Author/ Illustrator: Shel Silverstein
Shel Silverstein started writing when he was twelve years old. He was not familiar with any styles of famous poets, so he developed his own style. He enlisted in the armed forces and served in the Korean War. While he was in the military, he worked as a cartoonist for "Pacific Stars and Stripes." In 1963, he was convinced to begin writing for children. Where the Sidewalk Ends, Light In the Attic and The Giving Tree, to name a few, were all popular pieces for him.
Synopsis:
This story is about a tree who loved a little boy. The boy would always visit the tree, he would eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk. This made the tree very happy.
As the boy grew older, he wanted more from the tree each time and the tree gave him what he wanted. The tree always gave what she could to the boy, because she wanted him happy. When the boy was happy, she was happy. The last time he came to see her, she was sad; she had nothing left to give him. The boy said he didn’t need much now, just a place to rest, so the tree gave him a place to rest.
Pre Reading Activity:
Questions:
What does it mean to give something? What do you think the giving tree does in this book? What do you think the little boy is doing on the front of the book?
Activity:
Have the class each draw a tree their own giving trees and write a few sentences about what they want and what the tree could give them.
Post Reading Activity:
Questions:
How do you think the tree felt when the boy didn’t come back to play with her after she gave him something? Why didn’t the boy ever say thank you to the tree when she gave him something? Should you say thank you when someone gives you something or does something for you?
Activity:
After reading the story, have the students write a letter from the tree to the boy. Ask them to imagine that they are the tree and have given all those things to the boy. Ask them to imagine how they would feel if they were the tree.
Reflection:
The Giving Tree is a wonderful story, it shows how much people can take for granted the things they are given. Sometimes people do not realize what someone or something gives them unless it is material things. The Giving Tree gives all of herself to the little boy, and he takes it. I felt even in the end, the tree was sad she had nothing left to give to him, even though he just needed a place to rest, he never said thank you to her. I think in real life this happens many times, someone gives so much of themselves and it often goes overlooked. For a book that was published in 1964, I think it is very relevant to our time today.
The Giving Tree is a wonderful story, it shows how much people can take for granted the things they are given. Sometimes people do not realize what someone or something gives them unless it is material things. The Giving Tree gives all of herself to the little boy, and he takes it. I felt even in the end, the tree was sad she had nothing left to give to him, even though he just needed a place to rest, he never said thank you to her. I think in real life this happens many times, someone gives so much of themselves and it often goes overlooked. For a book that was published in 1964, I think it is very relevant to our time today.
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