Children's author Shel Silverstein was born in Chicago on September 25, 1932. Though he was best known for creating stories and poems for kids, he was a man of many talents. During the 1950's, Mr. Silverstein was in the U.S. Army in Japan and Korea. He drew cartoons for magazines and wrote poems, plays and songs. He also composed music for the film, Postcards from the Edge, for which he received a nomination for an Academy Award in Music.Silverstein wrote his first children's book, Lafcadio: The Lion Who Shot Back, in 1963. From there, he went on to write a number of bestsellers which received numerous awards including The Giving Tree (1964), Where The Sidewalk Ends (1974), A Light In The Attic (1981), and Falling Up (1996). More than 18 million copies of his books have been sold around the world and have been translated into 20 different languages.
Silverstein died at his Florida home on May 9, 1999. If you're not already familiar with his wonderful titles, we encourage you to share them with your family. If you would like more information, please visit Shel Silverstien's official website at www.shelsiverstein.com.
