Author: Shel Silverstein
Year: 1964, renewed in 1992
ISBN: 0-06-025665-6
Grades: K-6 (depending on application)
Summary: This is a story that focuses on the relationship between the Boy and the tree as the child goes through life. As the Boy ages the story discusses how much more he asked from the tree and how willingly the tree accommodated the Boy.
Reaction to the story:
This story was one that I remember from my own childhood, but as I’ve grown the context of the story has become more clouded. Depending on the age of students, the story can be used to discuss the use of symbolism and metaphor within a classroom, or to talk about the abusive relationship that takes place between the tree and the Boy. There are a lot of things that a teacher or parent could use to discuss a variety of topics with students; some can be taken at face value while others are part of a deeper meaning. While I was discussing this book with members of my class, we moved onto the topic of abuse in relationships for older students which could be used up into a high school class as well.
Critical Questions:
-Was the relationship between the Boy and the Tree a healthy one? Why?
-Is it fair of the Boy to take so much from the Tree? What does this mean in the bigger picture?
-What is a metaphor? What is symbolism?
Curricular Connections:
These are based upon (generally) the Ontario Education Curriculum.
-This story could easily be connected to a health unit on healthy relationships, bullying, or the environment.
-Students could use the story to create their own art based on the style of Sliverstein’s book.
Other books by Shel Silverstein:
Take Ten 1955
Grab Your Socks! 1956
Now Here’s My Plan 1960
Uncle Shelby’s ABZ Book 1960
Playboy’s Teevee Jeebies 1963
Uncle Shelby’s Story of Lafcadio: The Lion Who Shot Back 1963
A Giraffe and a Half 1964
Who Wants a Cheap Rhinoceros? 1964
Uncle Shelby’s Zoo: Don’t Bump the Glump! and Other Fantasies 1964
More Playboy’s Teevee Jeebies 1965
Where the Sidewalk Ends 1974
The Missing Piece 1976
The Devil and Billy Markham 1979
Different Dances 1979
A Light in the Attic 1981
The Missing Piece Meets the Big O 1981
Falling Up 1996
Draw a Skinny Elephant 1998
Runny Babbit 2005 (Posthumously)
Don’t Bump the Glump! and Other Fantasies 2008 (reissue)
Every Thing On It 2011 (Posthumously)
**This list was taken from Wikipedia.
I would not recommend doing an author study with the entire book list as some of the books are written for a more adult audience. If a teacher would like to do an author study, I would suggest creating a smaller list for students to look at.
