The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Module 1 - The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Silverstein, S. (1964). The giving tree. New York: Harper & Row. 

57 pages

Fully Illustrated

Published in 1964

Ages 4-8

Plot: 

In The Giving Tree, Shel Silverstein tells the story of the relationship between a boy and a tree. As a child, the tree serves as a source of wonder and friendship for the boy who spends his days  swinging from its branches and eating its apples. But as years pass, the relationship evolves and the tree begins to become neglected as the priorities of the boy mature. As a young man, he returns to the tree, which is all to eager to be needed once more, and dismisses the tree's offers to again play in the tree's branches and eat its apples, instead saying he can no longer play as he is in need of money. So the tree gives him all its apples in order to be sold for money. Years pass again and the boy returns as a middle-aged man who again dismisses the tree's renewed offers of play, claiming instead to need a house. So the tree offers its branches so that the man might build a house. And again returning as an elderly gentleman, he returns to the neglected tree in need of a boat. So the tree offers its trunk so that he can build himself a boat. Up until this point, the tree states that it is happy to make these sacrifices for the sake of the boy's happiness. But when all that remains is a stump, the tree finally becomes sad. When the crippled old man returns to the stump, the tree tells him that he has nothing left to give, but the man says he wants nothing more than to sit awhile. So the stump perks up to support the man and once more the tree is happy.

My Impressions:

I actually came across this book when shelving at my library about a week before this class started and decided to flip through it because I liked Shel Silverstein so much as a kid. After reading through it, I remember being confounded. This did not feel like a children's book to me. It felt like it was trying to get across a very adult and abstract message to children and using illustrations to do the work, rather than the language. The story seemed very anti-climactic as well as it seems like neither the tree nor the boy/man are truly happy at the end, but rather content in their mutual settling. I was not surprised to see this book listed on the reading list as a book that parents think is a good children's book and was eager to provide my take on it. I don't have a whole lot of experience yet working with children in a library setting, but I cannot imagine this book as a big hit with kids. While I think they would understand the message of taking without giving in return leads to dissatisfaction and that a friendship requires mutual support and giving, I don't think they will become immersed in the story.

 Reviews:

From School Library Monthly:

Once there was a tree…
and she loved a little boy.

Thus begins one of the best-known and most memorable stories from the last forty-five years—The Giving Tree, written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein. It was first published in 1964 (HarperCollins). At first it was rejected by publishers because of concerns that it fell somewhere between children and adults’ literature. It has since, however, been embraced by various audiences and has remained in print  almost the entire time since its first publication. A fortieth anniversary edition was released in 2004 that includes a CD of the poetry performed by Silverstein.

A Boy and a Tree

The Giving Tree shares the story of a young boy and his lifetime relationship with a certain apple tree. But it is much more than that. It is also a story of giving (and taking or receiving), friendship, happiness, loyalty, sacrifice, gratitude, happiness, and most importantly—love. The tree ultimately gives everything for the boy without receiving much in return. The theme or message of the book has been interpreted in many different ways. It can be very simply understood
by a second grader, or an adult cans earch for a deeper meaning.

Brodie, C. S. (2009). The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein--A Forty-Five Year Celebration. School Library Monthly, 26(1), 22. 

 From Canadian Review of Materials:

This popular classic of modern children's literature was first published in 1963 and has been embraced both by children and adults. It has just been released with a CD narration of the story by Shel Silverstein. This parable teaches lessons on love and acceptance, is simply told. It is illustrated with black and white line drawings and a straightforward text describing how a little boy comes to visit the "giving tree" every day. The tree gives the boy everything from its apples to a place to swing and slide. As the boy grows up, he demands more and more from the tree until finally the tree seems to have nothing left to give. At the end, the boy is an old man and returns to the tree and finds that the tree provides him with one more thing.

The CD operates well, but the recording is not perfectly clear as Mr. Silverstein is close to the microphone at times. But children will love hearing his tender and soulful voice and the melodious harmonica background music. The recording is close to six minutes long and fits into a pocket inside the back cover. The book's theme of love and the cycle of life will resonate with adults and will provide many discussion points when shared with children.

Douglas, L. (2004). The Giving Tree (Book). CM: Canadian Review of Materials, 10(21), N.PAG.

Library Suggestions:

This book would be good to incorporate into lessons and readings about our relationship with nature and the cycle of life/seasons. Children could perform an activity afterward such as rearranging pieces of a tree to become a house in order to visualize the way we rely on nature to sustain us.