid and really enjoyed it. I should re-read it so I can appreciate it all the more from an adult persepctive.
October 27, 2007
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 that they won't have to wash them; suggestive illustrations; glorified Satan, suicide, cannibalism, and also encouraged children to be disobedient; suggests drug use, the occult, suicide, death, violence, disrespect for truth, disrespect for legitimate authority, rebellion against parents; behavior abusive to women and children, suicide is the best way to manipulate parents; mockery of God; selfish and disrespectful behavior; very vile; contained subliminal messages"
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 that they won't have to wash them; suggestive illustrations; glorified Satan, suicide, cannibalism, and also encouraged children to be disobedient; suggests drug use, the occult, suicide, death, violence, disrespect for truth, disrespect for legitimate authority, rebellion against parents; behavior abusive to women and children, suicide is the best way to manipulate parents; mockery of God; selfish and disrespectful behavior; very vile; contained subliminal messages"
October 5, 2021
Always goofy, often hilarious, and sometimes magical, Silverstein's illustrated poetry collections are perfect read-alouds for kids and great nostalgia trips for adults. His best work is so evocative it leaves an outsize imprint on the imagination and prompts scrutiny of everyday absurdities, whether "out there" in the world or "in here" in one's own head.
About half the work in this collection is half as clever as I dimly remembered from childhood, while the other half drops away from memory like a discarded pebble. And even some of those would be (and probably were) a delight to encounter as a child.
About half the work in this collection is half as clever as I dimly remembered from childhood, while the other half drops away from memory like a discarded pebble. And even some of those would be (and probably were) a delight to encounter as a child.
April 6, 2008
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.
September 8, 2020
مثل بقیه ی کتاب های شل، این کتاب پر بود از ایده های خلاقانه و داستان ها و نقاشی های بامزه.
من بیشتر از همه به داستان زیر خندیدم:
The MEEHOO with an Exactlywat
با خودم فکر کردم یک نفر چقدر باید ذهن خلاقی داشته باشد که چنین ایده ی بامزه ای را در سر پرورانده باشد.
پ.ن.
در خلال خواندن این کتاب به این نتیجه رسیدم که دیگر کمتر از گودریدز استفاده کنم. دلیلش هم این است که دوست ندارم با خودم یا دیگران در رقابت باشم که حتماً تعداد کتاب بیشتری بخوانم. هم چنین دوست ندارم کتاب هایی که فعلاً در لیست اولویت های خواندن من نیست را به خاطر شهرتشان در شبکه های اجتماعی بخوانم. از این پس سعی می کنم از گودریدز فقط برای یافتن بعضی کتاب های خوب مرتبط با علایقم استفاده کنم. اگر حس و حالش را داشتم شاید ریویو ای هم بنویسم. اگر نداشتم در خودِ کتاب ریویو ای برای خودم یادداشت می کنم، مثل اوایل دهه ی نود که گودریدز نداشتم و در کتاب برای خودم می نوشتم.
من بیشتر از همه به داستان زیر خندیدم:
The MEEHOO with an Exactlywat
با خودم فکر کردم یک نفر چقدر باید ذهن خلاقی داشته باشد که چنین ایده ی بامزه ای را در سر پرورانده باشد.
پ.ن.
در خلال خواندن این کتاب به این نتیجه رسیدم که دیگر کمتر از گودریدز استفاده کنم. دلیلش هم این است که دوست ندارم با خودم یا دیگران در رقابت باشم که حتماً تعداد کتاب بیشتری بخوانم. هم چنین دوست ندارم کتاب هایی که فعلاً در لیست اولویت های خواندن من نیست را به خاطر شهرتشان در شبکه های اجتماعی بخوانم. از این پس سعی می کنم از گودریدز فقط برای یافتن بعضی کتاب های خوب مرتبط با علایقم استفاده کنم. اگر حس و حالش را داشتم شاید ریویو ای هم بنویسم. اگر نداشتم در خودِ کتاب ریویو ای برای خودم یادداشت می کنم، مثل اوایل دهه ی نود که گودریدز نداشتم و در کتاب برای خودم می نوشتم.
June 8, 2012
In the pantheon of literature shaping my nascent creative flicker, Shel Silverstein remains a master of lunacy and language. Long after losing my appetite for R.L. Stine's "Fear Street" or the frightful suspense of Alvin Schwartz' "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark", Silverstein's whimsical passages continue to invoke nostalgic and thoughtful reflection. Of "The Giving Tree", my mother echoes the undeviating refrain that it is a woeful fable of an ungrateful child and a loving, long suffering parent. I respond with a nod of agreement and apology having learned better than to quarrel with her interpretation of that particular work.
"I've discovered a way to stay friends forever--
There's really nothing to it.
I simply tell you what to do
And you do it!" ~ Friendship
His deeply imaginative ideas combined with a rich awareness of words to craft a collection of clever cerebral exchanges. Silverstein chose not to endeavour making sense of the utter nonsense which exists in the dreams of children. In his poems and illustrations, there resides an inquisitive surreality of characters and circumstances which are at times morbid, silly, unusual, somber, capricious, self indulgent or inappropriate. That array of attributes represented a wider spectrum than most children's literature of his era had considered yet all were qualities of which any child might be possessed.
"I shot an arrow toward the sky,
It hit a white cloud floating by.
The cloud fell dying to the shore,
I don't shoot arrows anymore." ~ Arrows
In spite of resolute parental naivete on our part, children are not yet whole beings. They are evolving and developing with each new insight which should arise. Why should they not be given the full palette of human emotion in which to dabble their paintbrush while there remains a steady hand to guide their intentions? Silverstein recognized children were smarter than adults acknowledged and wrote images filled with riddles, trap doors and passageways into the unknown.
If confusion arose as to the meaning of any given story, there was no discernible moral interpretation at the end. He trusted that children could ask questions and sort out those quandaries on their own. What if they could send away in the mail for a new set of parents as does the young man in "Clarence"? Is it such a terrifying thought that every child might at some moment dislike their parents? Or desire to join the UCR (Union for Children's Rights) and dispense with performing chores until their demands are met?
"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 them...
Amen." ~ Prayer of the Selfish Child
Silverstein wrote in the tradition of the grand triumvirate alongside Seuss and Sendak. Authors of juvenile literature who were unafraid to stretch and layer their passages into the space of fascination and fantasy. Could those arcane worlds engaged in Harry Potter or "The Hunger Games" exist without the precedent laid by the dragon of Grindly Grun, the Gooloo bird or the quick digesting Gink?
Silverstein can be an especially difficult read when one has spent a lifetime having their language skills battered into shape by each gruesome guardian of the English oral tradition. His random meter and loose leaning prose lead one to imagine they are reading another language entirely. I surely realize now that he inspires the same wonder and bewilderment as deciphering Pablo Neruda in Spanish. Perhaps this is the greatest gift Silverstein leaves behind in these writings. A self contained language filled with a meaning and clarity all its own which will be accessed only when you rediscover the precocious, curiosity you brought to the book as a child exploring literature for the first time.
"I've discovered a way to stay friends forever--
There's really nothing to it.
I simply tell you what to do
And you do it!" ~ Friendship
His deeply imaginative ideas combined with a rich awareness of words to craft a collection of clever cerebral exchanges. Silverstein chose not to endeavour making sense of the utter nonsense which exists in the dreams of children. In his poems and illustrations, there resides an inquisitive surreality of characters and circumstances which are at times morbid, silly, unusual, somber, capricious, self indulgent or inappropriate. That array of attributes represented a wider spectrum than most children's literature of his era had considered yet all were qualities of which any child might be possessed.
"I shot an arrow toward the sky,
It hit a white cloud floating by.
The cloud fell dying to the shore,
I don't shoot arrows anymore." ~ Arrows
In spite of resolute parental naivete on our part, children are not yet whole beings. They are evolving and developing with each new insight which should arise. Why should they not be given the full palette of human emotion in which to dabble their paintbrush while there remains a steady hand to guide their intentions? Silverstein recognized children were smarter than adults acknowledged and wrote images filled with riddles, trap doors and passageways into the unknown.
If confusion arose as to the meaning of any given story, there was no discernible moral interpretation at the end. He trusted that children could ask questions and sort out those quandaries on their own. What if they could send away in the mail for a new set of parents as does the young man in "Clarence"? Is it such a terrifying thought that every child might at some moment dislike their parents? Or desire to join the UCR (Union for Children's Rights) and dispense with performing chores until their demands are met?
"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 them...
Amen." ~ Prayer of the Selfish Child
Silverstein wrote in the tradition of the grand triumvirate alongside Seuss and Sendak. Authors of juvenile literature who were unafraid to stretch and layer their passages into the space of fascination and fantasy. Could those arcane worlds engaged in Harry Potter or "The Hunger Games" exist without the precedent laid by the dragon of Grindly Grun, the Gooloo bird or the quick digesting Gink?
Silverstein can be an especially difficult read when one has spent a lifetime having their language skills battered into shape by each gruesome guardian of the English oral tradition. His random meter and loose leaning prose lead one to imagine they are reading another language entirely. I surely realize now that he inspires the same wonder and bewilderment as deciphering Pablo Neruda in Spanish. Perhaps this is the greatest gift Silverstein leaves behind in these writings. A self contained language filled with a meaning and clarity all its own which will be accessed only when you rediscover the precocious, curiosity you brought to the book as a child exploring literature for the first time.
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