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Expelled from University of Illinois due to poor grades

Leading cartoonist in the Playboy magazine

One of the highest selling children's authors

His poetry collections are considered classics in children's literature

Wrote over eight hundred songs

learnodo-newtonic.com

Shel Silverstein resting on a rock

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Shel Silverstein started out with writing songs for dozens of people including Johnny Cash and The Irish Rovers. The thought of writing and drawing for children wasn't on his mind until his friend Tomi Ungerer insisted Silverstein to consider the career path.
Tomi took Silverstein to see Harper & Row editor Ursula Nordstorm who convinced him he could write children's stories.
http://www.librarypoint.org

Alec Betterley, a young poet who has been influenced by Shel Silverstein's work,says one of the first times he felt warmth and inspiration was when he picked up a Shel Silverstein book he read as a child. Alec started writing his songs based and inspired by Silverstein's work years after he died.
(Sliverstein died at age 68 of a heart attack.)
http://wellandoftenpress.com

Tomi Ungerer playing with his toy trains.

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Since I was a little kid Shel Silverstein has made a huge impact on my thoughts of poetry.

My Dad read Silverstein to me a lot to get me to sleep when I was little.

When I grew older, I would read his poems frequently.

Silverstein has become a huge influence of writing poetry for me.

Silverstein's work was to give a voice out to children

Drawing in tribute to Shel Silverstein

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HOW MANY, HOW MUCH (A Light in the Attic)

How many slams in an old screen door?
Depends how loud you shut it.
How many slices in a bread?
Depends how thin you cut it.
How much good inside a day?
Depends how good you live ‘em.
How much love inside a friend?
Depends how much you give ‘em.
Shel Silverstein

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In shel Silverstein's poem, "How Many, How much," he talks about..

how many of something there is, really depends on how much you give them.

If you give a friend care, love and respect they will give you the same things in return.

it depends on how much you're putting into the friendship.

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Roller Skates
(imitating "Jumping Rope")
These started out as
a pair of roller skates
you'd probably think I'm a klutz
But these started out as
a pair of roller skates
and now I fear there is
no hope
but these started out as
a pair of roller skates.