The Missing Piece, 1976 edition, by Shel Silverstein.

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Written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein. First edition, later printing, circa 1976. Harper & Row Publishers.

"It was missing a piece,
And it was not happy.

So it set off in search
Of its missing piece."

The Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein tells the story of a circular creature that is looking for a piece of itself that is missing. The creature rolls around the world, trying different pieces that it encounters, but none of them fit perfectly. Along the way, the creature learns about itself and the world, and realizes that maybe he was better off after all.

Shel Silverstein (1930-1999) was an American writer, poet, cartoonist, singer-songwriter, and playwright who created many popular works for children and adults. He was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, and served in the U.S. Army in Korea and Japan as a cartoonist for Stars & Stripes magazine. He also contributed to Playboy magazine and wrote a satirical alphabet book under the name Uncle Shelby. Some of his most acclaimed children's books include The Giving Tree, Where the Sidewalk Ends, and A Light in the Attic. He also wrote songs for various artists such as Johnny Cash and Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show. He won two Grammy Awards and was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award.

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Condition*: Near Fine/Very Good. Dust jacket: Light shelf wear; lightly tanning top edge; small closed tear starting on the front, near top right corner. Black-embossed gray cloth cover boards is lightly sunned around top edge. Gift inscription on front fly leaf dated 1984. Pages are clean, undamaged, and complete.

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