Where the Sidewalk Ends

As I was trying to figure out what book to post up and write about the other day I thought back to my very own childhood and the books I've picked up and looked through along the years.  I was reminiscing about the days where my elementary school was right across the street from the public library, there were some books in that place that I borrowed countless times, over and over again because I loved bringing them home and rereading them.  It didn't matter that I already knew what would happen and what to expect.  Actually, I think there was some sort of comfort and strange stability in that, if I made any sense at all right there.

One book I particularly remember taking out of the library was Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein.  I loved it so much I ended up buying it for my sister years later when she was able to read. Now, this book isn't a novel and it doesn't have much of a story.  It has a bunch of poems that are fun and engaging for not just children but people of all ages.  Shel Silverstein also wrote A Light in the Attic, The Giving Tree, and Falling Up which also contain a collection of quirky poems.

This is a great way to get children into poetry.  Growing up kids always hear songs and nursery rhymes that they end up remembering for years and years to come, these poems are almost like that.  The poems are of all lengths, of various subjects, some are inspirational, while others are funny, they definitely hold something special that children will enjoy because I'm twenty one years old and they still put the same smile on my face as they did years ago.

Here's a poem that is very touching and inspiring:

LISTEN TO THE MUSN'TS
Listen to Mustn'ts, child, 
listen to the Don'ts.
Listen to the Shouldn'ts, 
the Impossibles, the Won'ts.
Listen to the Never Haves, 
then listen close to me-
Anything can happen, child, 
Anything can be.


This poem will leave an impacting message with any child, even adult.   And if you want humor there are poems about spaghetti to selling of a sister.  The poems really relate to children and delves into their world as kids growing up and the rhymes are rather catchy as well.  Hand this to any kid that finds reading dreadful and boring, I'm sure they will think differently after this.  Worse comes to worst (which I can almost guarantee it won't), they will enjoy flipping through the pages for the creative doodles and illustrations.