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4.29 AVERAGE
4.29 AVERAGE
I found this book is a sad book. I hate how selfish the boy is. I can't understand what kind of love the tree has for the boy. How can love lead to such sacrifice when the person that you love gives you nothing in return? Is that really love?
250125BDG
250125BDG
Quite possibly my least favorite picture book of all time. You either love it or hate it. I am solidly in the hate-it camp.
this story has always had some sort of visceral hold on me, even before i could understand the message
Even as a kid, this book was never a favorite of mine. As an adult, it became even less so. To some it may be a charming story of two friends as they age and reach the inevitable conclusion to their lives. To me, it always seemed to be the representation of a very screwed up relationship between two individuals. The tree is a Giving Tree. And the kid is a Taking Kid. The tree just gives, and the kid just takes and there doesn't seem to ever be a concern that very little is given back to the tree. I found it very hard to like the kid in these circumstances.
Reading the reviews here I find it fascinating how many ways it is interpreted and how many reviewers take as granted that their idea is right. Those with children think it self-evident that the story is about a parent and child. Environmentalists think it just as obvious that the story is about humans' despoiling of Mother Earth. Some see an abusive romantic relationship, some see generalized destructive selfishness, and some still see a parable of selfless, even Christlike love.
I think it's a powerful book but I have always found it vaguely creepy. The boy devours the tree piece by piece without ever asking why she gives him anything or thanking her, and she accepts it all.
I think it's a powerful book but I have always found it vaguely creepy. The boy devours the tree piece by piece without ever asking why she gives him anything or thanking her, and she accepts it all.
Ugh, this book. A female tree forms a friendship with a little boy who demands more and more of her and gives less and less of himself as he grows. The tree has no boundaries and lets the boy go so far as to cut her down for his selfish whims. It's a deeply misogynistic story couched as a story about sharing. This is a book thst needs to stop being venerated
I love children's books. They tend to get the point across better than many 600-page novels. This proved true for this book as well. I love how controversial this book is. Some people see this book as a tale of unconditional love. After all, the tree only cared about the boy's happiness and did not care at all about herself. Others see it as a sad tale of self destruction caused by unrequited love. Me? I see it both ways. It's a tale of unconditional love that results in self destruction and that's the beauty of it.
Some people like to believe that unconditional love is the most "pure" thing out there, but this book sheds light on its dark side. This book outlines just how damaging "unconditional" love can be. There's no reason behind this book but to shed light on both the utter horror and joy of real, unconditional love. And that, my friend, is why this writer is a genius.
Some people like to believe that unconditional love is the most "pure" thing out there, but this book sheds light on its dark side. This book outlines just how damaging "unconditional" love can be. There's no reason behind this book but to shed light on both the utter horror and joy of real, unconditional love. And that, my friend, is why this writer is a genius.
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Perfect book to read to your child. Will always remember my mom reading this to my brother and I.
A sweet simple story about a boy, a tree, and how life changes us all.
It's just as lovely as when I read it as a kid.
It's just as lovely as when I read it as a kid.