Family Dinner Book Club: The Giving Tree

Time for our Family Dinner Book Club preparations!  This month we are featuring the book, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.  We hope that you’ve been enjoying reading this classic book with your family.  If you haven’t started to read or are just learning about Family Dinner Book Club, you still have plenty of time to participate!

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Just to review a bit… Family Dinner Book Club is a monthly book club for your family.  On the first of each month, we share the title of the book that is being featured.  Then, on the 15th of each month we share all the details for your special club dinner.  This month,  Tracy from School 4 Boys shares art and craft ideas for decorating your dinner table.  Sarah from Daisy at Home shares a special menu to compliment the book.  And, I will share conversation starters for your special family dinner.  We invite you to share a picture from your dinner with us anytime during the month on our Family Dinner Book Club Facebook page. Now, on to preparing for book club this month!

Family Dinner Book Club: The Giving Tree

The Book

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Every day a boy comes to a tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk…and the tree was happy. But as the boy grew older he began to want more from the tree, and the tree gave and gave and gave.

Table Topics

I’m pleased to share six conversation starters to get your Pippi Longstocking book club rolling.  Just click on this link (The Giving Tree Conversation Starters) for a one page PDF file that you can print and then cut apart.  Use the cards on your chosen dinner night.  You, of course, don’t have to use all of them or you may even have some other discussion points that developed while you were reading.  These are just meant to be a guide.  Happy talking!

• Was the boy happy after getting the gifts?
• How did the tree feel after giving all the gifts?
• Why do we give?
• Have you ever done something just to make someone happy?
• What is love?
• Do trees give you anything?  What?  Do you give anything to trees?

Adapting for Different Ages

Though Family Dinner Book Club works very well for children ages 4-8, you can adapt the club for younger and older children.  Younger children may enjoy the book Thanks for Thanksgiving about giving thanks and being grateful.   Older children may prefer to read The Giving Tree on their own and then discuss it after they read.

Table Decorations

For lots of table decoration ideas, head over to School 4 Boys for The Giving Tree inspired table decorations.  Tracy shares ideas for table decorations for you special dinner.

Menu

For your yummy The Giving Tree Menu, head over to Daisy at Home.

And please snap a picture and share with us on our Family Dinner Book Club Facebook page.  We will also be talking about the book and how the club is going on the page too.  We’d love for you to join us!

Check back on September 1st to see which book we will be featuring for the new month! Is there a book you would like to see us feature this year?  Please share your ideas below in the comments on our Facebook page!