Sheldon Allan Silverstein (
/ˈsɪlvərstiːn/;
[1] September 25, 1930 – May 10, 1999) was an American writer, poet, cartoonist, singer-songwriter, musician, and playwright. Born and raised in
Chicago, Illinois, Silverstein briefly attended university before being drafted into the
United States Army. During his rise to prominence in the 1950s, his illustrations were published in various newspapers and magazines, including the adult-oriented
Playboy. He also wrote a satirical, adult-oriented alphabet book,
Uncle Shelby's ABZ Book, under the stylized name "Uncle Shelby", which he used as an occasional
pen name.
As a children's author, some of his most acclaimed works include
The Giving Tree,
Where the Sidewalk Ends, and
A Light in the Attic. His works have been translated into more than 47 languages and have sold more than 20 million copies.
[2] As a songwriter, Silverstein wrote the 1969
Johnny Cash track "
A Boy Named Sue", which peaked at number 2 on the U.S.
Billboard Hot 100. His songs have been recorded and popularized by a wide range of other acts including
Tompall Glaser,
The Irish Rovers and
Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show. He was the recipient of two
Grammy Awards as well as nominations at the
Golden Globe Awards and
Academy Awards.
His book
A Light in the Attic is dedicated to his daughter who died at age 11. Silverstein died at home in
Key West, Florida, of a heart attack on May 10, 1999, at age 68.





