Here's a sneak peek into next week's book:
Publisher's synopsis:
'Once there was a tree...and she loved a little boy.'
So begins a story of unforgettable perception, beautifully written and illustrated by the gifted and versatile Shel Silverstein.
Every day the boy would come to the tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk...and the tree was happy. But as the boy grew older he began to want more from the tree, and the tree gave and gave and gave.
This is a tender story, touched with sadness, aglow with consolation. Shel Silverstein has created a moving parable for readers of all ages that offers an affecting interpretation of the gift of giving and a serene acceptance of another's capacity to love in return.
Based on what I've heard from some of you already about this book choice, next week could get pretty interesting!
I've always loved Shel, especially his books of poetry (and the fact that he wrote "A Boy Named Sue" for Johnny Cash. This is a beautiful book. I loved it for years, and recently got in to a heated conversation with another dad who insisted that the tree represents Christ -- I countered by pointing out that Silverstein was likely Jewish (though not confirmed; he made passing reference to being non-practicing). I think it's a great book that should simply be savored for its own sake, free of any religious weight.
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