"And now, children, your Uncle Shelby is going to tell you a story about a very strange lion -- in fact, the strangest lion I have ever met." So begins one of Shel Silverstein's very first children's books, Lafcadio, the Lion Who Shot Back. It's funny and sad and has made readers laugh and think ever since it was published in 1963.

It was followed the next year by two other books. The first, The Giving Tree, is a moving story about the love of a tree for a boy. In an interview published in the Chicago Tribune in 1964, Shel talked about the difficult time he had trying to get the book published. "Everybody loved it, they were touched by it, they would read it and cry and say it was beautiful. But . . . one publisher said it was too short . . . ." Some thought it was too sad. Others felt that the book fell between adult and children's literature and wouldn't be popular. It took Shel four years before Ursula Nordstrom, the legendary editor at Harper... [More...] [Edit review] [Delete review]

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Silverstein's most popular book, this special edition contains the classic hardcover book and a CD highlighting his Grammy Award-winning album. Illustrations. [Edit review] [Delete review]

Enter the world of Shel Silverstein…

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Shel Silverstein's most popular book, Where the Sidewalk Ends is now available in a special edition containing the classic hardcover book and a CD of highlights from his Grammy Award-winning album. This is a wonderful gift and keepsake for Shel Silverstein fans, old and new.

From the outrageously funny to the quietly affecting -- and touching on everything in between -- here are poems and drawings that illuminate the remarkable world of the well-known folksinger, humorist and creator of The Giving Tree.

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