3.5
The Selfish Giant
by Oscar Wilde
The children love to play in the Giant's garden, where the grass is soft and green and the peach trees flower in spring. But the Giant doesn't like it. "My own garden is my own garden, " he says, and builds a tall wall around it. Without the children, Spring doesn't come to the garden; the birds don't want to sing, and the trees forget to blossom. Snow and Frost, North Wind and Hail, come to stay and dance around the bare trees. But when the children find a hole in the wall and crawl into the garden, the Giant sees how selfish he has been . Helping a little boy climb a tree, he receives a kiss that brings Spring to the garden at last.
Now the children play in the garden every day, but the little boy who kissed the Giant doesn't return for many years. In the end, they are reunited in a beautiful ending of kindness rewarded that is rich in symbolism and metaphor.
Juvenile FictionClassicsFantasy & Magic
RELEASED1984
PUBLISHERPicture Book Studio USA
LENGTH24
LANGUAGEEN
An Irish writer, poet, and prominent aesthete. Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish playwright, poet, and author of numerous short stories, and one novel. Known for his biting wit, and a plentitude of aphorisms, he became one of the most successful playwrights of the late Victorian era in London, and one of the greatest celebrities of his day. Several of his plays continue to be widely performed, especially The Importance of Being Earnest. As the result of a widely covered series of trials, Wilde suffered a dramatic downfall and was imprisoned for two years hard labour after being convicted of "gross indecency" with other men. After Wilde was released from prison he set sail for Dieppe by the night ferry. He never returned to Ireland or Britain, and died in poverty.
3.5
The Selfish Giant
by Oscar Wilde
The children love to play in the Giant's garden, where the grass is soft and green and the peach trees flower in spring. But the Giant doesn't like it. "My own garden is my own garden, " he says, and builds a tall wall around it. Without the children, Spring doesn't come to the garden; the birds don't want to sing, and the trees forget to blossom. Snow and Frost, North Wind and Hail, come to stay and dance around the bare trees. But when the children find a hole in the wall and crawl into the garden, the Giant sees how selfish he has been . Helping a little boy climb a tree, he receives a kiss that brings Spring to the garden at last.
Now the children play in the garden every day, but the little boy who kissed the Giant doesn't return for many years. In the end, they are reunited in a beautiful ending of kindness rewarded that is rich in symbolism and metaphor.
Juvenile FictionClassicsFantasy & Magic
RELEASED1984
PUBLISHERPicture Book Studio USA
LENGTH24
LANGUAGEEN
An Irish writer, poet, and prominent aesthete. Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish playwright, poet, and author of numerous short stories, and one novel. Known for his biting wit, and a plentitude of aphorisms, he became one of the most successful playwrights of the late Victorian era in London, and one of the greatest celebrities of his day. Several of his plays continue to be widely performed, especially The Importance of Being Earnest. As the result of a widely covered series of trials, Wilde suffered a dramatic downfall and was imprisoned for two years hard labour after being convicted of "gross indecency" with other men. After Wilde was released from prison he set sail for Dieppe by the night ferry. He never returned to Ireland or Britain, and died in poverty.
