Where the Sidewalk Ends

Silverstein, S. (1974). Where the Sidewalk Ends. New York, NY: Harper and Rowe Publishers.

Taken from Where the Sidewalk Ends;

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.

This book is a collection of poems written by Shel Silverstein. They are all classic and humorous poems, ones that students will be able to connect with.

Genre: Poetry

Grade Level: Grades 1-6

Readers who will like this: Students who enjoy poetry will really enjoy this book. Also students who are wanting to read a few short stories or poems, because there are so many to chose from. A teacher would enjoy introducing Shel Silverstein and could use it to show wonderful examples of poetry.

Response/Rating (1-4): 4, The poems are captivating and fun. I think Shel's vocabulary and unique poem organization and style are wonderful examples of how literature can be creative. I would greatly encourage people who enjoy poetry to read this book- especially for students, so many of the poems touch on subjects that they would understand.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: “What's happening on the cover of this book?”