Once there as a tree ... and she loved a little boy.So begins a story of unforgettable perception,beautifully written and illustrated by the gifted and versatile Shel Silverstein .Since it was first published fifty years ago ,Shel Silverstein's moving parable for readers of all ages has offered an affecting interpretation of the gift of giving and a serene acceptance of another's capacity to love in return, so he made the story ''The Giving Tree''!K':]