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The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
0.25
sad fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A children’s tale glorifying an abusive relationship with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer


Shel Silverstein’s “The Giving Tree” is often celebrated as a classic of children’s literature, yet, reading it now, I struggle to see the appeal. Where contemporaries in the genre – such as Maurice Sendak’s “Where the Wild Things Are” – bring subtext, wit, and magic, Silverstein’s approach here is relentlessly didactic. 

The narrative, centring on a boy’s lifelong (abusive) relationship with a perpetually self-sacrificing tree, bludgeons the reader with its message of unconditional giving to the point of tedium. “The Giving Tree” has all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. 

The story’s moral simplicity feels not only outdated but, frankly, rather joyless. One leaves the tale with a sense of manipulation, not enlightenment. This might suffice for those in search of finger-wagging parables, but for those yearning for depth or nuance, there are far better options in the children’s canon. 

One star out of five.