This story of a boy who grows to manhood, and of a tree that gives him her bounty through the years, is a moving parable about the gift of giving and the capacity to love.

This story by the famous children's poet Shel Silverstein has many layers to it, so it has a message for readers of all ages. The pictures are simple, black-and-white drawings, but subtle details and the lyrical words make it easy to add color and animation to the pictures in your mind. Plus, the pictures are not necessarily as simple as they seem. Does your little one notice that the tree's leaves are reaching out to the little boy as he runs up to say 'hi'? Do they notice how the words weave back and forth like leaves falling when they read "...and he would gather the leaves"? Although the book could be interpreted in many different ways, I saw it as a story of a tree who loves a boy so much that she gives everything she has to him, just so he can be happy; her fruit, her branches, and even her trunk. The love is pure - like the love of a mother and father has for their children.

You could take some time during or after the story to explain to your little one that, like the tree, we all have something to give to someone else. It may not be money and fancy things, but if it's given with love, it is a treasure. Also, as your little one may notice, the boy does not show the appreciation that he could for the tree who gave everything for him. You could brainstorm with your child different ways to show appreciation for those who do nice things for them; you could say 'thank you', hug them if you know them well, or perhaps offer to share a toy. The story is also about an imaginative young boy who finds many ways to play with a tree; he made a crown from the tree's leaves, climbed the trunk, swung from the branches, ate the fruit, and more. What other things can you and your child think to do with a tree?

I believe this book is my three year-old friend Sam's favorite. He regularly picks it out from the bookshelf and brings it over to me with large, begging eyes. I read slowly to give him time to take in each picture and perhaps lose himself a bit in his imagination. Often, as soon as we're done, he flips it back to the beginning and says, "More, please."

--Audra

Shel Silverstein is the author-artist of many beloved books of prose and poetry. He was a cartoonist, playwright, poet, performer, recording artist, and Grammy-winning, Oscar-nominated songwriter.