Shel Silverstein: Timeless entertaining children's author

'Everything On It' by Shel Silverstein

On September 25, 1930, Shel Silverstein, the witty and entertaining children’s author was born in Chicago, Illinois, and during his 68 years of life, he produced some of the finest evergreen classic children’s books that are still cherished today by new generations of fans both young and old.

Admired for his ability to wed and rhyme hilarious word choices, which were born from conscious deliberation, Silverstein produced some of the most delightful books of poetry that capture the carefree silliness of childhood.

Children gravitate to his distinctive style and grasp his works quite easily. His simple line drawings are the perfect adjunct to his text and help add focus as well as promote imagination and discussion.

Early last week, HarperCollins posthumously published a new title of Silverstein’s poems and drawings, Everything On It, which had been compiled from Silverstein’s archives and selected by his family for publication.

Everything On It, is an outstanding collection of more than 130 never-before-released poems and line drawings, and is already garnering five-star reviews on Amazon.com.

Silverstein wore many other hats in addition to being a children’s poet/author and illustrator, he was also an accomplished playwright, screenwriter, recording artist, composer, and lyricist whose music has been performed by such legends as:  Kris Kristofferson'  the Irish Rovers; the late Waylon Jennings, and Johnny Cash. In fact, it was Silverstein’s song, “A Boy Named Sue,” which was performed by Cash that won Silverstein a coveted GRAMMY in 1970.

If you’re not familiar with the writings of Shel Silverstein, his “Official” website, ShelSilverstein.com is a wonderful place to start, and is presented in a choice of “high” or “low” bandwidth for custom navigation.

The site is geared to children, parents and educators. For kids there are free and entertaining games, puzzles, downloads, animations and e-cards. For parents/educators there are complimentary lessons and activities, event kits, drawing and activity booklets along with a list of all of his books, which includes sample excerpts and on-line buying resources.

If you are interested in reading the multitude of four and mostly five star reviews his other books elicit, Amazon.com has a special Silverstein author page, or check with your local library for recommendations.

In 1964, Silverstein opted for a change of writing pace and created one of his most memorable works, The Giving Tree, a parable about giving from the heart without expectation, a lesson that is as fresh today as when it was first penned.

Over the years, The Giving Tree’s sage and simple message has been translated into more than 30 languages.

Below, for your enjoyment is an animated video of Giving Tree that was produced and narrated by Shel Silverstein in 1973.

Learning becomes play with Putumayo Kids new globally-themed products

Putumayo Kids' World Culture Collection

Celebrated music label Putumayo Kids has launched its first new products outside of its CD series, with Africa, Europe and Latin America coloring books and sticker collections.

The Putumayo Kids’ World Culture Collection features the distinctive artwork of longtime Putumayo CD illustrator, British artist Nicola Heindl. Her colorful, folkloric style represents one of the company’s goals: to create universally appealing CDs and other products that combine art and culture. The artist’s work appears on all of Putumayo’s 150+ CDs.

Putumayo Kids’ Coloring Books include 20 oversized (11.5” x 14”) coloring pages (printed with eco-friendly soy ink) that invite children to discover the people, animals and musical instruments of each featured region. Suggested retail for each coloring book is $9.95.

The Africa Coloring Book includes a child-friendly glossary that helps budding artists identify images of animals and musical instruments as they color and learn about African culture. A map of Africa also helps children understand the geography of the region.

The Latin America Coloring Book features bilingual coloring pages and a colorful kid-friendly glossary that invites children to explore the diverse cultures, landscapes, animals and musical instruments of Latin America.

The Europe Coloring Book enables children to discover the famous landmarks, musical instruments, animals and people of Europe. It features a glossary of well-known monuments and instruments, a map of Europe and a page of European flags that encourage children to learn as they play.

The three sticker collections are exceptionally high-quality hardcover packages measuring 9” by 9”, and each filled with more than 120 reusable, colorful stickers that will keep little hands and imaginations busy. Children can build sticker stories on the fold-out landscape, explore countries on the full-color map and check the glossary to get the scoop behind the sticker images. Suggested retail for each collection is $11.95.

For a closer look at each product listed above and below, or to order direct from Putumayo Kids’, simply click on the highlighted title.

The Africa Sticker Collection

The Latin America Sticker Collection

The Europe Sticker Collection

Putumayo has sought eco-friendly resources in the manufacture of these products. Each of the coloring books and sticker collections is printed with soy ink, and the printer is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified. Putumayo has taken a “100% replanted” approach, providing funds to Trees, Water & People to support global reforestation efforts. 

Ultimate Block Party: Emphasizing the importance of child's play

On Sunday, October 3, 2010, from 11 AM to 5 PM, the emphasis will be on the importance of playtime, as New York City’s Central Park (at Naumburg Bandshell - 72nd Street and 5th Avenue) transforms into the Ultimate Block Party, with a multitude of free fun activities for families and children of all ages.

What is being billed as the first event of its kind, with targeted expansion to other cities nationwide, along with parent and teacher resources, Ultimate Block Party will host the largest game of Simon Says, along with mini-master classes designed with children’s play in mind, all led by top musicians, artists, scientists, architects, inventors, engineers and business leaders.

Spearheaded by Play for Tomorrow, a consortium of leading educators, and sponsored by such companies as LEGO, Crayola and National Geographic, with support from government entities that include the National Science Foundation, Ultimate Block Party aims to increase the awareness of the importance of child’s play in developing skills that lead to successful leaders for tomorrow.

With school budgets being slashed in music and the arts, and children’s recess times being shortened, studies have shown that these measures are not the most effective approach to educational development in today’s pressured and complex learning environment.

The video below further explains the importance of play in a child’s life.

You will also find additional information about this event, and all available resources by directly visiting the Ultimate Block Party's website.

Sesame Street launches new season with Oprah Winfrey and "The O Show" animated segment

For over 40 years, Sesame Street has been a top ranked television favorite with preschoolers, parents and caregivers, and on Monday, September 27, 2010, the award-winning series launches an outstanding lineup of programming produced by the nonprofit educational organization, Sesame Workshop.

Premiering in the first episode of Sesame Street’s 41st season is a charming animated segment, “The O Show,” voiced by Oprah Winfrey, which introduces youngsters to the letter “O” utilizing talk show guests “Otto the Orangutan” and “Ophelia the Octopus.”

A wide roster other celebrities are performing in many more delightful parodies during the new season and include such notables as Academy Award-nominated actor, Jude Law; Golden Globe Award-winning actors Colin Farrell, Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman; Emmy Award-winning comedian Wanda Sykes; NFL superstars Reggie Bush and LaDainian Tomlinson; Grammy Award-winning artists Will.i.am, Usher and Michael McKean and pop star Katy Perry to name just a few.

Also on tap, Sesame Workshop’s continuing commitment to science-based curriculum, which invites young viewers to become active participants in the processes of scientific inquiry.

“Children are naturally inquisitive – they are always questioning and analyzing the world around them,” says Dr. Rosemarie Truglio, Vice President of Education and Research, Sesame Workshop. “The goal of the curriculum is to introduce young children to vocabulary and process skills that are integral in developing scientific reasoning abilities.” She adds, “Having our characters model these skills, especially ‘Super Grover 2.0,’ is a perfect age-appropriate way to engage children while they learn science concepts and build knowledge about how the world around them works.”

Now, for your viewing enjoyment, below is a new video clip of “The O Show,” and by visiting Sesame Street’s YouTube Channel you’ll see more of the 41st season original segment clips featuring Wanda Sykes, Katy Perry and other celebrities.

Also, be sure to log in to Sesame Street on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates.

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