Books › Falling Up
Falling Up
First published 1996 · 176 pages
A delightfully absurd tumble through a world where rules are upside down and imagination reigns supreme.
What it feels like
Reading this collection feels like tumbling into a wonderfully upside-down world where the normal rules of gravity, logic, and adulthood simply do not apply. The pace is brisk and bouncy, inviting readers to flip from one zany scenario to the next, driven by infectious rhythms and clever wordplay. The mood is overwhelmingly joyful and mischievous, tinged with a gentle, wry subversiveness that respects a child's intelligence and sense of the absurd. Beneath the laugh-out-loud silliness of strange creatures and bizarre predicaments lies a quiet, nostalgic warmth. It is a book that delights children discovering the magic of poetry and comforts adults seeking a brief, imaginative escape back to the boundless possibilities of youth.
- Mood
- joyful
- zany
- nostalgic
- imaginative
- Tone
- playful
- absurdist
- wry
- whimsical
- subversive
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- childhood wonder · the absurdity of rules · creative freedom · embracing silliness
- The writing
- Bouncy, rhythmic, and endlessly clever, relying on simple rhymes and playful wordplay that begs to be read aloud.
- The arc
- Moves from bursts of laugh-out-loud absurdity to quiet moments of gentle, unexpected poignancy.
- Who it's for
- Children discovering the joy of language and adults looking to reconnect with their inner sense of mischievous wonder.
Content notes
- mild gross-out humor
- cartoonish peril
About the book
A collection of poems by American poet and humorist, Shel Silverstein including the poems My nose garden, Little Hoarse, Strange Restaurant, Sharing, Noise Day, and many more.
Description from Open Library.
Books like Falling Up
See why they match
A Light in the AtticShel SilversteinA delightfully weird and bouncy journey through the boundless, slightly subversive imagination of childhood.
Where the Sidewalk EndsShel SilversteinA whimsical invitation to leave the rigid rules of reality behind and embrace the joyful absurdity of childhood.
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the BedEileen ChristelowA delightfully chaotic countdown that turns bedtime resistance into a chantable, interactive game.
Dirty BeastsRoald DahlA wickedly funny collection of verses where the animal kingdom finally gets its gruesome, glorious revenge.
Yertle the turtleDr. SeussA bouncy, rhythmic takedown of bullies and braggarts that makes learning about humility an absolute blast.
Joyful NoisePaul FleischmanA rhythmic, buzzing celebration of the insect world designed to be shared aloud.