Runny Babbit

Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook
	Cover
Author	Shel Silverstein
Language	English
Genre	Children's literature
Publisher	HarperCollins
Publication date	March 15, 2005
Publication place	United States
Pages	96
ISBN	0060256532

Last updated January 12, 2026

Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook is a children's book by Shel Silverstein. A work in progress for the better part of 20 years, the book was published posthumously in March 2005. The book is largely composed of spoonerisms in rhyming verse.^[1]

Plot

Other than speaking only in spoonerisms, Runny is a normal child. He has many friends, and two loving parents, his "Dummy and Mad," who often remind him to "Shake a tower," "Dash the wishes," "Trush your beeth," "Rean up your cloom," and other chores.

References

↑ Rogak, Lisa (2007), A Boy Named Shel , Thomas Dunne Books, ISBN 978-0-312-35359-9

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[Rogak-1] Rogak, Lisa (2007), A Boy Named Shel , Thomas Dunne Books, ISBN 978-0-312-35359-9

[1]

v t e Shel Silverstein
Books	Uncle Shelby's ABZ Book Lafcadio: The Lion Who Shot Back The Giving Tree Don't Bump the Glump! The Missing Piece Runny Babbit
Poem collections	Where the Sidewalk Ends A Light in the Attic Falling Up
Albums	Freakin' at the Freakers Ball Twistable Turnable Man Where the Sidewalk Ends A Light in the Attic
Songs	"25 Minutes to Go" "Boa Constrictor" "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" "Big Four Poster Bed" "A Boy Named Sue" "The Cover of 'Rolling Stone'" "Marie Laveau" "The Mermaid" "One's on the Way" "Sylvia's Mother" "Carry Me Carrie" "The Unicorn" "Wrong Ideas"
Film soundtracks	Ned Kelly (1970) Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? (1971)
Screenplays	Things Change (1988)