“The Giving Tree” is a tender story from the creative and poetic mind of Shel Silverstein and is his most controversial book to date.  This book is about how a loving tree tries to provide everything for a boy who she cares for from the day he played with her to the day where he grows old.  This book may be a bit suggestive due to the apparent sad theme, but it is still one of Shel Silverstein’s greatest classics.

SUMMARY

There was once a tree that loved a boy and the boy would play among her leaves and ate her apples, which always made the tree very happy.  Time soon passes by and the boy grew older and stopped hanging around the tree.

Then one day, the boy came back as a young adult and the tree was happy to see him again.  The tree asked the boy if she would like to swing from her branches, but the boy told her that he is too big to swing on her branches and he asked the tree for some money.  The tree then gives the boy some apples from her leaves and she was happy.  But, the boy had not return for a long time.

A few days later, the boy returns as a middle aged man and the tree is once again happy to see the boy.  The tree asks the boy if he would like to climb her trunk, but the boy tells her that he is too busy and asks her for a house for his wife and children and the tree gave the boy her branches to build his house and the tree was happy, but the boy did not come back for a long time.

When the boy finally comes back as an older man, the tree became weaker due to her giving up parts of herself to the boy and she whispers to the boy if he would like to play with her.  But, the boy tells her that he is too old and sad to play and he wants a boat to sail away from his home and the tree gives the boy her trunk to cut down and the tree was happy…well, not really.

When the boy comes back, he is an even older man and the tree tells the boy that she has nothing left to give since she gave away everything she had.  But, the boy just tells the tree that he just wants a place to sit on and he sits on the stump.  The tree is finally happy again.

PROS

Shel Silverstein has written a truly tender story about the topic of self-sacrifice as the tree sacrifice a good part of herself to keep the boy happy.  The writing is emotional as the tree gave up most of the parts that kept her strong, which may be sad in some children’s eyes as she seems like she is dying even though she claims to be happy for the boy.  Shel Silverstein’s illustrations are creative as the images are mainly in black and white and he gorgeously illustrates the transition of the boy from his younger self to his older self.

CONS

Parents should know that this book was controversial for it somewhat sad theme about self-sacrifice.  To me personally, I found that the boy seems to be a bit uncaring about the tree’s good intentions.  I mean, when the boy was small, he was extremely appreciative of the tree’s careful nature and hang out with her many times.  But, as he got older, he seems to have forgotten about all the kindness that he had received from the tree and he just constantly asks the tree for things that he would benefit him.  Parents may want to explain to their children about the importance of kindness and how they must always be considerate towards people who show them kindness.

OVERALL
 
“The Giving Tree” is a wonderful tale about the importance of kindness and how friendship still manages to survive the hardships of life if it is strong enough.  I would recommend this book to children ages four and up even though parents might want to discuss about the theme of the story to their children before they move on further in the book.

Recommended: Yes