The Missing Piece (An Ursula Nordstrom Book) (Hardcover)

~ (Author, Illustrator) "It was missing a piece..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

It was missing a piece.
And it was not happy.
So it set off in search
of its missing piece.
And as it rolled
it sang this song -Oh I'm lookin' for my missin' piece
I'm lookin' for my missin' piece
Hi-dee-ho, here I go,
Lookin' for my missin' piece.

What it finds on its search for the missing piece is simply and touchingly told in this fable that gently probes the nature of quest and fulfillment.

About the Author

“If you are a dreamer, come in,” begins “Invitation,” the opening poem in Where the Sidewalk Ends. Millions of dreamers have answered that call, returning again and again to the poems, drawings, fables, songs, plays, and all the other inspired creations of the incomparable Shel Silverstein.

Born in Chicago on September 25, 1930, Sheldon Allan Silverstein grew up to attain an enormous public following, but he always preferred to say little about himself.“When I was a kid,” he told Publishers Weekly in 1975, “I would much rather have been a good baseball player or a hit with the girls.But I couldn’t play ball.I couldn’t dance.So I started to draw and to write.”He began contributing cartoons to Stars and Stripes, the U.S. military publication, when he was serving in the armed forces in Korea during the 1950s.

Shel Silverstein never planned on writing and illustrating books for children, but happily they are now available in more than 30 languages around the world.His first book, Uncle Shelby’s ABZ Book, published in 1961, was intended for adults.But Tomi Ungerer, a friend whose own career in children’s books was blossoming, introduced him to his editor, Harper’s legendary Ursula Nordstrom.In 1963, Shel Silverstein’s first children’s book appeared, Lafcadio, the Lion who Shot Back, the story of a lion who becomes a famous marksman only to discover that worldly success is not what he wants.

The next year brought The Giving Tree.The book sold modestly at first, but soon this gentle parable about a boy and the tree that loved him was admired by readers of all ages, recommended by counselors and teachers, and being read aloud from pulpits.Decades after its initial publication, with more than five and a half million copies sold, The Giving Tree holds a permanent spot atop lists of perennial bestsellers.

Where the Sidewalk Ends, Shel Silverstein’s first collection of poems, was published in 1974 and hailed as an instant classic.Its poems and drawings were applauded for their zany wit, irreverent wisdom, and tender heart.Two more collections followed: A Light in the Attic, in 1981, and Falling Up, in 1996.Both books dominated bestseller lists for months, with A Light in the Attic shattering all previous records for its 182-week stay on the New York Times list.

Silverstein’s unique talent ranged broadly.He enjoyed a long career as a songwriter, with credits that included the Johnny Cash’s number one hit “A Boy Named Sue” and “I’m Checking Out,” written for the film “Postcards from the Edge” and nominated for an Academy Award in 1991.He performed his own music on a number of albums and produced others for friends, including his last, “Old Dogs,” which was released in 1998. Silverstein won a Grammy Award in 1984 for his selection of poems “recited, sung and shouted” from Where the Sidewalk Ends.

Shel Silverstein was so accomplished as a playwright that Frank Rich, the New York Times critic, once wondered if the theater “may eventually prove his most fruitful career to date.”His theatrical work included the 1981 hit “The Lady or the Tiger Show” as well as “Remember Crazy Zelda?” and “Wild Life” (the 1988 production of several one-act plays that prompted Mr. Rich’s happy speculation).He and David Mamet each wrote a play for Lincoln Center’s production of “Oh, Hell,” and they later collaborated on writing the 1988 film “Things Change,” which Mr. Mamet also directed.

For many years, Shel Silverstein maintained homes in Greenwich Village, Key West, Martha’s Vineyard, and on a houseboat in Sausalito, California.He died in Key West in May 1999.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1st edition (April 14, 1976)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060256710
• ISBN-13: 978-0060256715
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 7.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #12,128 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Human Spirit Captured in the Simplicity of a Circle!, July 2, 1997

By A Customer

Shel Silverstein's "The Missing Piece" is truly entertaining, capturing the essence of the human spirit in the simplicity of a circle.

Like a person searching for his 'soul mate', the Circle is happy in life, but feels incomplete, and longs for the day when it will finally find what it has been missing.

We see the Circle finding many pieces, all perfectly fine alone, but just not the right fit with our Circle. Some are too large, or too small, or too pointy. Still, the Circle doesn't give up. It just merrily rolls along, talking to a worm, or smelling a flower, and singing its song. Human beings, like the circle, find that they have many relationships with other people who just aren't right for them, the 'halves' don't fit together right, shall we say.

Silverstein has created a remarkably versatile story that when read to children, is a lovely tale they will request to hear nightly, ( much like Shel's other fantabulous works) yet when read by adults, carries a hidden meaning, another story tucked away between the lines that so carefully reflect our own souls in their tightly connected thoughts.

I always enjoy the simplicity Shel Silverstein creates, and would highly recommend this story to all those who have ever longed for the perfect relationship, been in it, lost it or have it. As well, anyone wishing to fulfill both her and her child's reading desires with a wholesome, entertaining tale. It is definitly a wonderful piece of work!

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Make sure to get the sequel too!, April 16, 2000

By	[e-mail] (Ames, Iowa) - See all my reviews

Yes, the artwork is simple, but that's missing the point. The Missing Piece means even more to me as a college student then it did as a child. EVERYONE should read this book (along with its sequel The Missing Piece Meets the Big O)every 5 years. Together they are a testament to individualism, and the idea that life is in the journey, not the destination.

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Missing Piece, September 5, 2005

By	Lauren Elizabeth Trimeloni (Ligonier, PA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

One of the best books I've found to remind people, young and old, that they have to be their own piece long before they can be anyone else's! Happiness comes from the inside, and Mr. Silverstein demonstrates that elegantly and precisely in this beautiful life lesson, disguised as a children's book. A must-have for readers of all ages!