The Giving Tree 40th Anniversary Edition Book with CD

Rating:
Summary: Highly overrated claptrap
Review: I know many people, my sister included, who will cite this as their favorite children's book ever. I wonder if those people have really ever read the book, critically, as adults. I bought it for my small daughter on the strength of its reputation as a "classic," and once I'd read it, took it right back to the store. There is something fundamentally dishonest about all of Shel Silverstein's books, and something very distasteful, even hateful, about this story of a pathetic tree who gives her life for a most undeserving boy. There is no greater good gained by this sacrifice, no nugget of human truth uncovered. It is not a beautiful story nor a profound one, though one gets the impression that Mr. Silverstein spent a fair bit of time congratulating himself on each cringe-inducing line. Please really read this through before deciding to give it to your kids. There are so many books for kids that do confront the ideas of love, friendship, sacrifice, sadness and death honestly, without condescending, and with artistic genius...

Rating:
Summary: A fable for those who love unconditionally, & their heartset
Review: At the onset of my 33rd year on this planet I have ran into very few things that touch my soul to the point that this story does. It captures the kind of love I have tried to express most of my life, and the pain I have endured as a result... all in the hopes for that moment when it all seems worth it. Part a warning, part a heartfelt plea, and sentimentally true to the point of heartbreaking, it can't be denied... but there is an underlying honesty and a feeling of sympathy that ring so true that you can't help but feel love for the tree... Take it for what it is, part warning about giving too much or warning about the hurt you can cause others with greed... either way, a great life lesson can be learned in a simple package. More books like this are needed.

Rating:
Summary: The Worst of Humanity
Review: This book is in no way, shape, or form a children's book. I bought it for my five year old, thinking it sounded like a good book. It depicts a spoiled, rotten, brat who can only think of himself. It shows the worst of humanity and doesn't depict the bad behavior as being wrong. To me it says that the destruction of our enviroment is not only OK but acceptable. I would not reccommend this book for anyone!

Rating:
Summary: The Giving Tree
Review: The Giving Tree was a great book because some of the parts were true. At the end of the story it was happy because the boy was living well. I think this is a 5 apple book. All children should read this book.

Rating:
Summary: The Giving Tree
Review: Shel Silverstien wrote a lot of great books. One of my favorite
stories was The Giving Tree. When I read it I loved it. I almost
started to cry. The reason I liked this story is the tree was nice enough to give the boy whatever he wanted. The other
reason I liked this story is because it taught me about kindness and love. This book gets five apples. I love Shel Silverstein. I recommend this book for kids my age.

Rating:
Summary: The Giving Tree
Review: Shel Silverstien wrote The Giving Tree. I think this book
was a five apple book. I liked how the boy played king of
the forest. It had caring and friendship. When the boy got older
the tree kept on giving him things. I loved the illustrations.
I think every boy and girl should read this book because it
teaches you to keep on giving!

Rating:
Summary: THE GIVING TREE
Review: Shel Silverstein wrote a great book called The Giving Gree. The Giving Tree is a great book because the tree did nice things for the boy. While the boy grew older the tree kept giving things up. That was nice and that's another reason why I liked the book. I think my cousin Jesey would like this book. I would give this book 5 apples.

Rating:
Summary: the giving tree
Review: The Giving Tree is a great book. It is about a tree that has a friend. The friend was a boy. The boy grew into a young man. He was not a boy anymore. He does not want to play with a tree. When I heard this book I was inspired. I liked this book because it has happiness in it. It has kindness in it too. My mom and dad would like to read this book because it has love in it. I will recommend this book to them.

Rating:
Summary: The Giving Tree
Review: Shel Silverstien wrote a very good book. I liked it. It was a great book. I award it 5 apples. The Giving Tree is the best book I have read. The book taught me that the tree really loved the boy. This book made me happy because it made me feel excited and happy and nice. When the tree fell it was still happy because it could still do something for the boy. My friends would love this book.

Rating:
Summary: The givingTree
Review: The Giving Tree is a great book by Shel Silverstein. This is one of my favorite books. I thought that the tree was very nice to the boy. Then when the boy got older the tree gave him all her apples and branches and all of her things. I think this book is a five apple book! Another thing I liked about this story was the boy came back to visit the tree. I recommend this book for all children.