The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
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Book Reviews of The Giving Tree
Book Review: A Profound Parable of Grace
Summary: 5 Stars
Two boys, Brennan and Saul, were childhood friends in Brooklyn, New York. As they grew up and took separate paths, Brennan became a Christian speaker and preacher, and Saul, a Jew, converted to Christianity as well. Years later upon meeting on the streets of New York, each man discovered that the other had also found Christ. In the course of the conversation Brennan asked Saul what he, as a Jew, thought about the person of Jesus. Saul told Brennan that he would think about it and get back to him the next day. When they met the next day, Saul, pen-named Shel (Silverstein), told the parable of the Giving Tree to Brennan as the answer to the question of what Jesus meant to him. Brennan urged Shel to have it published, and it has since become one of the best-selling children's books ever.This is a parable about the boundless nature of the Grace of God. Significantly Shel chose to write about a "Giving Tree", while God also chose the Giving Tree of the cross to demonstrate His love for us. We often come to God with petty request after petty request, sometimes ignoring the tremendous sacrifice that God has made which enables us to ask for anything at all.
There is much symbolism in the book and certainly it has other applications for a broad audience, as parables often do. This is a life-changing story. One which should be read to children by adults and to adults by children. In fact the essence of this story has been told to us by our Heavenly Father for centuries.
Buy this book. In fact buy several copies and give them away.
Book Review: How Life Is And Can Be...
Summary: 5 Stars
Deceptively simple...at one level this book is about a person and a tree and their relationship, but of course we know that it is a metaphor for the relationships between persons.
It is a widely popular book, and has the potential to teach the reader about the art and sacrifice of giving, about the ways one may or may not receive gracefully, about love that is unconditional and about the ways that a person can change during a lifespan.
Many teachers, both secular and in religious settings, use this book as a way to convey these layers of meaning. While it will work as a children's book, it does not have to be limited to that audience. I have seen it as an effective adult learning resource and in a youth group, too.
While I do understand why the message of the tree is unsettling to some parents, the reality is that one is committed to sacrificial giving when one becomes a parent. It goes with the territory of love. So I would encourage those who are struggling with that part of the story to allow themselves to grow beyond where they are now. Seldom is a relationship, whether it be a marriage, friendship or parent-child relationship, "equal". At some times, one gives more and the other receives more in the relationship. This book helps us understand and accept that fact, too.
You may also see the relationship between the child and the tree as a hopeful message about dealing with loss, even death. So, do read this book and let its message intertwine with your own life's story.
Book Review: An Old Favorite
Summary: 5 Stars
I cant even count the number of times Ive read this book, but this year teaching a 7th grade language arts class, I found myself reading this book to the class and then assigning the students to write an essay about it. Most of the students were familiar with this book but despite that all we eager to revisit the story of a tree and a boy. Once again we found ourselves loving every word and page and it reminded is of some valuable lessons which included friendship, loyalty, giving, receiving and most of all about love.As a young boy, boy loves to pay with a neighborhood tree. Boy swings on the branches, climbs the trees branches, plays hide and seek and often naps under the limbs. But as boy gets older, he abandons the three although the tree never abandons the boy and misses him terribly. At various times boy returns asking the tree for something to sell, something to use as a boat and finally as an old man boy learns that the tree has given him almost everything it has to offer, it still has one more thing to give to him.
I found that this was a wonderful book to discuss with my class and elicited not only good conversation but wonderful essays where the students were able to relate their own stories about giving and receiving.
It is always a special treat to revisit some old favorite titles. And this time was no different than other times when I read The Giving Tree as an adult. As in the past I realized how delightful it is to find a book which can and always will appeal to me no matter how old I am in years.
Book Review: A Cautionary Tale
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Giving Tree," beautifully written and simply illustrated, is a five-star book for adults in need of a cautionary tale: this book warns us, powerfully, that to give to the point of self-destruction is harmful both to the giver and the receiver. The tree, so admirable from one point of view, dismembers herself for the sake of the boy, who only becomes more selfish and more demanding as the story progresses. He does not grow or learn or experience love; instead, he squanders what is given to him and makes the tree, in one sense, responsible for his happiness. How eloquently the book cautions us not to become this selfish, spoiled boy who takes what he is given so for granted: what a wonderful metaphor for adults to use in teaching children to be truly grateful, rather than truly self-aborbed, demanding, and manipulative. We know the boy is not to be admired from any point of view: we strive, hopefully, not to be like him. And the tree, who gives to the point of her own destruction and dismemberment: she too teaches us that giving blindly neither helps the giver nor the receiver. We learn from her that our happiness does not have to depend on giving to the point of our own destruction to another who learns to take us for granted. This book is a source of learning and self-reflection; we can learn from both characters, and teachers and parents can use this book to help children understand the how we do not need to be like the tree or the boy, but how instead we can learn the true nature of giving and receiving.Book Review: The tree taught me a true kind heart.
Summary: 5 Stars
Book Report
Title of Book: The Giving Tree
This book is a story of heart contact between a tree and a little boy.Once there was a tree, and she loved a little boy who came to her and played with every day. When he was a little boy he gathered her leaves and make them into crowns and play king of the forest, and climb up her, swing from her branches, eat her apples, and so on. He hadn't especially wishes yet. But time went by, he grew up and didn't come to her so much than he was a little boy. However, one day he came to her and said, "I want some money." So tree gave him a lot of apple and she said, "Take these apples. You can sell these, and you can get money." He sold them in the city. After that, he came to her occasionally, and asked her something. Whenever he wished to her, he took something which made him granted. At last the tree became only stump, and when the boy came, she said to him, "I'm sorry I can't give you anything." But the boy became very old, so he didn't need anything but only need relax place. So he sit down on her, and the tree was happy.
I thought this story was very thinkable. The tree always gave a lot of her own body for the boy when he wanted something. And the tree felt happy, but it is really? I think the tree always gave him her kind heart, but he didn't notice that because he was too young to understand. When the boy became very old, he noticed that and the tree became happy truly. This book touched my heart.