The Giving Tree

by Shel Silverstein · first published 1964

The Giving Tree is an American children's picture book written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein. First published in 1964 by Harper & Row, it has become one of Silverstein's best-known titles, and has been translated into numerous languages. This book has been described as "one of the most divisive books in children's literature" by librarian Elizabeth Bird; the controversy stems from whether the relationship between the main characters (a boy and the eponymous tree) should be interpreted as positive (i.e., the tree gives the boy selfless love) or negative (i.e., the boy and the tree have an abusive relationship).

Summary: Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Genre:

Children's

Original language:

American English

Reader rating:

★ 4.2 / 5 (104 on Open Library)

Year page:

1964