The Giving Tree Hardcover, teaches generosity or unselfishness 愛心樹-硬皮書, 經典兒童圖書, 犧牲奉獻, 友誼, 真愛

The Giving Tree, a story of unforgettable perception, beautifully written and illustrated by the gifted and versatile Shel Silverstein, has been a classic favorite for generations.

Since it was first published fifty years ago, Shel Silverstein's poignant picture book for readers of all ages has offered a touching interpretation of the gift of giving and a serene acceptance of another's capacity to love in return.

To say that this particular apple tree is a "giving tree" is an understatement. In Shel Silverstein's popular tale of few words and simple line drawings, a tree starts out as a leafy playground, shade provider, and apple bearer for a rambunctious little boy. Making the boy happy makes the tree happy, but with time it becomes more challenging for the generous tree to meet his needs. When he asks for money, she suggests that he sell her apples. When he asks for a house, she offers her branches for lumber. When the boy is old, too old and sad to play in the tree, he asks the tree for a boat. She suggests that he cut her down to a stump so he can craft a boat out of her trunk. He unthinkingly does it. At this point in the story, the double-page spread shows a pathetic solitary stump, poignantly cut down to the heart the boy once carved into the tree as a child that said "M.E. + T." "And then the tree was happy... but not really." When there's nothing left of her, the boy returns again as an old man, needing a quiet place to sit and rest. The stump offers up her services, and he sits on it. "And the tree was happy." While the message of this book is unclear (Take and take and take? Give and give and give? Complete self-sacrifice is good? Complete self-sacrifice is infinitely sad?), Silverstein has perhaps deliberately left the book open to interpretation. (All ages) --Karin Snelson 

• For ages 6-8
• Format Hardback | 64 pages
• Dimensions 196 x 263 x 13mm | 454g

思考部份：
讀罷，您認為自已是男孩或是樹呢? 您又想成為那一位呢? 又或者，您認為那位更快樂？ 為甚麼？

• 適合6-8歲
• 精裝硬皮面| 64頁
• 尺寸: 196 x 263 x 13mm | 454克

 
書中一瞥：

 『我很抱歉，』樹跟男孩說，『但我沒有錢。我只有葉子和蘋果。但，男孩，請拿走我的蘋果吧……』

愛心樹述說的是一棵蘋果樹和一個男孩的故事，當男孩還小的時候，樹是小男孩最好的玩伴。

當小男孩漸漸長大了，他忙於自己的生活，遺忘了那棵曾經陪伴他的樹。

當小男孩身無分文的來到這棵蘋果樹的面前述說自己的窘境時，樹沒有錢給他，卻說拿走我的蘋果去賣吧！

當男孩跑來乞求樹給他一間房子的時候，樹讓男孩砍斷自己的樹枝，去蓋間溫暖的窩吧！

當男孩說自己已經老得沒辦法爬到樹上玩的時候，樹就請他鋸掉樹幹，造艘船出遊吧！

當男孩已經老得走不動時，渴求一個能讓他的休息的安靜地方，樹供給他僅剩的殘幹，讓他得以坐下來歇腳。

愛心樹的英文 "The Giving Tree"，顧名思義便是犧牲奉獻的意思，但它亦是一本述說友誼的書。樹並未因為男孩的予取予求感到難過，即使後來只剩下殘幹的他，是那麼淒涼孤寂，但當男孩回到他身邊只求一個安靜的歇腳處時，樹竟是滿欣喜樂將自己奉獻給他，這樣的喜悅比起男孩小時在樹上刻的 "M.E. + T."那些甜蜜文字，更令他感到真切窩心。


關於作者 :

於一九九九年去世的美國知名繪本作家謝爾．希爾弗斯坦（Shel Silverstein），以簡單俐落的線條和充滿詩意又帶有嘲諷幽默的文字，寫就了《愛心樹》、《閣樓上的光》、《人行道的盡頭》、《一隻向後開槍的獅子─卡拉夫迪歐》、《失落的一角》和《失落的一角會見大圓滿》等書，每本書都帶給讀者無比的閱讀樂趣，與無限的想像空間。

謝爾的作品，原本設定的讀者群是四歲到八歲的小孩，卻成了所有年齡層的最愛，只因謝爾的書，讓人看了會笑、會感動、會永難忘懷。看謝爾的書，讓我有股想大聲念出來的衝動，因為他的文字如同會舞動的詩句，字字句句，打入人心。