Jackson Creek Middle School
Shel Silverstein's Birth and Youth
by Melia V.
Shel Silverstein's full name is Sheldon Allan Silverstein, but is known as Shel Silverstein or Uncle Shelly.
Shel Silverstein was born in Chicago, Ilinois on September 25, 1930 according to some sources, but to others he was born in1932. The reason why there is two different birth dates is because he is very protective over his personal information. He would not let his publisher produce any personal information on him, so many things may not be provided about his personal life.
His parents were Nathan and Helen Silverstein. He grew up in a lower class neighbor in the Logan Square area of Chicago. He began writing as a young boy with his own style. He was not familiar with poets Thurber, Benchley, Price, or Steinberg, and did not see their work until he was around thirty.
Shel graduated from Roosevelt High and attended the University of Ilinois, but was kicked out of school after a year. He had majored in art. He then attended the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts for a year then studied English at Roosevelt University for three years until he was drafted into the army. He said he regretted going to college because he could have seen the world during that time.
Updated: April 21, 2003