Lisa and Kate Reynolds, a librarian from Canada, discuss The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. They discuss the meaning of the book, which most say portrays a parent and child relationship. But many believe it portrays a dysfunctional relationship.
Kate is known as the Lavender Librarian and is an openly autistic and queer librarian from Canada. In 2021, she founded Storytime Solidarity to create inclusive StoryTimes that welcome everyone. You can find her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Links discussed in the show:
This article delves into unusual facts about The Giving Tree including the fact that it was initially turned down by a publisher and Silverstein dedicated the book to an ex-girlfriend.
Many pieces have been written about the picture of himself that Silverstein chose because children have been scared of the picture. There are Reddit threads dedicated to this very subject, and it was discussed in The Diary of a Wimpy Kid fandom.
Books Discussed:
· Thank you, Omu! by Oge Mora
· The Homework Machine by Dan Gutman
· The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld
· Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
· A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
· Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
For more information, find Lisa on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and her website.
*The book titles mentioned include affiliate links. You can support the podcast by purchasing a book with the links because the podcast receives a small commission.