The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree has been parodied, debated and, best of all, read more than a few times. It is a treasure of a little book. And while it is a children's story, it likely speaks far more to adults than youngsters, many of whom fortunately haven't lived long enough to experience great loss.

I first read this short book, originally published in 1964, to my daughter when she was about 7 years old. I wept; she did not. The book has evoked some controversy, but in my view, it's G-rated unless you intend to get philosophical with your 6-year-old and live to regret it.

No, the story doesn't have a fairy-tale ending. Rather, it reflects the sadness that accompanies life. We love people; we lose them. We love pets; we lose them. We love our gardens, our trees. And sadly, we sometimes use all of these people and things before we lose them. Often, we do so unwittingly; sometimes, we know what we're doing, whether we are taking advantage of someone's kindness or wasting Earth's precious resources.

Yes, children can and should enjoy fairy tales. But they also can enjoy more realistic books like this one -- a story told with the simple, yet wonderfully creative language and pictures of Shel Silverstein.

This book is a keeper. Read it when you're a child; read it when you're 15. And read it again when you're 40, 50 or 60.