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Summary: All I Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.
Review: THE GIVING TREE has become a piece of classic modern children's literature. It is the story of a tree who gives everything she has to a little boy. At first the boy loves in return, but then he begins to take and take and give nothing in return, until finally after many years the tree is nothing more than a battered stump. The boy eventually returns to the tree and though he never acknowledges any selfish behavior the tree offers him what little she has left and the relationship between the two is restored.I get teared up almost every time I read this story. To me, it seems to be a wonderful allegory about the nature of God's love and his relationship to humankind. God gives and gives and gives and we take and take and take, yet He loves us still, even though we are plotting our doom and will one day be brought low and destroyed for our transgressions. However, I also realize that there are several other ways of reading this books, too (there's the whole environmental take). Whatever way you read it, I find it amazing that the pot smoking Silverstein, who was known for using racy language, was also one of the foremost children's authors of the modern era and was able to write such a moving work. Knowing that, the effect of the story's moral is augmented. Anyway. Some might think that the moral lesson in the giving tree isn't right for young children to know. I disagree. Life's not always fair and though there are many children who see the selfishness of the little boy, many fail to see the selfishness in themselves and therefore miss out on the book's main point. A wonderful, powerful, and moving children's story.
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Summary: A beautiful spiritual lesson
Review: It seems many well-intentioned readers are sadly missing the point of this beautiful story. Stop being offended or depressed about this story, dear readers. As Dr Wayne Dyer says, That which offends you only weakens you. It is your ego at work, convincing you that the world shouldn't be the way it is. The tree in the story was not abused at all. This view must be a projection from your own experience. (And I'm sorry if that is so). The tree doesn't have to be female either. Don't take it so literally. The tree is just a symbol of a being who has reached ultimate spiritual beauty and grace. Females often have this quality, naturally (but so do many men). You clearly didn't read the words closely enough, or understand their powerful message. The tree was only truly happy when she gave something of herself to the boy. As St. Francis of Assisi teaches us, It is through giving that we receive. We can only be truly happy when we give of ourselves to others, expecting nothing in return. When we let go of our egos, stop wanting to be admired, and think only of other's needs, we attract true love back to us in return. The boy loved the tree, and that was all the tree needed to be happy. So many readers have focused on the apparently selfish boy, but the lesson here is not given by the boy, it is given by the tree. (Hence the title). It is the tree who we must try to copy in our lives. The boy represents others around us, who we must love and give selflessly to. The boy actually did nothing inherently wrong. If he had rejected the tree's offers, or the tree's love, that would have been much sadder for the tree. However, he took nothing more than what the tree lovingly and willingly offered to him, and by loving the tree in return, he made the tree truly happy. Yes, the image of the tree giving away her trunk to the boy, and becoming only a stump at the end, is indeed stunning. The first time I read the book, I had tears streaming down my cheeks. Tears of humility and awe. This story is a breath-taking example of abundant love. It shows us that we are not our bodies or our possessions. Our ego tries to cling to these things, but it will never be satisfied. Our ego can never have enough material things and will always be disgruntled and offended, because our bodies and possessions cannot be controlled. Over time they will age, fade and disappear.. However, who we really are is our spirit, which lies deeper than our bodies and possessions, and is infinite. Our spirits are full of beauty, love and abundance, no matter what happens to our bodies or our possessions. The more we give of our selves and our possessions, the richer, more beautiful and more abundant our spirits become. Then, nothing can truly hurt us, not even losing our limbs. In giving away nearly everything she had, the tree became a thousand times more spiritually beautiful than she was in her younger days. And only then, as the story says at the end, the tree was happy. Only then did the tree reach true lasting peace and happiness. It is a lesson for us all, and I'm thrilled to hear that this book is being taught in schools. I have now bought the book for my 2 young children, and intend to teach it to them, so that they may learn how to be selfless, loving and giving, so that their spirits may grow so beautiful and abundant that they will have lasting happiness, no matter what happens in their lives.
Rating: 
Summary: Giving Tree, Rotten Boy
Review: Many people love this book. I remember having a Sunday school teacher read it to us when we were little. Even then I thought 'That boy does not deserve or appreciate that tree's love'. It's a great lesson about selfless giving but as a kid that's not what I took away from it. To me it was a story in which she gave and gave and he took and took until she had nothing left.
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Summary: The Importance of Giving and Receiving
Review: This poignant book will teach children about what true giving and receiving is all about. The story is analogous to people who take and take, and take some more, as well as those who give and sap everything from themselves while they never receive anything in return.
This book provides a good lesson about the importance of reciprocal giving and receiving. Fairy tales are fine, however applying stories that children can learn valuable life lessons from will serve them better, and teach them about the importance of value, both for others, for nature, and especially for themselves.
Highly recommended.
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Summary: The Giving T ree Rule
Review: The book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein is a good book. My opinion is that it is a good and sad book it has a lot of sad things in it. The setting is in the light blue sky by a tree. My first reason for you to read this book is if you like sad things you can read this book. An example is when the little boy goes to the tree he chops it down and that is sad. My second reason to read this book is if you like trees getting chopped down. An example is when the boy copes downs the tree. My threed reason to read this book person this is a good book for you. This book is a second to threed grade book for you. You should read this book because its about a tree that gets coped down in tell there is nothing but a trunk of the tree. and sad book it has a lot of sad things in it. The setting is in the light blue sky by a tree. My first reason for you to read this book is if you like sad things you can read this book. An example is when the little boy goes to the tree he chops it down and that is sad. My second reason to read this book is if you like trees getting chopped down. An example is when the boy copes downs the tree. My threed reason to read this book person this is a good book for you. This book is a second to threed grade book for you. You should read this book because its about a tree that gets coped down in tell there is nothing but a trunk of the tree.
Rating: 
Summary: Worst of the Shel Silverstein books ever
Review: This book is terrible. What makes it seem even worse is how good the Poetry books by Mr Silverstein are. My kids hated this book because the basic story is that the tree is willing to die for the kid. The kid is seen by my kids as a spoiled brat who doesn't appreciate the gifts given to him and the tree never learns. ARRRRGGG! We are not tree huggers but the one side "love" is not a healthy relationship between kid and tree. Skip this book and buy the poetry books. Those are worth owing.
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Summary: Vegatative masochism - Most over rated kids book I know of
Review: If you despise mankind or yourself this may be the book for you, but not for kids. The story, by the Playboy magazine hipster cartoonist, is about a tree that hacks itself to pieces for an ungrateful child. Yes, yes, an allegory for man's indifference to nature/God(s)and/or the absolute love of same. Either way, not the type of gory half truths that are appropriate for young children. Take my advice, do not buy it. Some sot will end up giving it to you. When they do, spare you child the experience.
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Summary: An adult reader
Review: I was thirty and my brother was thirty-five when he bought a copy of this book for our mom, a selfless giver. All of our family found it amusing and sadly true that she was just like the tree. Over the years we have all made references to "that book" my brother bought her one year at Christmas. Mothers who are like the tree aren't taught to be that way, they are born that way and continue to be that kind of giver throughout life. The hard part is, you're never sure how to please them, unless you like the idea of cutting off one of your mother's arms. It's hard to shake free of a mother you cannot absolutely please -- there's never any closure on anything. Although we always thought my mom was the best there was, actually, I think my brother and I would have become more selfless adults if my mother hadn't come 90 percent of the way when there was a problem between us. We never had to do anything. This book certainly stimulates conversation. It's sort of a sad commentary, actually. Yes, a mother needs to be giving, but how giving must she be?
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Summary: For bright people only
Review: Like most of the reviewers here, I read this book as a young child. I remember it was not like any other children's book I had ever read. I remember not liking the boy as he grew older and not wanting to be like him when I grew up, but I also remember wondering why the tree gave so much for nothing in return. I had questions and I asked them. Reading some of the reviews in here I am astonished at the degree and depth of ignorance some parents, including those describing themselves as educators, have with the themes in this book. Here is a sampling of the conclusions: "A cautionary tale about the human impact on the environment" - Certainly one can draw a conclusion about the effect man has on the environment but to leave it at that is to miss the vast majority of the themes in the book. Or: "it rationalizes and supports battered women staying with their scumbag abusers" - The battered woman theme is so contrived that it could only be brought up by people who have nothing else on their minds but battered women. Give an inkblot to a battered woman and she sees a battered woman. Even: "As a child, this was one of my favorite books. As an enlightened adult, it's a disturbing look at relationships" This is a sad and ironic statement which strangely hints at the life of the person in the book! To the person that made this review: as a child you could "see"; as an adult you will make it what you want it to be. You are not enlightened; you were smarter as a child. Relationships!? Stop reading People magazine. The tree is not a symbol of people it is a symbol of bigger themes like life, unconditional love, self-awareness and introspection, even God - but relationships? Turn off your TV. "a theme neither concrete nor relevant to young children's experiences"
"Beyond a young child's grasp" To the one that wrote that comment, children old enough to read are old enough to understand the major themes. You must have trouble with the themes yourself and so you automatically assume others, and especially children, will too. Give your kids some credit; they are smarter than you think. Relevant!? What are you teaching your kids? Here's some advice for you: turn off the Family Channel - our world has enough conniving manipulation and prejudice for your kids to add to the mess as adults. Sure, I'll get a lot of "no" marks for this review. But that's OK because, you see, most of the more intelligent reviews for this book are also given poor feedback. I'll be in good company.
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Summary: A Parallel to Faith
Review: Upon first reading this book to my children in the early 80's, I was struck by the parallel to God , Christ and Christ's sacrifice for us. No matter how much we stray and neglect our faith, God is there when we return and always willing to give. We, God's people, are not unlike that boy. We take and drift away, return when we need comfort and guidance, then leave once we have it. Many return to God for good in the Winter of our lives when OUR need is greatest and the end to life is imminent. Our Lord is always there to support and to LOVE for, in fact, God IS Love.
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