Books like The Giving Tree
12 books with a reading profile close to The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. Inward-looking, contemplative and thought-provoking; an easy read.
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1
The Sun and Her Flowers
by Rupi Kaur
Also inward-looking · inspirational, accessible
Rupi Kaur organizes this collection into five distinct chapters—wilting, falling, rooting, rising, and blooming—to trace a cycle of emotional and physical evolution.
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2
Milk and honey
by Rupi Kaur
Also inward-looking and contemplative · inspirational, accessible
Rupi Kaur’s debut collection uses minimalist verse and line drawings to document a progression from deep trauma toward recovery.
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3
The Stranger in the Lifeboat
by Mitch Albom
Also inward-looking and contemplative · inspirational, accessible
After a luxury yacht explodes in the Atlantic Ocean, ten survivors crowd into a small life raft, battling thirst, hunger, and hopelessness.
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4
THEO OF GOLDEN
by Allen Levi
Also inward-looking and contemplative · inspirational, accessible
Theo enters the quiet town of Golden with a specific, unusual mission.
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5
The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country
inspirational, accessible
Amanda Gorman’s poem, delivered during the 2021 Presidential Inauguration, addresses the historical tensions and social fractures within the United States.
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6
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry
Also inward-looking and contemplative · inspirational, accessible
Seven-year-old Elsa is an outcast who finds sanctuary in the elaborate fairy tales told by her eccentric, rule-breaking grandmother.
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7
Upstream: Selected Essays
by Mary Oliver
Also inward-looking and contemplative · inspirational, literary
In this collection, Mary Oliver documents her observations of the natural world, specifically focusing on the flora and fauna of Provincetown and the Massachusetts coast.
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8
This Is Water: Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion, about Living a Compassionate Life
Also inward-looking and contemplative · inspirational, accessible
Originally delivered as a 2005 graduation speech, this essay focuses on the mental discipline required to overcome the "default setting" of self-centeredness.
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9
Notes on Grief
by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Scheherezade Surià
Also inward-looking and contemplative · inspirational, accessible
In this expanded essay, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie documents the immediate aftermath of her father’s sudden death in Nigeria during the summer of 2020.
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10
Call Us What We Carry
Also inward-looking · inspirational, literary
In this collection, Amanda Gorman documents the intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic and American history.
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11
Laskar Pelangi
Also contemplative · inspirational, accessible
The novel is narrated by Ikal, who recalls his childhood in the 1970s on the island of Belitung, Indonesia, where he attended a poor Muslim primary school, Muhammadiyah.
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12
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
Also inward-looking and contemplative · inspirational, accessible
The narrative follows four distinct companions as they traverse a winter landscape.
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