- "Light In The Attic" redirects here. For the record label, see Light in the Attic Records.
A Light in the Attic is a collection of poems by the American poet, writer, and children's author Shel Silverstein. It was first published by Harper & Row in 1981. The poems for children are accompanied by illustrations also created by Shel Silverstein.
Controversy [edit]
Attempts have been made to ban the book from some libraries, parents claiming that the poem "How Not To Have To Dry The Dishes" encourages messiness and disobedience.[1] The poem "Little Abigail and the Beautiful Pony" led to more criticism for describing the death of a girl after her parents refuse to buy her a pony. This led the book to be banned by the Fruitland Park Elementary School in Lake County, Florida.[2] The decision, however, was later reversed by an advisory committee of parents and teachers.[3] Other complaints included the mention of supernatural themes, including demons, devils, and ghosts.[3]
- A Light in the Attic
- How Many, How Much
- Moon-Catchin' Net
- Hammock
- How Not to Have to Dry the Dishes
- Stop Thief! – What happens when someone steals a man's knees.
- The Sitter
- Prayer of the Selfish Child
- What Did? – What some objects say to other objects.
- Shaking – A girl tries to make a milkshake by shaking a cow.
- Signals
- Picture Puzzle Piece
- Put Something In
- Monsters I've Met
- Rock 'n' Roll Band – A few children wonder what it would be like to be a rock band.
- Something Missing – A man gets dressed, not realizing he forgot his pants.
- Memorizin' Mo
- Somebody Has to
- Reflection
- Fancy Dive
- Here Comes
- The Dragon of Grindly Grun
- Blame
- Messy Room
- Never
- Day After Halloween – Someone tries to sell monster heads the day right after Halloween.
- Wavy Hair – A man tries to shave his wavy hair, until he accidentally shaves his whole body instead.
- Longmobile
- Backward Bill – A story about a cowboy who does everything backwards.
- Mr. Smeds and Mr. Spats
- Snake Problem
- Bear in There
- Superstitious
- The Pirate
- Hurk
- Anchored
- Unscratchable Itch
- Squishy Touch – A girl has a problem: Whatever she touches turns to raspberry Jell-O.
- Importnt?
- Thumb Face – A man suffers having a face on his thumb that thinks everything the man does is funny.
- Homework Machine – A girl tries to use a machine to do her homework, but the answers come out wrong.
- Eight Balloons
- Ations
- Musical Career – A girl has trouble when trying to play the piano.
- Anteater – Someone buys an anteater who eats their aunt.
- Buckin' Bronco
- Snap! – A girl gets caught in an umbrella.
- Overdues
- Wild Strawberries
- How to Make a Swing With No Rope or Board or Nails
- Gumeye Ball
- Hot Dog
- Adventures of a Frisbee
- Come Skating
- The Meehoo with an Exactlywatt – Two creatures approach someone's door.
- Cloony the Clown – A clown tries to be funny, bu he isn't funny enough.
- Tryin' On Clothes – A child struggles to put on other people's clothes.
- Shapes
- Tired
- Prehistoric
- My Guitar
- Spelling Bee
- Always Sprinkle Pepper – A child puts pepper in their hair to be safe from an evil witch.
- Peckin'
- It's Hot!
- Turtle
- Crowded Tub
- Channels
- Hippo's Hope
- Whatif – A child worries about what might happen to them.
- Sour Face Ann – A girl gets a fur coat, but then it attracts fleas.
- The Climbers
- Rockabye
- The Little Boy and the Old Man
- Surprise!
- Ticklish Tom – A boy rolls around when someone or something tickles him.
- The Nailbiter
- The Fly Is In
- Strange Wind
- One Two
- Tusk, Tusk
- Captain Blackbeard Did What?
- Magic Carpet
- Outside or Underneath?
- It's All the Same to the Clam
- Hula Eel
- Bored
- Standing Is Stupid
- Who Ordered the Broiled Face?
- The Man in the Iron Pail Mask
- Gooloo
- Headache
- Quick Trip
- Little Abigail and the Beautiful Pony – A girl dies when her parents wouldn't buy her a pony.
- Hiccup Cure
- The Painter
- Nobody
- Zebra Question
- The Sword-Swallower
- Arrows
- The Toad and the Kangaroo
- Play Ball
- Friendship
- Poemsicle
- Senses
- Hinges
- Fear – A story about a boy with a fear of drowning.
- Batty
- Union for Children's Rights
- Hitting
- Deaf Donald
- Have Fun – A girl swims in a lake with no sharks, not realizing there's an octopus in there.
- Dog's Day
- Skin Stealer
- Ladies First – A girl keeps yelling "Ladies first", even though she's acting selfish and means "Me first".
- Frozen Dream
- The Lost Cat
- God's Wheel
- Shadow Race
- Clarence – A boy buys things from commercials.
- Rhino Pen
- Push Button
- Kidnapped! – A child makes up a story about being kidnapped as an excuse for being late to school.
- Suspense
- Dinner Guest
- In Search of Cinderella
- Almost Perfect
- Pie Problem
- The Oak and the Rose
- They've Put a Brassiere on the Camel
- This Bridge
Awards and nominations [edit]
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References [edit]
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