The giving tree

"Reading this while growing up helped me answer some really difficult questions I was grappling with."

The ‘90s were a decade of great changes, innovations, and challenges. From the fall of the Berlin Wall to the rise of the Internet, from the Gulf War to the Spice Girls, the ‘90s shaped the world we live in today. But what about the children’s books from the ‘90s that entertained, educated, and inspired millions of young readers?

Anna Holmes and Rivka Galchen reconsider Shel Silverstein’s classic, published 50 years ago.

Look who I found! I would love to properly graffiti the stump, but it's on school property, so Picmonkey satisfied my urge. Unlike The Giving Tree, this stump gets plenty of attention from the nursery children every school day.

As some of you may know, I had somewhat of a “deprived” childhood. I’ve never seen Bambi, Winnie the Pooh, Sesame Street, or a whole assortment of commonplace children’s shows and movies. I’ve never been to any zoo. And I don’t remember ever eating a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich before the age of 15....

Alternate endings to beloved but problematic children's literature.

And she loved a little boy very, very much- even more than she loved herself. - Shel Silverstein, The Giving Tree

The Giving Tree Quote (with a little Photoshopping)

Shel Silverstein's "The Giving Tree" shows us that you don't need complex words to tell a complex story.

This slight, leaf-green volume has since become the perfect baby gift, a library mainstay, and a classroom cornerstone, because it teaches the lesson of generosity. But is there more to it than that? Scholars have long debated (sometimes quite heatedly) what The Giving Tree seeks to impart to its readers beyond unselfishness. Some say it’s actually the story of God and humankind, or Mother Nature and society, or the classic parent-child relationship, or unrequited romantic love. Some believe…