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The Giving Tree 40th Anniversary Edition Book with CD |  | Author: Shel Silverstein
Brand: Mudpuppy / Shel Silverstein
List Price: $18.99
Buy New: $11.58
as of 7/30/2010 07:33 PDT details
Seller: sbd-
Rating:  696 reviews
Media: Hardcover
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
Pages: 64
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 10.3 x 7.9 x 0.5
MPN: MP8675
ISBN: 0060586753
EAN: 9780060586751
Publication Date: March 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | ISBN13: 9780060586751 | | • | Condition: New | | • | Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
This charmingly illustrated children's book about a young boy and his relationship with a tree in the forest is available here in a hardcover version. For a limited time, the book is also available with an accompanying CD of Shel Silverstein himself reading the tale. The story touches on all sorts of themes of growing up, sacrifice, and even environmentalism. The book is not only moving, it is also a great opportunity to introduce older children to the concept of critical thinking, challenging them to interpret for themselves what the message of the story is. The Giving Tree was written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein in 1964. The book became one of Silverstein's most popular titles and has been translated into over 30 different languages worldwide.
Amazon.com Review
To say that this particular apple tree is a "giving tree" is an understatement. In Shel Silverstein's popular tale of few words and simple line drawings, a tree starts out as a leafy playground, shade provider, and apple bearer for a rambunctious little boy. Making the boy happy makes the tree happy, but with time it becomes more challenging for the generous tree to meet his needs. When he asks for money, she suggests that he sell her apples. When he asks for a house, she offers her branches for lumber. When the boy is old, too old and sad to play in the tree, he asks the tree for a boat. She suggests that he cut her down to a stump so he can craft a boat out of her trunk. He unthinkingly does it. At this point in the story, the double-page spread shows a pathetic solitary stump, poignantly cut down to the heart the boy once carved into the tree as a child that said "M.E. + T." "And then the tree was happy... but not really." When there's nothing left of her, the boy returns again as an old man, needing a quiet place to sit and rest. The stump offers up her services, and he sits on it. "And the tree was happy." While the message of this book is unclear (Take and take and take? Give and give and give? Complete self-sacrifice is good? Complete self-sacrifice is infinitely sad?), Silverstein has perhaps deliberately left the book open to interpretation. (All ages) --Karin Snelson
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 696
 I wish I COULD give this book 5 stars ... July 26, 2010
Heather L. Fairfield (Canton, MA United States)
I love Shel Silverstein, and I truly wish I could give this book five stars. However ... I just can't.
I first heard this story as a child, and I have to confess that I loved it ... at first. As I got a little bit older (around age 8 or 9), I started to feel terribly bad for the tree and upset with the boy for the way he treated her.
As an adult reading it ... well, I just can't shake how dysfunctional this whole relationship between the boy and the tree really is. It actually depresses the hell out of me to read the book now. This doesn't mean that I will never read it for my kids, but that we're going to have to use it as a jumping off point for a discussion about what we think of the boy and what we think of the tree.
I'm not sure that this book teaches kids anything healthy about relationships. Even if I use the possible interpretation that the tree is supposed to represent a mother (or parent-figure) and the boy represents the child of that parent ... it's still an unhealthy relationship. For a parent to give and give and give until there is simply nothing LEFT to give isn't remotely healthy -- for the parent OR the child in question.
I have to agree with the person who mentioned the "lifelong cycle of abuse and abandonment" that this story focuses on. As much as I want to love this book, I just can't bring myself to truly recommend it as anything more than a springboard to talk to your children about unhealthy relationships.
We have this book, and I have yet to bring myself to the point where I can actually read it to my 5 year-old daughter. I'm sure I will ... but it has to be on a day when I'm ready to be that depressed, and ready to deal with HER likely reaction to the story. (My daughter is very sensitive, and will very likely cry when the tree is cut down.)
I do think, however, that Shel Silverstein may have written the book deliberately in such a way as to give rise to multiple interpretations.
 LOVED this little book... July 24, 2010
Cmyfamly
I have read this book to all my children a total of hundreds of times. I never tire of reading it...they never tire of listening...Thank you Shel Silverstein
Mankind's abuse of Nature July 19, 2010
Nara L. Watson (Barbados)
I read this book as a little girl and I remember feeling alot of anger towards that horrid little boy. I loved trees as a child and still do and was also raised to respect nature. As I got older the message seemed to me to portray mankind as the selfish boy and the tree as mother nature who is thoroughly abused. Having just read about the last female rhino in South Africa being killed for her horn I can still see the value of the message as I perceive it. Hopefully other children will see it this way and not in other more negative aspects (the sexism remark, I can see where you're coming from but I choose to see it a different way, because I agree that would be horrible).
That said this book never left me feeling very happy as a child and I hated it.
To give is to care July 19, 2010
S. Humphrey (Indiana USA)
This book was given to me years ago by a friend. Then recently a granddaughter gave me one w/ a CD. I cherish it with all my heart. Now a greatgrandson, who saw my book at age 3, will be getting one. He took a liking to it and wanted it read to him, many times. The message is for any age. We all can 'get it.'
So Many Themes Packed in this Book! July 14, 2010
MolliannaGlamorama (Brooklyn, NY)
My interpretation of this book is that it provides a timeless tale about a parent's self-sacrificing, unconditional love for a child..an imperfect child. Wonderful metaphor that works for me!!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 696
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