Great Childhood Memories: Shel Silverstein

After having a conversation with Lexi this morning, I just had to do a search for some Shel Silverstein poems.

Why?

Her new school sends out a "Friday Flyer" letting us parents know what's going on in school, and on it there was a note about a poet coming to school to teach Year 2 kids (that's Lexi's year) about poetry, and afterwards they can buy a book of poems.

So I told her, and she just groaned at me. Now this is the kid that can't get enough of books, so I was taken aback. "What's the matter?" I asked her.

"I don't know anything about poetry!" she said.

I just laughed. "That's the whole point," I said. "This person is going to teach you about poetry."

She didn't look convinced.

So I told her about when *I* was a child, and how much I loved reading Shel Silverstein's books. I specifically remember one poem (I can't remember what it was called, though) about a little girl who wouldn't take the garbage out. It ended up taking over the whole room, the whole house, the whole street, the whole town, the whole country, and eventually, the whole world. When I said this to Lexi, she started to laugh.

So I promised her I'd search and see if I could find some Shel Silverstein poems to read to her.

And I did.

Now I can't wait to read them to her. I'm absolutely convinced she's going to love them.

I think I might see if I can find a copy of Where the Sidewalk Ends and A Light in the Attic. Pass on my own childhood memories to my little girl. :)