Saturday, October 14, 2017

Poetry Book Review: Where the Sidewalk Ends

Where the Sidewalk Ends


Image result for where the sidewalk ends
"Can anyone lend me 
Two eighty-pound rats?
I want to rid my house of cats." - Drats

Author/Illustrator: Shel Silverstein
Publisher: Harper & Row
Copyright Date: 1974
Number of Pages: 176 pages
Reading Level: Pre-K, Grades 1-3
Genre: Poetry
Awards: ALA Notable Children's Book, New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year, New York Times Notable, George C. Stone Center for Children's Books Recognition of Merit Award,  Golden Archer Award (Wisconsin)
Cost: $11.99 (Amazon)
Rating: ★★★★★


Where the Sidewalk Ends is a book filled with poems and drawings by Shel Silverstein. There are poems in this book that range from one about children not taking the garbage out, to another about how to make a hippopotamus sandwich. Some poems are sad, some humorous, and yet others teach a lesson. There are a wide range of lengths for the poems in this book, some being a couple lines, whereas others are a couple pages long. The variety of poems, as well as the drawings that compliment them, make this poetry book enjoyable for people of all ages.

Where the Sidewalk Ends could be used in the classroom in many ways. It could be used as comic relief throughout the day, to compliment other lessons about specific topics, or it could be used to teach poetry. The teacher could read a few poems to the class and then have the students write their own poem that teaches a lesson. The poem they write could be a humorous lesson, or they could write one that was more serious. It is important to encourage students to be creative as they write poetry, and Where the Sidewalk Ends provides several different poems that express a variety of lessons or emotions, which would demonstrate that creativity to the students. 

Book Rating:

★★★★★
★★★★
★★★
★★
COMMENTS
PLOT
Plot is well developed with all five elements of a good plot structure (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution). 
Plot is developed, but lacking one of the five elements of plot structure.
This book has a decent plot, but is lacking two of the five elements of plot structure.

This book has a weak plot that is lacking three of the five elements of plot structure. 
This book does not have a defined plot, and is lacking four or more of the five elements of plot structure. 
I give Where the Sidewalk Ends five stars for its plot because there are a variety of poems in the book, some of which are narratives that have 
CHARACTER
The characters are well developed, have personality, and are believable.
Characters are well rounded, but lack in personality or they are not totally believable. 
Characters are somewhat developed, and lack in personality or they are not totally believable.
The characters are underdeveloped, lack in depth and are not believable.
The characters are not developed   so the readers cannot connect to the book.
★★★
I give Where the Sidewalk Ends five stars for its characters. There are several poems that have developed characters, as well as those that have characters with personality who are very believable to the reader.   
PACING
The story flows freely and is not rushed or slow. 
The story moves freely for the most part, but there are a few spots where it feels rushed or slow. 
The story moves freely for about half of the book, but the other half is rushed or slow.

The story often moves too fast or too slow and does not move freely. 
There is no pacing in the story, which makes it difficult to read. 
★★★★★
I give Where the Sidewalk Ends five stars for pacing because the poems are a variety of lengths, and several of them are humorous, which makes the reader want to continue reading. 

Image Source: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81zRl2vuuLL.jpg

1 comment:

  1. Sarah,
    This is a great poetry choice! I just finished reviewing "Falling Up", another of Silverstein's and very similar. I, too, was impressed at the range of styles he uses. His poetry struck me as the perfect type to use to talk about rhyming schemes and alliteration and whatnot, but it didn't even occur to me that the poems are fun for their own sake! We should absolutely read them just to read them, sometimes! Thanks for reminding me of that.

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