The Giving Tree
The Giving Tree Summary
A young boy plays with a tree and both are happy. As he grows up, he asks the tree for a variety of things he needs; the tree gives to him generously and without any expectation of return. The boy becomes a man, and then an old man.
In the end, all he needs is a place to sit, which the tree, now reduced to a mere stump by all it has given, is happy to provide.
So begins a story of unforgettable perception, beautifully written and illustrated by the gifted and versatile Shel Silverstein.
Every day the boy would come to the tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk…and the tree was happy. But as the boy grew older he began to want more from the tree, and the tree gave and gave and gave.
This is a tender story, touched with sadness, aglow with consolation. Shel Silverstein has created a moving parable for readers of all ages that offers an affecting interpretation of the gift of giving and a serene acceptance of another’s capacity to love in return.