The Giving Trees

By ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM

 

One of the late Shel Silverstein's most endearing works is The Giving Tree. Even the most cold-hearted readers—the kind who find "The Sopranos" a bit tame—will be moved by this tender story of a tree and the boy it loves. If you haven't seen it, or even if you already have, it's excellent reading for our Jewish holiday of the trees, Tu B'Shevat. This time is perfect for reading—books are, after all, made of trees—about one of nature's great gifts, which more often than not we pass by without thinking. In addition to The Giving Tree, here are other books you may want to check out for the holiday.

 

SAMMY SPIDER'S FIRST TU B'SHEVAT
By Sylvia Rouss.
Illustrated by Katherine Janus.
32 pages. Kar-Ben. $6.95.
Ages 4-8.

Who could have imagined that a spider could be so endearing? Sammy has appeared in several previous books about the Jewish holidays. This one, though, is the best. Children will recognize the familiar Sammy-Mom Spider chat ("Silly little Sammy…Spiders don't plant trees"), as well as the friendly Shapiro family. Sammy watches as the seasons change: blossoms grow and fall, eggs pop open to reveal tiny birds, the squirrel lies snugly in his home for the winter. Then Josh Shapiro plants a sapling, in honor of Tu B'Shevat, and Sammy longs to celebrate, too. Finally, he weaves a web, "a birthday blanket to keep my friend [the tree] warm." Children will love this story, thanks to vibrant illustrations (reminiscent of Eric Carle), and will want to read it again and again—so be prepared.

 

THE NEVER-ENDING GREENNESS
We Made Israel Bloom
By Neil Waldman.
30 pages. Boyds Mills. $16.95.  
Ages 6-10.

As the story begins, the protagonist remembers Vilna, the town of his birth—the synagogues, the bakery, the library. "But mostly I remember the trees." Then came the war, and even in the midst of this bleakness the boy calls to the trees, "protect us." At last the family leaves for Israel where the boy finds a new tree growing; he digs it up and plants it outside his window. He cares for his tree, and it begins to grow tall. He dreams of trees, of an earth "covered with a thick forest carpet" and a song "like a thousand gentle flutes"—a choir of singing birds, clouds, and the wind. The boy stands with his father, and they look out to the desert. The father tells his son of the destruction, of the "many conquerors [who] have stolen from the land." His son sees the future, and soon enough the Land of Israel will indeed be filled with forests; "like a miracle from the Torah, a generation of newborn trees is springing up from the fallen seeds of those we planted years ago." Beautifully illustrated and written, this gem of a book is perfect for Tu B'Shevat.

 

A TREE IS NICE
By Janice Udry.
Illustrated by Marc Simont.
32 pages. HarperTrophy. $6.95.
Ages 3-7.

This classic tale, a Caldecott Medal winner, is about appreciating what seems to be so ordinary: a tree. "A tree is nice because it has leaves," the author writes. "The leaves whisper in the breeze all summer long. You can climb trees, pick apples from trees, swing from them and rest under them." At the end, children are encouraged to plant their own tree: "You dig the biggest hole you can and put the little tree in. Then you pour in lots of water and then the dirt. You hang the shovel back in the garage. Every day for years and YEARS you watch the little tree grow. You say to people, 'I planted that tree.' They wish they had one so they go home and plant a tree too."

 

DICTIONARY OF NATURE
By David Burnie.
192 pages. DIANE Publishing. $10.
Ages 9-12.

Breathtaking photos and easy-to-read definitions draw in even the most disinterested reader. The first chapters introduce children to all aspects of our world (microorganisims, plants, fungi, plant biology, animals and animal biology), while another section focuses on the ecology and conservation. Also see: Eyewitness Ecology by Steve Pollock. Dorling Kindersley. This excellent book explains how every living aspect of the world depends on each other, how these work together, and the terrible consequences of what can happen when they do not.

 

MY FIRST GREEN BOOK
A Life-Size Guide to Caring For Our Environment
By Angelia Wilkes.
48 pages. Knopf.

This big book has projects for younger children that will help them study their own environment and give them ideas for helping the ecology of the world. Most of these are fun, easy, and inexpensive. For example, children can gauge pollution levels by covering a white sheet of paper with jar lids, then observing the dirt that collects on the uncovered areas.

 

A KIDS' GUIDE TO HOW TO SAVE THE PLANET
By Billy Goodman.
Illustrated by Paul Meisel.
112 pages. Camelot.
Ages 10 and up.

This fun little book, filled with photos and great illustrations, talks about why ecology is important and what kids can do to help the earth. Though highly educational, it doesn't read like a classic textbook, but instead provides brief but powerful ideas about our delicate ecosystem. One of the questions posed in the text asks: So what if there are fewer frogs? Well, frogs eat insects; fewer frogs means more insects, which means fewer crops and more pesticides.

 

RAIN FOREST
By Fiona MacDonald.
Illustrated by Carolyn Scrace.
$15.25. Ages 9-12.

Everyone knows, of course, that the rain forests are in trouble—but does anyone know what a rain forest is? With brief text and bright illustrations, this book is a guide to everything you have always wanted to know about the rain forest, layer by layer, with information about all the magnificent (and often still-undiscovered) life there.

 

ECOLOGY PROJECTS FOR YOUNG SCIENTISTS
By Martin J. Gutnik.
Franklin Watts. Ages 10 and up.

Instead of simply telling older children why ecology is important, allow them to discover it for themselves. Written as a how-to for science-fair projects, Ecology Projects will nonetheless entice many to try these ideas on their own (such as learning the effects of volcanic pollution). Be advised that this is for children 12 and older, that a number of supplies will be required, and that adult supervision is necessary.

 

MOTHER EARTH
By Nancy Luenn
Illustrated by Neil Waldman.
32 pages. Aladdin. $5.99.
Ages 4-8.

This short book is a gently told and lovingly illustrated testament to our relationship with "mother earth." The earth is like a person, with birds for her songs, "listening stones" for ears, and the "air her breath." Above a drawing of factories puffing heavy clouds of smoke, Luenn writes, "She gives all she is / We take what we can." She then asks children to plant trees, keep the earth clean and "use her gifts well."