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List Price: 16.99
Our Price: $15.99
Product Details
| Shipping Weight: |
0.50 |
| Author(s): |
Shel Silverstein |
| Vendor: |
HARPER COLLINS |
| Publisher: |
HarperCollins |
| Published: |
07 October, 1964 |
| Format: |
Hardcover |
| ISBN: |
0060256656 |
| Store Code: |
8415 |
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Description: To say that this particular apple tree is a "giving tree" is an understatement. In Shel Silverstein's popular tale of few words and simple line drawings, a tree starts out as a leafy playground, shade provider, and apple bearer for a rambunctious little boy. Making the boy happy makes the tree happy, but with time it becomes more challenging for the generous tree to meet his needs. When he asks for money, she suggests that he sell her apples. When he asks for a house, she offers her branches for lumber. When the boy is old, too old and sad to play in the tree, he asks the tree for a boat. She suggests that he cut her down to a stump so he can craft a boat out of her trunk. He unthinkingly does it. At this point in the story, the double-page spread shows a pathetic solitary stump, poignantly cut down to the heart the boy once carved into the tree as a child that said "M.E. + T." "And then the tree was happy... but not really." When there's nothing left of her, the boy returns again as an old man, needing a quiet place to sit and rest. The stump offers up her services, and he sits on it. "And the tree was happy." While the message of this book is unclear (Take and take and take? Give and give and give? Complete self-sacrifice is good? Complete self-sacrifice is infinitely sad?), Silverstein has perhaps deliberately left the book open to interpretation. (All ages) --Karin Snelson
Genre: Modern fiction; Trees; Fiction; Juvenile Fiction; Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction; Children: Grades 1-2; Classics; Social Issues - Emotions and Feelings; Social Issues - Values; Juvenile Fiction / Classics; Love and Romance;
Average Review: 4 stars
Review: Just re-read as an adult, different perspective.... : I am a new father. We have received many books (obviously my girl is too young but we are starting to build a little library for her...) I just reread this recently as an adult at a relatives house (who has 2 kids) and was actually pretty surprised at just how truly selfish this "boy" is. Sure he loves the tree in the beginning but then all he cares about is his own happiness and he even completely mutilates the tree (with her consent, oddly) so that he can go and be an adult with his wife. Also he can't manage to be self sufficient and make his own way without mangling his "friend". Is the tree a metaphor for "mom"...? Is it okay to even metaphorically disfigure, take advantage of and mutilate his "mom" for his own pleasure? Then when he's old, alone again and has nowhere else to go, the mutilated, sad stump of a tree takes him back in and is happy again...?!?!? She's only happy when this selfish, abusive little "boy" is paying attention to her or needing something from her. Honestly, what is the message of this book? If not "Mom", the tree sounds like a partner in a VERY abusive relationship (one you would see on some morning talk show) where the tree continues to LOVE the boy and is happy as long as the tree can get some attention or give of herself to an incredibly selfish "boy" who is completely ungrateful. I mean, he takes everything from her, disfigures her to go and be with someone else and when he's old and alone again he comes back and she takes him in again! A very odd book to read to a small child in my opinion. I know my opinion here will not be very popular and many have fond memories of reading this book when they were young but try reading it again objectively as an adult. I'm not saying that the author's observations were untrue, (sadly I think they are all too much true...) but marketing this as a heartwarming, fuzzy children's book...? Odd... Sincerely, Dave
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