One of the most well known and beloved children's authors is Shel Silverstein. Known for his amusing, and sometimes strange, drawings and rhymes, Silverstein has become a kingpin of children's literature. He wrote the classics Where the Sidewalk Ends, Runny Babbit: a Billy Sook, and Falling Up. 
One of Silverstein's most famous books is The Giving Tree, first published in 1964. The story follows a moving story of a boy's relationship with a tree, and how it changes over time. The story starts when the boy is a small child and the tree was able to provide simple and innocent things to the boy to amuse and shelter him. As the child grows however, his needs change and become more demanding of the tree, but the tree still tries to do everything it can to accommodate the child. The story has many interpretations. Some see the tree as a selfless parent, sacrificing their own needs in place of their child. Others see the book as a warning of how far someone should go to help someone before their own needs start getting ignored and forgotten.
This is a great book for a reader of any age. It leaves the reader with an ending that is both sweet and sad, but still open to debate. Did the tree go to far, or did it's love for the boy trump any of the fallout of her choices? Either way, it is a great story. It is also short enough for anyone to read in one sitting! (What could be better than that?)
Let me know what your opinion on the story is in the comments!
No comments:
Post a Comment