Falling Up

Falling Up, written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein is an engaging book full of poems that will capture the attention of any young reader. The poems within the book are good way to teach children how to rhyme and create a wide range of different poems. The illustrations are engaging and add emphasis to the text. The illustrations help the reader visualize what the author is referring to.

For a class activity, I would have my students pick out their favorite poem and then have them draw their own illustrations for the one they chose.
Also, as a class we will pick one poem from the book and critique out loud together. I will ask my students questions like:

• What are two words in the poem that rhyme?
• What is the theme of the poem?
• What did you like or not like about the poem?

Falling Up is a must have for all young readers. Shel Silverstein is an absolute genius and his children friendly poems promote learning. Shel Silverstein is also the author of other popular poetry books like Where The Sidewalk Ends and A Light In The Attic.


Silverstein, S. (1996). Falling up. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers