Judging others

Two of Silverstein's books revolve around simply drawn geometric shapes which critics feel sensitively represent human emotion. Widely accepted as parables of adaptation and growth, The Missing Piece and The Missing Piece Meets the Big O probe the quest for fulfillment in relationships. In the first book, a circle minus a pie-shaped wedge rolls along looking for its lost piece only to discover that it isn't needed, while in the sequel the pie-shaped wedge finds that it, too, can get along on its own. The Giving Tree, a fable in which a tree gives everything it has to a boy over the course of his lifetime, is perhaps Silverstein's most well-known work. Despite the public's initial lack of interest, the book eventually raised Silverstein's name to the best-seller list. It has recently fallen into some critical disfavor because of its theme of exploitation. Though popular, critics feel that these works present a negative attitude toward human relationships and may be too advanced for chil...