https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/top-books-of-1974-where-the-sidewalk-ends-by-she...

I was really surprised to find that this is the top book of 1974 among Goodreads users, by a very long way (almost twice as many users as second-placed Carrie) because I had never heard of either book or author. It’s an immensely popular short collection of a hundred or so poems, aimed perhaps at the 10-ish age range. I suspect that the use of the word “sidewalk” in the title has made it less appealing to the many countries where that is simply not a word that is used, including where I grew up.

I quite like the title poem despite the peculiar terminology for ‘pavement’. I found most of the other poems much less impressive, more often just framing a smart phrase than digging very deeply into life and experience. I did like the illustrations. I’m struck that Goodreads reviewers, even though so many of them like the book, tend to say that Silverstein’s other collection, A Light in the Attic, is better. ( )

poetry

This book is my American childhood. This is every afternoon at school, from kindergarten in 1977 to third grade in 1980, sitting on the floor in a semi-circle around various teachers (respected Mrs Case, beloved Mrs Sobel, unlovely and feared Mrs Baumgartner, glorious, worshipped Mizz Grundy) and hearing all about Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout. I can hear my esteemed 6-year-old colleague Patrick reading "What a Day" in high-pitched, giggling mid-western drawl. I remember feeling so sorry for the Australian kids I met when we returned to Melbourne in 1980. I went into Grade 4 and they'd never heard of [a:Shel Silverstein|435477|Shel Silverstein|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1201029128p2/435477.jpg]! Poor deprived mites. They'd got [a:May Gibbs|126595|May Gibbs|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_50x66-e0ba3b90c110cd67123d6a850d85373e.png]. Urgh. Give me the subversive Mr Silverstein any day. ( )

I love this book. I memorized SICK when I was in school and recited it. My copy I've had since Dec 1990 and it is inscribed as a gift to me:
"To JeriLynn [sp] May your life be filled with happiness! We love you, Joe, Judy & Marie" ( )

I thought this was a good book to have in a library if the collection is in need of more children's poetry. ( )