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Shel Silverstein -- 1932-1999
 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 1950s Mr. Silverstein was in the U.S. Army in Japan and Korea and drew cartoons for the publication Pacific Stars and Stripes. When he returned home from the service, he continued to draw cartoons for adult magazines and wrote plays and songs as well. Among his successes was Silverstein's tune, "A Boy Named Sue," written for country singer Johnny Cash in 1969 and "The Cover of the Rollin' Stone" which he wrote for singer Dr. Hook. He also composed music for the film, Postcards from the Edge for which he received a nomination for an Academy Award in Music
In the early 1960s, Silverstein's friend, children's book author-illustrator Tomi Ungerer, encouraged him to submit a story to children's editor Ursula Nordstrom at Harper & Row. That manuscript became his first children's book LAFCADIO: THE LION WHO SHOT BACK (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).
Silverstein's flair for fun, tinged with a bit of naughtiness, makes his books enormously popular with kids. Altogether his titles have sold more than 18 million copies around the world and have been translated into 20 different languages.
Silverstein died at his Florida home on May 9, 1999. He will be greatly missed, though his zest for life and sense of humor live on in his books. If you're not already familiar with his wonderful titles, we encourage you to share them with your family. They can be enjoyed by readers of all ages.
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