Sheldon Allan Shel Silverstein , was an American poet, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, cartoonist, screenwriter and writer of books for kids. He styled himself as Uncle Shelby in his books for kids. Translated into 20 languages, his works have sold over 20 million copies.
Born in Chicago, Silverstein began drawing at age 12 by tracing the books of Al Capp. He told Jean Mercier of Publishers Weekly: When I was a kid 12 to 14, around there I would much rather have been a good baseball player or a hit with the girls, but I couldn't play ball. I couldn't dance. Luckily, the girls didn't want me. Not much I could do about that. So I started to draw and to write. I was also lucky that I didn't have anybody to copy, be impressed by. I had developed my own style; I was creating before I knew there was a Thurber, a Benchley, a Price and a Steinberg. I never saw their work till I was around 30. By the time I got to where I was attracting girls, I was already into work, and it was more important to me. Not that I wouldn't rather make love, but the work has become a habit.
(Shel Silverstein photo #2)
He attended the Art Institute of Chicago but left after one year. He was first released in the Roosevelt Torch. In the military, his cartoons were released in Pacific Stars and Stripes, where he had originally been assigned to do layouts and paste-up. His first book, Take Ten, a compilation of his military Take Ten cartoon series was released by Pacific Stars and Stripes in 1955.
Shel Silverstein
