As recommended by Meghan Markle as the one book she can't wait to share with her child - the timeless fable about the gift of love Once there was a little tree ... and she loved a little boy. So begins the classic bestseller, beautifully written and illustrated by the gifted and versatile Shel Silverstein. Every day the boy would come to the tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk ... and the tree was happy. But as the boy grew older he began to want more from the tree, and the tree ...
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As recommended by Meghan Markle as the one book she can't wait to share with her child - the timeless fable about the gift of love Once there was a little tree ... and she loved a little boy. So begins the classic bestseller, beautifully written and illustrated by the gifted and versatile Shel Silverstein. Every day the boy would come to the tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk ... and the tree was happy. But as the boy grew older he began to want more from the tree, and the tree gave and gave and gave. This is a tender story, touched with sadness, aglow with consolation. Shel Silverstein has created a moving parable for readers of all ages that offers an affecting interpretation of the gift of giving and a serene acceptance of another's capacity to love in return.
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Seller's Description:
Fair. This is a used book. It may contain highlighting/underlining and/or the book may show heavier signs of wear. It may also be ex-library or without dustjacket. This is a used book. It may contain highlighting/underlining and/or the book may show heavier signs of wear. It may also be ex-library or without dustjacket.
I purchased the book for my granddaughter and am giving it to her for Christmas
Kenneth H
Sep 2, 2010
Thought-provoking and even controversial. . .
It looks like a children's book. It even sounds like a children's book. But there's a strong message here and, if you've discovered the controversy at all, you'll know that message is definitely up for interpretation.
Is the story sweet or sad? Is it uplifting or depressing?
Some see it as a metaphor of unconditional love. Others see it as a cautionary tale exposing the selfishness and egocentrism of youth.
Is the tree a mother, a lover, the environment, or a philosophical ideal? Shel Silverstein's not telling, so you'll have to decide for yourself.
If you can't already see that this book is worth a few bucks and a few minutes, then it's not for you. But if you like being challenged and want to read something extraordinary (as in "outside the norm"), then Add to Cart and enjoy.
Even if you hate it, you'll love it.
Plowlady
Mar 24, 2009
One Of THE Best Books To Get The Point Out There!
This book has always been one of my favorites. Everytime I'm asked what my favorite book is/was-it's this one. When my son was small, I bought this book to read to him. As he grew up and with my husband as well, I've re-read it to them both, as a reminder that the tree loved the little boy so much, it gave him everything-right down to it's last everything...same as my love for them...the boy got the point in the end, as well as my family. I will always read this book, recoomend it and never forget it--it's his best work in my opinion.
piafinn
May 2, 2008
Poignant
While this is just a short, little childrens' book that can be read in five minutes , it's one of the sweetest books you can read. I first read it in a bookstore at the urging of a friend. It brought tears to my eyes, right there in the store. I had to buy it, even though my daughter was only a baby at the time, and we were quite poor. On the surface, the book appear to be about the relationship of a boy and an apple tree. The boy loves the tree and the tree loves the boy. As the boy grows up, the tree (referred to with the female pronoun) always meets his needs, offering herself willingly because of her love for the boy. As for the deeper meaning, it has been the subject of debate. I think it demonstrates the sacrificial love of parents toward their children. Although you could argue that the boy seems to be selfish and unappreciative of all the tree gives him, that is the nature of children. It's also normal for parents to want to provide for their children. It's a poignant, sweet story.
sd6161
Sep 11, 2007
When you give, you receive
In writing and illustrating The Giving Tree, Shel Silverstein accomplished a masterpiece through the use of unadorned illustrations and descriptive text that requires no interpretation for the reader; thus the moving, unforgetable life lesson is preserved for parents and adults to share with and guide their children for generations to come. The Giving Tree has lived on a bookshelf in my home for over 25 years!
