THE GIVING TREE Celebrates 50th Anniversary with Digital Version
By: Christina Mancuso Feb. 18, 2014
HarperCollins Children's Books celebrates an incredible landmark-the 50th anniversary of the cherished Shel Silverstein classic, THE GIVING TREE, first published in 1964. With this special anniversary comes a rare publishing event-the first ever digital version of this beloved title will be made available on e-book readers and tablets on February 18, 2014.
THE GIVING TREE e-book is timed to kick off a multitude of noteworthy anniversaries this coming year. 2013 marked the 50th anniversary of LAFCADIO, THE LION WHO SHOT BACK. The anniversary edition, published in September 2013, features full color vintage jacket art. 2014 celebrates Shel Silverstein's most prolific year, 1964, when he wrote and illustrated THE GIVING TREE, DON'T BUMP THE BLUMP!, A GIRAFFE AND A HALF, and WHO WANTS A CHEAP RHINOCEROS? WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS. These books will also be celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2014. Commemorative editions for these five titles will publish on February 18, 2014.
HarperCollins Children's Books has a major year-long marketing campaign planned to honor these momentous occasions, culminating on October 7th, 2014, the 50th anniversary of THE GIVING TREE's first publication. After 50 years and 10 million copies sold, the digital edition of THE GIVING TREE will allow young readers and lifelong fans to continue the legacy and love of a household classic that will now reach an even wider audience. Never before have Silverstein's children's books appeared in a format other than hardcover.
"After 50 years as one of the most widely read books HarperCollins has ever published, we are delighted and honored to be able to present THE GIVING TREE in e-book format," said Susan Katz, president and publisher of HarperCollins Children's Books. "It is a milestone anniversary for a book that has become a truly timeless classic, and one that has gone beyond any age boundaries."
Peg Myers, sister of Shel Silverstein added, "Our family is so pleased, that, after 50 years, Shel's legacy lives on with the e-book edition of THE GIVING TREE, his wise and tender tale of a boy and a tree. This simple story continues to touch the hearts and minds of both young readers and those of us who grew up remembering the magic of Shel's GIVING TREE."
Generations have grown up with the works of Shel Silverstein, known not only as a poet and illustrator, but also for his work as a cartoonist, playwright, performer, recording artist, and Grammy Award-winning songwriter. He has encouraged children to dream and dare to imagine the impossible with his extraordinary poetry and unforgettable characters. Now fans will have a new way to experience and discover the timeless magic of Shel's work.
Silverstein's children's books have sold more than 35 million hardcover copies in the U.S. alone and have been translated into 41 foreign languages. This momentous e-publishing event marks a new era of children's books in the digital age.
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ABOUT SHEL SILVERSTEIN
Shel Silverstein is the author of LAFCADIO, THE LION WHO SHOT BACK; A GIRAFFE AND A HALF; THE GIVING TREE; WHO WANTS A CHEAP RHINOCEROS?; DON'T BUMP THE BLUMP!; WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS; THE MISSING PIECE; A LIGHT IN THE ATTIC;THE MISSING PIECE MEETS THE BIG O; FALLING UP; RUNNY BABBIT; and EVERYTHING ON IT. He was a cartoonist, playwright, poet, performer, recording artist, and a Grammy-winning/Oscar-nominated songwriter. Shel Silverstein's children's books have sold more than 35 million hardcover copies in the U.S. alone and have been translated into 41 foreign languages. You can learn more about Shel and his books by visiting http://www.shelsilverstein.com.
ABOUT HARPERCOLLINS CHILDREN'S BOOKS
HarperCollins Children's Books is one of the leading publishers of children's books. Respected worldwide for its tradition of publishing quality, award-winning books for young readers, HarperCollins is home to many timeless treasures-Charlotte's Web, The Chronicles of Narnia, Goodnight Moon, Where the Sidewalk Ends, the Ramona series, Where the Wild Things Are; and popular new classics-The Graveyard Book, A Series of Unfortunate Events, and the Warriors and Fancy Nancy books. Consistently at the forefront of digital innovation, HarperCollins Children's Books delights young readers through engaging storytelling in all formats, including ebooks and apps. HarperCollins Children's Books is a division of HarperCollins Publishers, one of the largest English-language publishers in the world, and a subsidiary of News Corp (NWS, NWSA; ASX: NNC, NNCLV). Headquartered in New York, HarperCollins has publishing groups around the world in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and India. You can visit HarperCollins Children's Books at http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com and HarperCollins Publishers at http://www.harpercollins.com.
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