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First released in 1983 and winner of the 1984 Grammy Award for Best Recording for Children, the new, improved 2000 release of Where the Sidewalk Ends is a fitting tribute to its ingenious creator, who died in 1999 at the age of 69. Silverstein himself recites his own verses, which in addition to the original 36 tracks include another 11 that were previously unreleased. Possessed of a warm, pleasingly raspy voice not unlike that of Sterling Holloway (the original voice of Disney's animated Winnie-the-Pooh), Silverstein renders his fiendishly clever poems in irresistible fashion. The verses are simply wondrous -- vistas of words that are colorful, witty, and utterly unfettered by convention. A kid gets the better of a duplicitous magical sea creature in "The Silver Fish"; an entire kingdom tries for decades to pry open the mouth of its king, who's fallen victim to an especially sticky "Peanut Butter Sandwich"; the tallest tale of all time is spun in "True Story" -- and that's just for starters. Silverstein is by turns touching ("Forgotten Language"), amusingly macabre ("Dreadful"), haunting ("The One Who Stayed"), and hilarious ("Wild Boar"). Where the Sidewalk Ends is a true classic, and an essential addition to any family music library. Moira McCormick, Barnes & Noble