Shel Silverstein Fan
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Shel Silverstein Fan
The Giving Tree
I purchased this book a while back and loved it. Since then have followed up on shels life a cartoonist, poet, children’s author, guitarists and songwriter, he began writing at age 12.
The Giving Tree
“Was first published in 1964, is a children's book written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein. This book has become one of Silverstein's best known titles and has been translated into more than 30 languages” .Wikipedia
Storyline
The Giving Tree story is a short tale about a relationship between a young boy and a tree in a forest. The tree always provides the boy with what he wants: branches on which to swing, shade in which to sit, apples to eat, branches with which to build a home. As the boy grows older he requires more and more of the tree. The tree loves the boy very much and gives him anything he asks for. In the ultimate act of self-sacrifice, the tree lets the boy cut her down so the boy can build a boat in which he can sail. The boy leaves the tree, now a stump. Many years later, the boy, now an old man, returns and the tree says, "I have nothing left to give you." The boy replies that all he needs is a quiet place to sit and rest. The tree happily obliges.
This book has been critiqued by so many:
“according to critics the tree and the boy in Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree can represent different things. Some critics believe they can represent a mother's love and a child. Others say they can represent a selfless female and a selfish male. While others believe they can represent God and a person”
WHY CAN’T A BOOK JUST BE A BOOK???? Said quietly as remembers critiquing books - child appropriate for teaching.
Fav Shel Web site: (Shels books) http://www.shelsilverstein.com/html/books.asp
Animated/ some poems etc recited by Shel, or accompanied by music.
Where the Sidewalk Ends the poems and drawings by Shel Silverstein
( I would someday like to own this book along with the cd.)
One of the poems from this book:
Listen to the MUSTN'TS
Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child,
Listen to the DON'TS
Listen to the SHOULDN'TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON'TS
Listen to the NEVER HAVES.
Then listen close to me -
Anything can happen, child,
ANYTHING can be.
By Shel Silverstein
WEE bit of history….
“Silverstein got his start when Hugh Hefner hired him in the 1950s to be the resident poet/cartoonist for Playboy magazine. While contributing poems, cartoons and travelogues to the magazine, Silverstein also wrote songs, among them the 1972 hit "The Cover of the Rolling Stone" by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show and "A Boy Named Sue" by Johnny Cash. He was also nominated in 1991 for an Oscar, for the song "I'm Checkin' Out," performed by Meryl Streep.” There are heaps more…….
He wrote the song ‘The Balled of Lucy Jordan’ sung by many, I like Marianne Faithfuls version.
And on and on I could go……..
He has a huge range of books - check out shels site, sit back and be entertained be a child again
LAFCADIO is on my list too
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