Some readers rememberThe Giving Treeas a sweet picture ledger about the strength of unconditional love . To others , it was aheartbreaking talethat mess them up during write up clip . No matter your interpretation of the story , The Giving Treeis a youngster ’s classic that aid makeShel Silversteina menage name — even if it take him a while to get there .
1. Multiple publishers rejectedThe Giving Tree.
Shel Silverstein had only sell one kid ’s book — Lafcadio : The Lion Who Shot Back — when he went about find out a publisher forThe Giving Tree . The book ’s sombre themes made it a knockout sell . One editor atSimon & Schusterdescribed it as “ too sad ” for kids and “ too simple ” for adults , while another editor call the titular tree diagram “ sick ” and “ neurotic . ” Other publisher were travel by the write up , which follows the relationship between a son and a tree over the trend of his lifetime , but ultimately felt it was too speculative for the genre . Afterfour yearsof searching for a publisher , Silverstein finally found a home for the Holy Writ at Harper Children ’s , when editor Ursula Nordstrom recognized its potential .
2.The Giving Treewas a surprise success.
The Giving Treereceived a humble release in 1964 with just5000 to 7500copies print for the first edition . Though its publisher clearly underestimated its potential popularity , it did n’t take long for the book to blow up into a modern classic . It promptly became one of themost successfulchildren ’s books of the epoch and made Silverstein an crucial figure in the industry . Today , nearly 55 days after it was first published , The Giving Treehas sold more than10 million copiesworldwide .
3. There are various interpretations of the relationship at the center of the story—not all of them positive.
The Giving Treecenters on the relationship between a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and a son throughout the stages of his life — from his childhood to his senior years . In each stage , the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree provides the boy with whatever he needs , in the end pay him a dais to sit on when the tree has nothing else to give . confirming interpretation of this story paint it as a parable of categorical honey : When it first gain shelves , The Giving Treewas a smasher with Protestant ministers , who appliedChristian themesto the book . But according to some critics , the book depicts anabusive relationship , with the tree literally allow herself to be destroyed to keep the incessantly dissatisfied male child happy while receive nothing in return . Other interpretations compare the relationship between the tree and the boy to those between amother and tyke , two agingfriends , andMother Nature and humanity .
4. The author’s photo is infamous.
The generator ’s exposure on the back ofThe Giving Tree — show a whiskered , bald-headed - headed Silverstein glaring at the camera — has reach a report of its own . AChicago Tribunewriter call it “ demonic ” while a writer forNJ.compointed out his “ jagged baleful tooth . ” In the children ’s bookDiary of a Wimpy child : The Last Straw , there ’s anentire passagewhere the main lineament ’s dad expend Silverstein ’s photo to terrorize his Logos into stay in bed .
5.The Giving Treeisn’t Shel Silverstein’s favorite work.
The Giving Treemay be among Silverstein ’s most successful and placeable works , but when ask what his best-loved composition of his writing were in a 1975Publisher ’s Weeklyinterview , he left it off the list . “ I likeUncle Shelby ’s ABZ , A Giraffe and a Half , andLafcadio , The Lion Who Shot Back — I think I like that one the most , " the author said . But that does n’t mean he is n’t proud of the book that helped plunge his vocation . On the al-Qur’an ’s popularity , he said " What I do is good … I would n’t let it out if I did n’t think it was . "
6. Silverstein dedicatedThe Giving Treeto an ex-girlfriend.
The Giving Tree’sshort loyalty , “ For Nicky , ” is meant for anold girlfriendof the children ’s Scripture author .
7. Silverstein hated happy endings.
In caseThe Giving Treedoesn’t make it exonerated enough , Silverstein stated in an1978 interviewthat he detests happy finish . He toldThe New York Times Book Reviewthat he believe cheery decision “ make an disaffection ” in young reader . He explained his stance further , saying " The child asks why I do n’t have this happiness thing you ’re severalize me about , and comes to recollect when his joy stops that he has run out , that it wo n’t come back . “The Giving Treefeatures what is perhaps Silverstein ’s well - know lamentable termination , if not one of the most ill-famed ending in children ’s lit .
