The Giving Tree is a book that will pull on any reader’s heartstrings. It is the story of a boy and a very Giving Tree. At first the boy plays with the tree and her leaves, day after day. The tree is happy to play with the boy. As time goes by, the boy gets older, and he no longer has time to play with the tree; he needs money. So the tree gives the boy her apples, and it makes the boy happy, and it makes the tree happy. The boy abandons the tree, and occasionally comes back, and takes the branches, then the trunk, until all that is left of the tree is a stump. Then finally the boy comes back…an old, old man, and the tree is sad, because she has nothing to give him. When the tree sees that all the boy needs is a place to sit, she realizes that a stump is perfect for sitting, so she straightens up, and the boy takes a seat. And the tree is happy. This is a great read-aloud story for any class and any age. You can talk with your students about the different emotions that the writing brings, and the real connections to life that it models. You could ask your students, "Does anyone in your life serve as a giving tree?" It would be interesting to see how they respond to this. This is an excellent picture book for any teacher’s collection.
