The Giving Tree 40th Anniversary Edition Book with CD

Perhaps appropriate for discussion with an older child, but written and drawn for younger ones. Brings to mind cartoon Camel cigarette art drawn to appeal to adolescents. As a parable this story has power and merit along the lines of the song "Cat's In The Cradle" by Harry Chapin, but its presentation in a format for young children is totally inappropriate. This is a horrible, disturbing book.

It's amazing how a book, barely a hundred in pages, could quickly and intensely impart so much sadness and despair, and with something so simple and as complicated as unconditional love.

Sure, a number of readers have probably thought that the tree was nothing but a big sop, a martyr blind to the selfishness and capricious whims of a child, but shouldn't the object of our unceasing wonder be the always unpredictable capacity of one's sacrifice for love? Beyond what a tree could give, imagine what a person would be willing to go through. Tragic, true--but that is what also makes us human.

In 1974, I gave this to my then seven-year-old son for Christmas - a time for "Giving." I let several days pass and then asked him if he had read the book. He had, so I asked him if he liked it. He said he did, so I asked him what he liked about it. He told me he was glad the tree was still there enough for the man to sit on because the man needed a good friend. Out of the mouths of babes, I thought. I remember stroking his head and saying, "You're right, he did. I'm glad, too, that he had such a good friend to whom to return." It was his observation that made me realize the tree wasn't left anything, but instead, as it used up its life in good deeds, it remained just as useful as a stump to sit on as it did when it was a full tree. Socrates observed that "The unexamined life is not worth living." Upon examination of my own life, I have found what makes it most worth living is being useful to others. My son is now 38 and has always been generous of spirit and deed. He still has this book with my Christmas inscription, "To the best son a mom could hope for" written on the inside cover, and his three children have read it. I've never "told" my son what is right or wrong. I preferred using the Socratic method of asking questions that provoked him to think more deeply and far beyond the tip of his nose. That's what this book does, and does brilliantly.

I bought this for my granddaughters after they lost all their books in a flood this summer. I am trying to rebuild their library. It is a wonderful classic book and comes with an audio CD of Shel Silverstein reading it. Definitely a must for any child's library.

The tree that keeps giving, wanting nothing in return but to please the little boy.
It's a wonderful story and teaches a lesson, at any age. I found myself feeling like the giving tree lately, while part of a non-profit organization. When I verbalized the analogy, I realized that many people had never heard of the book. It's on top of my gift list this year.