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annasaintj 's review for:
The Giving Tree
by Shel Silverstein
Rereading this book as an adult has made me rethink it entirely. It is a profoundly sad book, in which a deeply selfish boy grows up to be an even more selfish man who only knows how to take without giving back. I recently came across a writer who “fixed” the ending of The Giving Tree by writing this alternative: The Tree Who Set Healthy Boundaries by Topher Grace. In this version, the tree teaches the boy to stop taking so she can keep giving without losing herself entirely. The original Shel Silverstein version always made me feel a bit uneasy, and now I understand why. It isn’t healthy or good to give without being nourished in return, and the selfish little boy is a completely unsympathetic character who learns and contributes nothing. I like this updated version immensely better than the original. Any child (or adult, for that matter) who is exposed to the original should read T.G.‘s version as a companion. Interesting conversations about healthy boundaries are sure to ensue.