Am I the only one who doesn't like Shel Silverstein's books?

[Fairy]

I've tried. I really have. But I am not at *all* a fan of "Where the Sidewalk Ends." We have it -- I'm the one who bought it -- and we've read thru the entire book. But after the first one where being dead was mentioned, I pre-skimmed all of them before reading them to DS. And by the time we were done, I couldn't help but think to myself, wow. Am I the only one who thinks he was one twisted dude? Certainly, some of these are wonderful, like Sick and Silvia Cynthia whomever and her garbage, and the Dentist one. And the little boy whose hair flew him away is heart breaking, and who doesn't love Ickle Me Pickle Me Tickle Me too?

But some of these? To me, they're not young child fare. My book came with a CD of Silverstein, himself, reciting the poems, only I didn't know it was him doing the reciting on first listen. I hated -- *hated* -- the delivery. I was like, ungh, this guy is awful. Then I saw that it was Silverstein who did the voice work, which means he was reading them as he'd intended. All of which were not my interpretation, which only reinforced how much I didn't like his work.

When I was 11 or so, I saw a coffee table book of his adult-themed work. It may have colored me against him. But I've tried to get on board, and I just can't stand his stuff. Anyone else? Is it just me?

[MontrealMum]

I couldn't stand his books as a kid - and I was the ONLY one in my class who couldn't; everyone else loved him. I probably won't get them for DS unless he asks specifically and they've been reading it at school or something.

[salsah]

i never cared much for his work either. however dd and i do enjoy "the giving tree."

[Fairy]

Now The Giving Tree is different. I love that book, but in a terribly sad sort of way. My grandmother gave me that book as a tween or so, and I sobbed and sobbed, it really affected me. I still have the copy my grandmother gave me, and the only time I've been able to crack it open is right after she died 20 years ago, when I sobbed some more, but not since. Too hard. But I do love it.

[MontrealMum]

Yes, I totally agree. The Giving Tree is in a different class by itself. It always makes me think of my grandpa, and I can't read it either - but only because I'm bawling by page 2. But the rest ? - I just never got it.

[Melaine]

I'm also not a fan, but I made a quick decision based on a brief perusal and haven't read The Giving Tree at all.

[LexyLou]

Oh, I love Shel Silverstein but I don't think my mom read him to me when I was really little. He was definitely more of an upper grade school thing. In fact, I remember reciting "Little Sister For Sale, Little Sister for Sale" in 6th grade.

But he is definitely a little twisted.

[ohiomom1121]

Oh, I love Shel Silverstein but I don't think my mom read him to me when I was really little. He was definitely more of an upper grade school thing. In fact, I remember reciting "Little Sister For Sale, Little Sister for Sale" in 6th grade.

But he is definitely a little twisted.
:yeahthat: I totally agree! I remember reading them myself when I was older and I did like them. DD does love The Giving Tree and can practically recite it word for word. I wonder if he has any more books like that, or if it's just the poem type books?

[KBecks]

I sold our copy of Where the Sidewalk Ends at resale. I don't *hate* it, but I guess I'm not a fan.

[Ceepa]

I don't mind Silverstein. I remember everyone going crazy for Where the Sidewalk Ends and there being a long wait in my school's library to check out the one copy. I don't like The Giving Tree because I read it as giving, giving, giving to the destruction of yourself and then giving some more.

Now who else is with me on generally not liking Dr. Seuss? Anyone? I know it's almost heresy, but talk about acid trips for the playground set. Though we do like a few of them like Oh, The Places You'll Go, The Foot Book, The ABC Book, Green Eggs and Ham.

[Fairy]

Also not a Suess fan in general. Not against it, we have a bunch of them, and some are great, definitely. But the great big ohmigod and kvelling on him, not so much.

[bnme]

Now who else is with me on generally not liking Dr. Seuss? Anyone? I know it's almost heresy, but talk about acid trips for the playground set. Though we do like a few of them like Oh, The Places You'll Go, The Foot Book, The ABC Book, Green Eggs and Ham.

Well, I generally love Dr. Suess. So when my DS took one of his books I had never heard of out of the school library I happily started to read it to him. And as I was reading it became increasingly confused and disturbed. Anyone ever read the Butter Battle Book?

And I love the Giving Tree. But not as crazy about his other works. I always thought of it as a message that true giving is not expecting something in return.

[clc053103]

Love Dr Suess. Shel Silverstein I loved as a child, and will likely read some of his work to DS when he is older.

A book I never liked and just can't see why it is so popular? Goodnight Moon.

[MontrealMum]

I can't really give you an answer one way or another about Dr. Seuss because I've only read one of his books :bag My parents are both teachers, my dad a reading specialist, and for some reason they did not approve of him. The one book I read I "borrowed" (in a very loose sense of the term) from a neighbor boy. It was A Fish Out of Water .

[sarahsthreads]

I don't mind Silverstein. I remember everyone going crazy for Where the Sidewalk Ends and there being a long wait in my school's library to check out the one copy. I don't like The Giving Tree because I read it as giving, giving, giving to the destruction of yourself and then giving some more.

Now who else is with me on generally not liking Dr. Seuss? Anyone? I know it's almost heresy, but talk about acid trips for the playground set. Though we do like a few of them like Oh, The Places You'll Go, The Foot Book, The ABC Book, Green Eggs and Ham.

I haven't read "Where the Sidewalk Ends" since I was a kid, so I can't comment, but I don't much like "The Giving Tree". I agree with your feelings on it. And the boy just takes, takes, and takes some more. But DD1 reads it and says it's "a beautiful story", so what do I know? :)

I'm also not the hugest fan of Dr. Seuss. Some are OK, others are just long and very weird. We have "Oh, The Thinks You Can Think" and "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut" and enjoy those and "Green Eggs and Ham". But most of the others I've gotten out of the library have definitely not turned out to be the kind of book we read every night until it's due back.

So I'll join in your heresy!

Sarah :)

[salsah]

Now who else is with me on generally not liking Dr. Seuss? Anyone? I know it's almost heresy, but talk about acid trips for the playground set. Though we do like a few of them like Oh, The Places You'll Go, The Foot Book, The ABC Book, Green Eggs and Ham.

:yeahthat:

[kijip]

Where the Sidewalk Ends is currently one of T's favorite books. He reads something from it everyday. Some of them are pretty odd and/or irreverent but he seems to get that they are all meant in jest pretty well. He got it as a gift.

He loves the one that starts out "My dad gave me $1 bill because I am his smartest son" that ends up with the kid having 5 (10?) pennies due to his smart trading skills. And Little Peggy Ann McKay who can not go to school today until it is Saturday.

[citymama]

Now who else is with me on generally not liking Dr. Seuss? Anyone? I know it's almost heresy, but talk about acid trips for the playground set. Though we do like a few of them like Oh, The Places You'll Go, The Foot Book, The ABC Book, Green Eggs and Ham.

Nope! Almost every Seuss book is a gigantic hit with DD and us, and that's the litmus test for whether it stays or gets squeezed into the top shelf where unpopular books go. Funny thing is that as a kid I wasn't crazy about Seuss books, but seeing them through DD's eyes is a completely different thing. There are definitely exceptions (ok, quite a few) but I love most Seuss (and Sendak). Haven't gotten into Silverstein at all here.

[fivi2]

I loved Shel Silverstein as a kid (upper elementary as pp said). I will wait until the girls are older before introducing. (Oh, but I am not a fan of the Giving Tree at all...)

I like most Seuss, but some is too trippy for me.

Love Sendak - some for me and not for kids yet, though.

[Fairy]

I do love Sendak. I still have my tiny little Nutshell Library of four classic books (all of which are memorialized in the I'm Really Rosie album).

[DrSally]

I think his books are "controversial". Just read the reviews of "The growing tree" on Amazon. Love it or hate it, not much in between. I love it b/c I grew up reading it a lot and liked it then, and I tend to have a melancholoy personality. Prob based on my early experiences of loss and sadness as a child, it resonated with me. In some ways, I'm not sure all books for kids have to be happy and have good endings, KWIM? wistfulness, meloncholy, etc. are legitimate emotions too, and may resonate with something a child has experienced (maybe save it for older children). Anyway, I know this isn't the book you were referring to, but it came to mind when I read your post. I haven't read a lot of "Where the sidewalk ends", so I can't comment as much on that one.

[vonfirmath]

We don't like The Giving Tree at all -- we gave it away. We've got the rest. I like some of the poems so I'll keep it. I have not yet found a poetry anthology that we like all the poems in.

[Clarity]

I just bought The Giving Tree for my daughter and she enjoyed it. The theme of giving to your own distruction spoke volumes for ME, but it's just to mature a concept for a 2.5yr old.
As an aside, have you noticed his photo on the book jacket - he's grimacing so much so that I find his expression to be a bit disturbing and mentioned as much to my dh! Not exactly my mental image of an award winning children's author. *shrug*

[ThreeofUs]

Now The Giving Tree is different. I love that book, but in a terribly sad sort of way.

Exactly how I feel. TGT is a really hard book to read, so very very sad. I end up crying every single time I read it.

I have friends who think it's an upbeat book. Makes me wonder if they can understand what they read.

ETA: I do like most of Seuss - The Sneetches is a favorite - but the language play gets us into discussions with DS1 about word use a lot. Might be why a speech/language friend of mine doesn't like them too much. Shel Silverstein ... I dunno. Some of his stuff is good, some really *not*, some just okay. I haven't bought any of his books, but have had the giraffe one given to us.

[Fairy]

Exactly how I feel. TGT is a really hard book to read, so very very sad. I end up crying every single time I read it.

I have friends who think it's an upbeat book. Makes me wonder if they can understand what they read.

I agree, Ivy. My friend who thinks it's upbeat, I'm like, what am I missing? For me, I'm seeing it as a tree who gives and gives and gives because she loves the boy so much. She loves the boy so much that she'd give everything she has until there's none of her left because the most important thing is the boy and not her. And the boy keeps taking. The boy loves the tree, but he doesn't realize that he's taking so much and how selfless the tree is until it's too late and there's no more tree. And now he understands that that's what's happened and has to live with that knowledge. Taht final image of the boy slumped in knowing sadness on the tree stump haunts me.

And now I'm weepy.

I got this from my grandmother when I was an older child, a pre-teen. And I was so profoundly affected by it. I got a message from it to not be a taker. That the ones who love you so selflessly are not to be unacknowledged or taken from too heavily -- and that giving back is vital.

My grandmother died 20 years ago last Tuesday, and I still can't think or talk about her for too long at any one time or I cry, and this book is one of the things that screams her name. It's so weird to be talking about this book right at this time. It's so hard for me to even think about this book, let alone talk about it.

[salsah]

[QUOTE=ThreeofUs;2352919]

I have friends who think it's an upbeat book. Makes me wonder if they can understand what they read.

/QUOTE]

i don't think that it is a question of understanding. it is a matter of perspective. i do not think that it is upbeat but i do see/understand the various perspectives that people have when reading it.

on another note, i just remembered how disturbing some of his illustrations are (in where the side walk ends). well, as a child i thought that they were disturbing. i haven't it recently so i'm i can't say how i feel about them now.

[MontrealMum]

ITA with your post Fairy :hug: I always associate that book with my grandpa who died when I was 16 and to this day I cannot read it. I don't think I'm going to give it to my DS, at least not until he's fairly old. That and the Velveteen Rabbit - they're just too emotional for a little kid.

[Fairy]

That and the Velveteen Rabbit

YES. Another one that traumatized me -- as an ADULT! I made the big mistake of reading this to my campers when I was a 20yo counsellor. HEL-lo. Had to get up and give my kids to another counsellor for 10 minutes while I collected myself from the sobbing. Not good form. Makes me feel better that I'm not the only one.

We should probably stop talking about this. :hug: back . . .

[egoldber]

I have not read Silverstein's longer stuff, but I have read some shorter collected poems. Sarah enjoys them, but I wouldn't call us huge fans.

I think The Giving Tree is brilliant. I think it has a lot of meanings depending on who you are and where you are in life. For a child, I can see an upbeat message of a parent will always love you and give you what you need. Now as a parent, I see the sadness of the parent who watches the child grow up and away as well as other meanings about giving and taking.

I love Seuss. My only complaint is that some of his books are a little too long. He needed a better editor on some of them. ;) And Fox in Sox is just cruel and unusual punishment. It's the only book I've ever actually refused to read.

Oh, and I also can't read The Giving Tree or The Velveteen Rabbit without crying.

[ThreeofUs]

And the boy keeps taking. The boy loves the tree, but he doesn't realize that he's taking so much and how selfless the tree is until it's too late and there's no more tree. And now he understands that that's what's happened and has to live with that knowledge. Taht final image of the boy slumped in knowing sadness on the tree stump haunts me.


Exactly. It's a cautionary tale - whether you scale it for children and parents or humans and planet - and it's written to hit right at the heart. (Like Wagner, blatant manipulation!) Even though I think the lesson is good and the writing appropriate, I guess it just hit me too hard.

I have a neighbor (who doesn't think much for herself) who calls it a "fun book". AAAGGGHHH.

ETA: Here's a link to what he and the publishers he sent it to thought of it - "sad" seems to be the operative word. http://www.shelsilverstein.com/html/About1.html

[HIU8]

OMG, my sister just gave DS and DD the "where the sidewalk ends" CD as a gift to me for watching DNiece so much. Supposedly DNieces loves Shel Silverstein (she's 3 and is only allowed books and CD's but that is a whole other post). Meanwhile, my kids (and I admittedly) really dislike the CD. He recites, sings and shouts the text. It's just BAD. I wish my sister would have asked me what kind of music or books on tape that my kids like so I could have something useful instead of this gift that I cannot return and will either sell, give away or trash completely.

[Fairy]

... He [Silverstein] recites, sings and shouts the text. It's just BAD.

Yes, it is! Truly, truly awful. I know! This thread has made me feel so much better. That I'm not the only one!

[infomama]

The Silverstein book I wish I never bought...Runny Babbit. Read the first few pages and it's been closed for years.

[HIU8]

This and Raffi is all DNiece is allowed to listen to. I feel so sorry for the freak sis and bil are turning her into. (not that Raffi is freakish, just that DNiece is only allowed things that sis and bil deam culture).