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Powerful Storytelling
"You've got to give it to Shel Silverstein for putting this mug on the back of a children's book." by ultramega is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
Where The Sidewalk Ends, there’s A Light In the Attic that has a Giving Tree, Falling Up with Every Thing On It
"Shel Silverstein name droppin' Twitter in 1981 (@jack)" by dpstyles™ is licensed under CC BY 2.0
I have written about children's books before. From Dinkleboos, to making up stories, to how my toddler would not let me employ accents (update: yep, still forbidden), I know a thing or two about kids' books. They are colorful. They are fun. They are far too expensive and require a choice between them, or food, shelter and heat. Here I take a page (get it?) from Brian Regan, reading from a children’s book:
The Clock! (flips page)
The Big Clock! (flips page)
Tick-tock! (flips page)
The End. (flips to end cover and looks on back)
TWELVE BUCKS.
Yessir. Too expensive. I grant you, they may have bright colors and lots of zoo animals, but if they require that by purchasing them I will need to forego Taco Bell just so my sons can see some zebras and chimpanzees, then illiteracy it is. Lots of kids spell it k-a-t. My boys will be fine. Heck, at least their tummies will be full of authentic Mexican food that is not authentic and is not Mexican.
I am joking. In all seriousness, I deeply cherish the works of Shel Silverstein. They are drenched in wonder. Partaking in them feels like drinking from the fire hydrant of amusement. Starting in 1963 with The Giving Tree, he instantly established himself as a unique artist with a singular wit and enduring charm. Following this were hits like A Light In The Attic, Where The Sidewalk Ends, and Falling Up. The chicken-scratch drawings and short, thought-provoking poems encapsulated in his multitude of books – I think there may be three-thousand and ninety-seven because I keep finding new ones – still amuse and delight me at age 48 as much as they did at age 8.
In fact, I have now taken to reading them to my 5-year-old. Just not in any kind of accent, as I need to remind you again that that is expressly forbidden. If I do so, I will be placed on time-out until my arms grow back from the imaginary monster that he sicks on me for violating this edict.
Shelling Out For Shel
"two books of shel silverstein poetry for nick - _MG_1671.embed" by sean dreilinger is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Recently I acquired a murder of Shel Silverstein books. I would have used the word “smorgasbord”, but I believe that if one can use “murder” to describe a large quantity of crows, then I think it is only fair that I am able to use it here. Purchasing them certainly slayed my wallet and spared no spare cash.
Why did I buy all of these books? Because my children beg me for things. They also practice the dark arts, and cast a powerful purchasing spell that I am unable to resist. But I do not think I would want to: these book are all too enthralling. Within each book, it is as if there are thousands of little micro-books. Hilarious short stories that are as eclectic and different from one another as Michael and Latoya Jackson. What? People constantly drew comparisons between them. The simple fact remains that LaToya is alive, and Michael is not. Therefore, they are eclectic and different. I would like to move on now if that is alright with you.
You know these great short stories from Shel:
- Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who would not take the garbage out
- The Yippiyuk
- The Flying Boy
- The Bloath
- The Glurpy Slurpy Skakagrall who is standing right behind you
- The boy trying to sell his little sister
- Terrible Theresa who wants the middle pancake
- Peggy Ann McKay who is not sick after all once she finds out it is Saturday
- The chicken who will not hatch
- Hug O’War
- Hungry Mungry
- The martians from The Planet of Mars
- Writing on the neck of a running giraffe
- The poet writing a poem from inside a lion
- Paul Bunyan
- Mrs. McTwitter The Baby Sitter
- The Silly Young King and the Peanut-butter Sandwich
- How not to have to dry the dishes
- The sharp-toothed snail inside your nose
- Captain Hook
- The Zoootch
The list goes on and on…and on. And on. These books are worth far more than twelve bucks, and are the best children’s books that I have ever purchased, save perhaps books from Dinkleboo. Aside from being a cool name that sounds like a ghost peeing, Dinkleboo books are incredibly personalized and adorable. Their only drawback is that because the child's name is intentionally peppered throughout the books, they tend to feed a necessary narcissism. I challenge all voice actors to say necessary narcissism ten times fast.
Why do I love Mr. Silverstein's books so? Just a quick accidental glance at one of his book covers on a shelf whisks me back to elementary school in the valley in 1980. They are intriguing and captivating: they allow me to tell stories and make my son's eyes widen. They also further my apparent genius status with him. With Brennan, they cause him to look up at me and smile when he comprehends each story's meaning. Shel Silverstein had a rare gift of being able to encapsulate everything from life on earth into a single stanza: fun, concise, stirring, and memorable. Reading them, I finally understand what Shania Twain has been singing about.
Bringing life to words: is that not our job as storytellers?
AWAKEN, thou Script!
Granted, we do not write; we recite. But we do not have to set pen to paper (for those of you who live in 1927) or fingers to keys in order to unlock creativity.
We have everything we need within us to bring a script to life. To humanize words. To speak powerful life into dead print on a page. We can employ the same creativity that Shel had, just...spoken rather than written. We can command those consonants and vowels to spring into action, to assemble (Avengers-style, no less): ready to do battle against drudgery and disinterest.
It is our sacred duty to infuse color into the black-on-white scripts that we read. That is precisely what I talk about in my latest book, “Voiceovers: A Super Responsibility.” I do not want this blog to get all salesy, but you should go ahead and buy eight copies immediately while I wait.
*waits*
Welcome back, and please provide your complete shipping address.
We are not run-of-the-mill voice talent who simply recite. That is not what we are paid to do. We do not perform voiceovers with our mouth.
We perform them with our soul. Just like Shel did with his poetry.
So here is your question: what power and soul do you bring to your scripts?
Have a great week. For me, I plan to continue to save lots of twelve bucks for the next Shel Silverstein installments. Until the next one, it is time to watch a murder of humans on TV.
*thinks to self*
I think I will also pledge to use more appropriate descriptors for large quantities of things.
"Invitation -- Shel Silverstein" by Anthony K. Valley is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
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I’ll take your “murder” and raise you a “dazzle” of zebras! Ha! How fun is that??
I think the safest thing I need to do here is to fold. I know when to hold ’em, when to fold ’em, when to walk away, and when to run.
I LOVE SHEL SILVERSTIEN! **Such** a great author…we have read those since we were kids as well Josh.
And we’re now reading them to our kids too! They love them. Great fun blog and as soon as I saw the picture I was like YESS. 🙂
My sentiments exactly. Shel Silverstein = YESS.
Lol, a murder of humans on TV, hahaha, that was funny!
I actually don’t know Shel, but I have heard of the giving tree – but beyond the name, I couldn’t even tell you if there is an actual tree involved, based on the other names. I do love Jules Verne’s stuff! He writes my kind of sci-fi – way too smart for his own good! hehehe.
I try to bring my own unique self to copy. I have my own mix of taste in music, life experiences, tone, cadence, etc. I sound like me, because I act like me, and that is what I bring. Sometimes me can be a little monotonous, so me had to learn how to vary me’s pitch a bit more! hahaha. My advice to people would be just to be real – regardless of the read – be convinced of your copy so you can carry some authority with what you’re saying (has been quite a long-time goal to speak with authority like few can).
Great post as usual!! 😀
Why thank you! Indeed, the more I read SS (Shel Silverstein, that is; not Nazi material) the more I want to be a better storyteller. They are so wonderful and so thought-provoking, each in their micro capsular form (although some of the longer fare is just as thought-provoking). I just love reading them to my son!
And without any accents! lol. It seems like that is more common than not. It might be like the whole beard shave reveal thing where the kids cry (yeah, I hate that kind of thing) – my theory is that they associate your voice with you, they want daddy, not whoever this other person is speaking, lol.
Because you continue learning, like Hoobastank, you’ll continue to be a better storyteller. Perhaps employing the pen on your own stuff might help? Idk, lol.
And to quote Hoobastank…”I’ve found a reason for me…To change who I used to be…A reason to start over new…And the reason is YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU, Marius, YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!” (Extended B-Side Version.)
Hehe, thank you! You’re a great inspiration to keep on truckin’ too, you know!
The children’s book I recently did had some poems that really had his vibe. It was really cool to have the author tell me she loved hearing her work read like Shel Silverstein. 🙂 I read a lot of his work to my daughter as she grew up.
I think it should be required reading. Social Studies. Math. Science. Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout. Then recess.
Shel Silverstein is certainly an amazingly creative writer. Loved those books as a kid. Definitely alot that I don’t recognize title wise but I think I need to update my bucket list to include “Write on the neck of a running giraffe”
There are SOOOOOOO many! I could not believe it and was appalled. Both at the quantity and my apparent closeted life. Each time I go on Amazon my eyes are opened and my wallet drained. Not just for Shel Silverstein books however. Lots of other purchases. I’m in counseling. It will get better in time.
Shel Silverstein! My son will be 19 at the end of the month (WHAT?!?) and, while he hasn’t read those Shel Silverstein books in almost a decade or longer, he also has never parted with them. Besides, if he did, I’d happily take them right back. Grandkids in the future or not, I will always hold onto those fantastic classics (hey, there’s another tongue twister!)
As a side note, I thoroughly enjoyed pausing to say “necessary narcissism” 10x fast, and that was just BEFORE my afternoon coffee. Going to see if I can say it 10x faster in a bit after that cuppa!
You have passed the necessary narcissism test. My work here is done.
Thinking too much about children’s books makes me cry, so thanks for that, ya big meanie, and also I totally said (10 times out loud while walking on my treadmill) “necessary narcissism nenesary sarnicism necssenary narzizizim…” so there, nailed it.
I have power beyond reason here to make fellow voice talents do my bidding!!!
Indeed Shel Silverstein was an incredible writer ….. as you are in your blogs
sending out such fun, laughter and support to the voice over community.
I try. What can I say? That is truly all I can do: try. 🙂 Thank you Diana!
So good! My mom enjoyed Shel Silverstein when she was a girl and so I vividly remember endlessly poring over a (now) battered copy of Where the Sidewalk Ends throughout my childhood.
Just finished that one with Brennan, and we are now on our way through A Light In the Attic! Last night he was intrigued by the man who had put on everything except for his pants. But then again, he is 5, and wearing no pants is intriguing. Heck, I’m 48. It’s still intriguing. Arrest-worthy, YES….but intriguing nonetheless.
Uncle Shelby has been a favorite of mine for years. His children’s books are just the tip of the iceberg to his portfolio. But he also had a VERY raunchy side. Just a few facts — he was the first and primary comic illustrator for Playboy magazine for years. He wrote numerous songs, most famous was “A Boy Named Sue” by Johnny Cash and “I Got Stoned and I MIssed It” by Dr. Hook. He also wrote numerous short plays which I’ve had the pleasure of performing as an actor, all of which had a dark and raunchy theme to them. Shel was a unique cat and a talent.
You just HAD to be THAT guy who wrote THAT. I hitherto dub thee: The Clarifier.
I’ve always loved Shel Silverstein. Here’s a poem I read of his. Listen… https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/fFGtfXkBy8rmiynS9
Peggy Ann McKay was a PLAYER! That girl knew how to game the system. Let us all be like Peggy Ann McKay.
Great listen Josh. I am barely literate so I much prefer listening to blogs…….
Very well read indeed.
You inspired me! Thanks for the idea!
He was a very interesting guy, excelling as a children’s author and writing dozens of songs for Dr. Hook.
So I’ve heard! Pure magic all around.