Poet, playwright, children’s book author and songwriter Shel Silverstein may have passed away in 1999, but, to quote the title of one of his beloved volumes of poetry, he left a light on in the attic. News arrived today via Publisher’s Weekly that the second posthumous volume of Silverstein’s poems will be published in fall 2011. The first collection, Runny Babbit, was released in 2005.
The as-yet-untitled book will feature 120 to 130 of Silverstein’s previously unpublished poems, new illustrations and will have the same format as Where the Sidewalk Ends and The Light in the Attic. The book is being edited by HarperCollins Children’s Books senior executive editor Antonia Markiet, who also worked on Runny Babbit. Markiet took over as Silverstein’s editor at HarperCollins after the editor who discovered his work in Playboy (seriously!), Edite Kroll, left the company. Kroll now handles foreign rights for the Shel Silverstein estate.
Silverstein produced such an impressive quantity of material during his life, that this may not even be his last posthumous work. “Every time Shel did a collection, he had more material than could fit in one book, so he’d put aside the extra material and take it out when he began another book, and would again end up with more than he could possibly use,” Markiet told Publisher’s Weekly. “There is a wealth of material in the archives, and so many fans still write to us and to Shel’s family saying how important his work is to them, that the family decided it was the right time to consider another book from that material.”
As someone who read Where the Sidewalk Ends repeatedly growing up, this news brought a huge smile to my face. Silverstein’s contributions to children’s literature were monumental — just visit his website and YouTube channel for proof of how his creativity flourished in the perfect way to appeal to both child and adult sensibilities. ShelSilverstein.com has an entire section “for kids only” where children can explore his world through downloadable artwork, poetry kits and more activities I know I’d be all over if I were younger (and, um, now). Silverstein’s works leave an impression on everyone who comes into contact with them, and this new volume of poetry will add to the indelible mark he has left on literature.
Screengrab courtesy of ShelSilverstein.com.