17 pages • 34-minute read
Where the Sidewalk Ends
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Further Reading & Resources
Related Poems
“The Edge of the World” by Shel Silverstein (1974)
This short poem appeared in the same collection as “Where the Sidewalk Ends” and reads like an introduction to the collection’s title poem, sharing similar themes and images.
“On Turning Ten” by Billy Collins (1995)
Written for an older audience, this poem explores similar themes to “Where the Sidewalk Ends,” including the precipice between childhood and adulthood, magic and the mundane.
“Deep in Our Refrigerator” by Jack Prelutsky
A humorous and relatable children’s poem that uses a voice similar to Shel Silverstein’s work. Prelutsky and Silverstein are often compared as contemporaries writing for a similar audience and market.
Further Literary Resources
“When it comes to banning books, stringent restrictions inhibit learning” by Natalie Civadelic (2022)
This article lists a selection of books banned in the United States, including Where the Sidewalk Ends, with a brief overview of censorship practices in the US.
“Somebody finally fixed the ending of The Giving Tree” by Emily Temple (2021)
An introduction to the “Fixed It” series of updated children’s books by Topher Payne, which includes the updated ending of The Giving Tree for free reading.
“Daring as A Natural Value in ‘Where the Sidewalk Ends’ and ‘A Light in the Attic’ by Shel Silverstein” by Diana Budi Darma and Mamik Tri Wedawati (2018)
A critical approach to recurring themes and values in Silverstein’s work.
Listen to Poem
Hylton Buijs reads “Where the Sidewalk Ends” by Shel Silverstein
Voice actor Hylton Buijs of the Word Play YouTube channel reads Silverstein’s 1974 poem.
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