Shel Silverstein was an American author, poet, cartoonist, and songwriter. He is best known for his children's books such as The Giving Tree and Where the Sidewalk Ends. Silverstein wrote plays, screenplays, and television scripts, and was also a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter. He was a regular contributor to Playboy magazine and his work has been featured in numerous publications. Silverstein was a prolific writer and his works have been translated into more than 30 languages.