1. By Danny Grasing

2. Sheldon Silverstein was born September 25 th 1932. Shel Silverstein began writing when he was 12 years old. He wasn’t athletic so he wrote instead. He had no one to copy or be impressed by so he made his own style. He never wanted to be a children's author until one of his friends told him to try it. Shel Silverstein was a very successful songwriter, cartoonist, and author. He died in 1999.

3. The Giving Tree is a book that has warmed the hearts of people all across the globe. It starts out in a forest. With a loving tree and a little boy. The boy would swing on the branches, gather the leaves and play. They loved each other very much. Then time went by and the boy got older and the tree no longer was with the boy every day.

4. Then the boy kept aging and one day came to the tree and asked for money. The tree didn’t have any money, but it gave the boy apples to sell. Then the boy was gone for a very long time. This time he asked for a house. The tree gave him her branches and was happy. Then again the boy stayed away for a long time and asked for a boat. So the tree gave him her trunk. Then the tree was happy, but not really. Then finally the boy came back and the tree thought it had nothing to other, but it did have one thing: a quiet place to rest and the tree was happy.

5. This book teaches great values. They are told in a well written story which emphasizes them even more. This tree helps the boy through many situations and makes the boy happy. Even when the boy leaves and doesn’t come back for a long time. The tree still gives him everything she can give. When the tree gives it makes her happy. This is true in real life. Because when you give you will receive even when it may not feel like it.