“The Giving Tree ”Author Shel Silverstein Once Admitted He 'Never Planned to Write or Draw for Kids' and Had Previously Written for “Playboy”
“The Giving Tree ”Author Shel Silverstein Once Admitted He 'Never Planned to Write or Draw for Kids' and Had Previously Written for “Playboy”
Angela AndaloroMon, February 23, 2026 at 10:19 PM UTC
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Shel Silverstein in 1968
Alice Ochs/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty
Before becoming a children's author, Shel Silverstein was a cartoonist and a songwriter and folk musician
Silverstein was convinced to give children's books a try by a friend, which led to another remarkable career chapter for the creative
Silverstein died in 1999 at age 67
Shel Silverstein's career took turns he could have never imagined.
The beloved children's author started his career as a cartoonist, taking a love of art he discovered in his teen years and parlaying it into seeing his work, including some poems, featured in Sports Illustrated, Playboy and more.
In addition to cartoons, Silverstein also wrote songs. As a songwriter, he was responsible for Tompall Glaser's "Put Another Log on the Fire", Loretta Lynn's "One's on the Way," and most notably, Johnny Cash's hit, "A Boy Named Sue."
In 1975, over a decade after The Giving Tree was published, Silverstein spoke to Publishers Weekly about how he ended up in children's books.
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Shel Silverstein and Johnny Cash on "The Johnny Cash Show," in April 1970
ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
"I never planned to write or draw for kids. It was Tomi Ungerer, a friend of mine, who insisted. . . practically dragged me, kicking and screaming, into Ursula Nordstrom's office," Silverstein told the outlet. "And she convinced me that Tomi was right; I could do children's books."
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Nordstrom, a publisher with Harper & Row, worked with Silverstein on The Giving Tree, developed a good understanding and rapport with the unconventional creative. It was through this that she was able to get him to work on a book of poetry, 1974's Where the Sidewalk Ends. The book is dedicated "to Ursula," as Silverstein's way of showing gratitude.
Elsewhere in his interview with Publishers Weekly, Silverstein, who died in 1999 at age 67, opened up about controversy around the way he wrote simply about complex issues, in a way meant for children but that also appealed to adults. Some felt his satirical approach to issues was inappropriate for kids.
"I think that books, even for really little kids, can deal with more than one idea. A story could deal with more, even 50--and so can the reader, if the ideas are all laid out," he explained.
"I would hope that people, no matter what age, would find something to identify with in my books, pick one up and experience a personal sense of discovery. That's great. But for them, not for me," Silverstein noted.
"I think if you're a creative person, you should just go about yoru business, do your work and not care about how it's received. I never read reviews, because if you believe the good ones you have to believe the bad ones too. Not that I don't care about success. I do, but only because it lets me do what I want. I was always prepared for success but that means that I have to be prepared for failure too."
Of his artistry, he concluded, "I have an ego, I have ideas, I want to be articulate, to communicate but in my own way. People who say they create only for themselves and don't care if they're published... I hate to hear talk like that. If it's good, it's too good not to share. That's the way I feel about my work.""So I'll keep on communicating, but only my way. Lots of things I won't do. I won't go on television because who am I talking to? Johnny Carson? The camera? Twenty million people I can't see? Uh-uh. And I won't give any more interviews."
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
