Sheldon Silverstein (nicknamed Shel) was born in Chicago, Illinois on September 25, 1930. He enlisted to the Army in 1950 and served in Korea and Japan. While oversees he made cartoons for Stars & Stripes magazine. After he returned he began drawing for other magazines including Look and Sports Illustrated. He also drew cartoons for Playboy where he gained a name throughout the country.

Silverstein met a book editor named Ursula Nordstrom in 1963. She convinced him that he should begin writing for children. That year he wrote his first book for children, Uncle Shelby's Story of Lafcadio: The Lion Who Shot Back . The next year he wrote A Giraffe and a Half and The Giving Tree. His book The Giving Tree went on to be his most popular book and has been printed in 30 different languages. Although some people think the book can be meant more for adults, it continues to be listed as one of the greatest children's books of all time.

In the 1970's Shel began to compose music. "A Boy Named Sue" that has since been popularized by Johnny Cash, was one of his compostitions. He also wrote several other songs and made many different albums. He also wrote soundtracks for motion pictures throughout the 70's and even into the 90's. Although he was involved in music, his children's poetry in a big part of who Shel Silverstein was. He wrote the books Where the Sidewalk Ends (his first collection of poetry) in 1974 and The Missing Piece in 1976. In 1981 Shel wrote book that was not only poetry, but also orginial drawing titled Light in the Attic. He wrote a sequal to his book The Missing Piece called The Missing Piece Meets the Big O in 1981 as well. Throughout the rest of the 80's Shel's writing was minimum, but he returned in 1996 with Falling Up and again in 1998 with Draw a Skinny Elephant . Leaving behind him a legacy of songs and poetry, Sheldon Allan Silverstien died from a heart attack on May 10, 1999 in Key West, Florida.

"Shel Silverstein." 2013. The Biography Channel website. Mar 30, 2013"