The joy of unconditional giving...

Author's Rating:

Pros: Excellent message for children, well-written, easy to read

Cons: Explanation of story may be needed for younger children

The Bottom Line: 
This is an excellent story that explores the joy of unconditional love and giving. I recommend this book for all ages and reading levels.

Author's Review
The joy of unconditional giving is the basis for the classic story, The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein. In this book, a tree loves a little boy, so much that she will give him everything, from the apples and leaves that adorn her branches to the mighty trunk that is her life.

The story begins when the boy is very young. He and his special tree spend each day together, gathering leaves, playing hide-and-seek and eating apples. The tree would delight as the boy climbed up the trunk and fall asleep in the shade of her branches.

But as the boy grows older, changes begin to take place. He does not visit his tree each day, and the tree becomes lonely. She waits, each day, in anticipation that the boy will return.

One day, some time later, the boy does return. But he does not come to play among the leaves. He comes because he wants money. The tree offers the apples from her branches, which the boy can sell. The tree is happy that she could help her beloved boy. But again, much time passes before he returns.

When the boy returns, he again does not come back to play with the tree. He returns this time because he needs to build a house. The tree gives the boy her branches, to build a home. And she was happy.

Again, time passes, and the tree is sad, because she misses the boy so much. She is nothing but a barren trunk now, with no branches or apples. Then, one day, a much older boy comes to visit. The tree tries to coax him to climb and play, but the boy is sad. He wants a boat, so he can sail far away. The tree offers what she had, her empty trunk. So the boy cuts down the tree and carries it away. Again, the tree is happy to help her boy.

After many years, the boy, now an old man, returns. He is tired and weak. The tree greets the boy, equally as tired. She explains that she has nothing left to offer. But this time the boy seeks nothing more than a quiet place to sit and rest. So the tree gives him the only thing left of herself - her old stump. So the boy sits and the tree is happy.

This is an excellent story about unconditional giving. I have found that my children need some guidance in understanding the underlying message - that giving does not come with a promise that you will receive something in return. I explain that the tree, while giving everything of itself, is happy knowing that she had done something for the boy, which is enough of a reward. (Very often, at this point, my children will comment that they believe the boy is very selfish, as he is always taking and never giving anything back to the tree. This is another great conversation starter!)

I recommend this book for all ages. We borrowed our copy from a local library, but it can be purchased from almost every major bookstore. This book was written by author Shel Silverstein. Other titles by Silverstein worth checking out are The Missing Piece, Where the Sidewalk Ends and Lafcadio, the Lion Who Shot Back. All of these have some great messages for young readers.

Thanks for reading and God Bless!