Week 1: The Giving Tree

Book cover image:
Book Summary:

The Giving Tree is a children’s book that details the relationship between a tree and a little boy. In the beginning, the boy loves the tree so much and enjoys spending time with it. The tree offers apples, leaves, and branches to the boy, as needed. The boy takes these things from the tree to help himself in life. As this relationship progresses, the boy goes through different life situations where he needs the tree more at times and then when he needs the tree less. The tree is always there for the boy and gives of itself, unconditionally. It is a touching and sad book at times, but is one that most parents and children can identify with. It is best suited for readers of grades 1-4.

APA Reference:

Silverstein, S. A. (1964). The giving tree. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

My Impressions:

This book is a nice book written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein that shows how a parent will love and love and give and give to their child, asking nothing in return. The tree is seen as representing a parent figure and the boy representing the child. This book does mirror a possible relationship a child and a parent has as they go through life together. A child leans more on a parent until he becomes more independent. The child can at times, seem to be taking much from the relationship and the parent can be seen as giving unconditionally. Both partners are not always equally vested in the relationship. If one looks deeply and psychologically into this relationship, it can be seen as quite a dysfunctional one, especially as the child gets older and is still taking without really giving. The child is not becoming self-reliant either. He is still asking the tree to provide for him in many ways until the tree is nothing but a stump. The child will possibly not learn to have a normal give and take relationship in life if he never learns to give and stop taking so much from the parent. I could be taking this too far, but if you want to look deeply into this book, I think this can seen. All in all, I still like this book and have read it to my daughter since she was three. We have had several discussions about how the tree might be feeling and what the boy could do differently to make the tree even happier and help the tree live a healthier life.

Professional Review:

“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 can search for a deeper meaning.”

Review Reference:

Brodie, C. S. (2009, September 1). “The giving tree” by Shel Silverstein-A forty-five year

celebration. [Review of the book The giving tree, by S. Silverstein]. School Library Monthly, 26(1), 22-24. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibrarymonthly.com/

Library Uses:

Focus ages: grades 1-4

This book could be used with students to open a discussion on self-reliance and having healthy relationships with parents and others. The librarian could read it through to the children the first time then ask the students questions about their impressions of the book. Someone will probably catch the parts that seem “mean” or “weird” between the tree and boy and this will open up a conversation on what a healthy, give and take relationship looks like. It might also lead to a conversation on how the students can become more independent at home and at school. All of these things are necessary life skills people need to learn; the earlier the better. Scaffolding will take place to better meet the abilities of the students depending on age.

The students could produce an alternative ending with a few pages of pictures/sketches and words in order to do so. That would give them some creative opportunities and allow them to operate at higher BLOOMS’ levels. Scaffolding will take place to better meet the abilities of the students depending on age.