![]() ![]() ![]() Some people have the tree standing in as a mother figure (she is a she, after all) and have her representing a mother’s unending devotion to her child. The book, aimed primarily at six-eight year olds has been interpreted and reinterpreted ad nauseum over the last 50+ years. A lot of today’s storybooks are too busy. The boy takes and takes, never saying thank you–and always asks for more. The tree gives the boy everything, and I mean EVERYTHING she has to give from her leaves, to her branches, to her trunk. The picturebook traces the life of a boy, from toddler to old man, and his relationship with a tree. ![]() ![]() For a few minutes, let’s forget that some think (with good cause) Silverstein turned out to have a less than illustrious personal life, and let’s concentrate on this particular work: at best, the story teaches about unconditional love at worst, it’s a cautionary tale about a relationship where boundaries are not clearly set. Alex’s Bookshelf, and it should be on yours. So, why am I tackling this book as my first review on what I hope will be a long-flourishing site? Well, it’s a book that’s on Mr. Originally published on October 7, 1964, The Giving Tree has sparked controversy and divided audiences basically since day one. ![]()
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