A new Shel Silverstein book is out

     I've been a lover of Shel Silverstein's books for ages.  Now Silverstein's family has released a new book called Every Thing On It, which includes 145 poems.  Silverstein had elminiated many of them from his earlier books, because they didn't happen to fit in the perfect order he was looking for in a given collection.
     So, who is Shel Silverstein? you ask.  Well, Sheldon Allen "Shel" Silverstein was an American poet, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, cartoonist, screenwriter, and author of children's books.  It's those books that I love.  His books have been translated into 20 languages, his books have sold over 20 million copies.
     Born in Chicago, Silverstein began drawing at age 12.  He attended the Art Institute of Chicago but left after one year.  He was first published in the Roosevelt Torch (a student newspaper at Roosevelt University).   While in the military, his cartoons were published in Pacific Stars and Stripes.  His first book, Take Ten, a compilation of his military Take Ten cartoon series was published by Pacific Stars and Stripes in 1955.  Other cartoons were published by Look, Sports Illustrated and This Week while he was selling hot dogs at Chicago ballparks.
     Silverstein was a songwriter for Tompall Glaser (Put Another Log on the Fire), Loretta Lynn (One's on the Way), The Irish Rovers (The Unicorn), and Johnny Cash (25 Minutes to Go and A Boy Named Sue).  Bobby Bare, Barbi Benton, Emmylou Harris, Judy Collins, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson are among others who sang his many songs.  He also wrote more than 100 one-act plays.
     As for children's books, The Giving Tree has been his biggest seller to date and one of the most successful children's books in years.  It has been selling steadily since it appeared over 50 years ago and has been translated into at least 30 languages.  It tells of a tree and use a man makes of it.  When he is a boy, he plays in the tree's branches and enjoys its lucious fruit.  Later, he courts his love under the tree and uses some of its wood to build a house for his family.  Years pass and find the man is older and alone.  The tree lets him take its trunk to carve a boat from, and the man rows away.  Finally, he returns for the last time to sit and rest on the stump of the tree - that's all that's left of it, but the tree is delighted to have the "boy" with him again.
     The Giving Tree (ES Silverstein) is my favorite book and I have it on my shelf at home.
     The Moultrie-Colquitt County Library has eight of Shel Silverstein's books.
     A Light in the Attic (J811S) is a collection of humorous children's poetry, as is Falling Up (J811.54S), Where the Sidewalk Ends (J811.54S), and My Dog Does My Homework! (J811.008S).
     The Missing Piece (J818S) is about a circle that has difficulty in finding its piece but a has good time looking for it.
     Uncle Shelby's Story of Lafcadio, the Lion Who Shot Back (JF Silverstein) tells of a lion who, after leaving the jungle and joining a circus, teaches himself to be the best shot in the world and the consequences that follow.
     And Runny Babbit: a billy sook (J811.54S) is about a rabbit and his friends who speak a topsy-turvy language.
     It's wonderful that the Silverstein family will be sharing with all of us more of Shel's works.  Silverstein died at his home in Key West, Florida on May 9, 1999 of a heart attack.  To see another book of his wonderful poetry will be a joy to behold.  It's with great hope we will be able to share this book with our patrons in the future.
(Sources:  Yahoo!, Wikipedia)