This book is beautiful. I had to read it in middle school, and then read it again multiple times when I was in high school and college. I suggest it to anyone. It really makes you think and it is so easy to relate to the main character. The world portrayed by this author is so vivid! Read and enjoy!

I got through this book in one sitting. It was quite captivating. If you are a fan of "The Outer Limits" or "The Twighlight Zone" you might really like this book since it was like reading an episode of a story from one of those shows. The only reason I give it only four stars is that it felt as if the author could have done more with it in the end. It was like he got bored writing the story and punctuated with an ending.

I read this in 7th grade and loved the book. I recently ran out of books and I read it over again (I'm a college freshman) and loved it even more. The plot is amazing, the characters make it even better. This is truly a piece of art, and the meaning behind the book is astounding. I would definitely suggest this book for a good page-turner to all ages.

Honestly, I did not expect this book to be this good. Its target audience is young adults, but it certainly is a great read for adults also. I finished the book in one day. The author created a main character you care so much about you just want to read it all the way to the end to find out what happened to him. The idea is creative and the pace is fast and engaging. I highly recommend it.

It was awful! I DO NOT recommend anyone read it. Maybe some people would like it, but not me. I kept reading it, hoping it would get good, but it just got worse. And the worst part about it was that at the end, I seriously felt like the book had somehow taken something from me. And I don't mean just my time. Now I'm just trying to get it out of my head. It had the potential to be really interesting, but I just don't think it quite got there. Someone said it was rushed at the end. I agree. It felt like the author just kind of gave up. I was hoping that the novel would redeem itself somehow, but no such luck. I would be horrified if my child were required to read this in school. I don't believe in censorship, but it shouldn't be required reading. The reading level may be for younger readers, but certainly not the topics discussed in the book. What were the Newbery people thinking?!

This book was great for a few reasons...

Theme - a utopian society will always be relevant and always be thought provoking. Especially when its well written like The Giver is. I find the theme to be incredibly interesting, especially since I have only ever read one other similar novel which was 1984.

Size and syle - It was short, very easy to read and follow. The thing I liked about it is that even though its technically a young adult novel, it can be read by all ages.

The characters were interesting. The plot was fast paced and engaging.

Overall, its a must read for all ages.

Lois Lowry's The Giver has just made my top-ten list of favorite books. Although I am a senior in college, this is the first time I have ever delved into the intriguing world of The Giver, and I found it fascinating.
The story revolves around a young boy named Jonas. Jonas has grown up in a supposedly perfect society where no one experiences pain or suffering and no one has to make their own choices. Everything about their lives is carefully controlled, from how they wear their hair, to their jobs within the community and their assigned spouses. At the beginning of the book, Jonas is about to become a twelve and receive his assignment within the community. Jonas learns that he has been selected to be the new receiver of memories. The giver is the man who currently holds those memories, and he begins to give some of those memories to Jonas. As Jonas receives these memories, he learns of a long forgotten world, a world full of pain, full of sorrow, full of color, full of joy and full of love. It is as he begins to learn about things such as sunshine, war, holidays, and family that he begins to realize what is missing from the society he lives in--depth of feeling and the ability to make choices for oneself. Jonas struggles as he tries to adjust his new knowledge in to the perfectly ordered society that he lives in. And the more he thinks about how things were, and how they could be, the more he begins to wonder if things can change.
I gave this book five stars for two reasons. Number one, as a life-long lover of books, I particularly enjoy reading a story that is very unique, even for its genre. Although one could argue that The Giver is similar to other dystopian novels such as 1984 or Anthem, I thought that Lowry's approach was quite original. The second reason that I loved this book is because it was thought provoking. It truly made me ponder the importance of choice, the necessity of experiencing pain and sorrow to understand true joy, and the significance of feeling and being loved. Unlike other dystopian novels, this book didn't seem to be a political statement or a warning of what society could become, but rather just a story that raises questions about what is most important, and what a perfect society truly is.

I found the book intriquing, perhaps a little rushed towards the end, but intriquing and thoughtful.

Lois Lowry has created a world to think about. What if we could all live together happily, politely? Lots of people think we can, but as we are all different could we. Would we have to take those basic of human emotions and suppress them beneath drugs and courtesy. Would we stop hunger by the simple expedient of choosing how many could procreate and who would live once they're done. Would we stop seeing the differences between ourselves by denying them? And is this society unrealistic? I think with the right circumstances, we could be there and that's what makes it frightening.

An excellent book by an excellent author.

In a self-contained community lives eleven-year-old Jonas. This community differs from real life settings. Citizens receive primary duties and adhere to community's regulations. Transgressors are chastised regardless of their age. There is uniformity in everything, from appearance to experience. Freedom does not exist because no one is aware of it. Religion is also nonexistent yet everyone lives in harmony because there is only one group called "the elders" who decide what is right and wrong; what is good and evil. Every child who turns twelve acquires a vocation suitable to his or her capacity and personality. Upon reaching the age of twelve, Jonas is assigned the single most important role, the giver. However, during his training Jonas discovers that outside the community there is life completely discordant from what he is exposed to. That people in this kind of life experience all sorts of emotions foreign to him. Finally, Jonas makes sudden decision to escape.

This is a valued reading for youths and adults as well. The repercussion of Jonas' escape is a healthy fodder for dialogue between parent and child. As part of his Language Arts project, my son has to make a movie poster based on a particular story. Co-incidentally, he picked up this book. Not only he and Jonas are the same age, they also have similar disposition.

This book sets the stage for a utopian society, and it's very believable. Who's to say that this couldn't really happen sometime in the future? However, what I really liked about this book, is that once Jonas found himself, he wasn't afraid to take action and stand up for what he knew was right. Loved it. The first time I read it was the sixth grade, and I still enjoy it. It's one of my favorite books of all time, it's a relatively quick read for an adult, but it really makes you think.

The Giver presents the reader to a dystopian society that has forayed the people's right to CHOICE in an odious fashion; but nonetheless, it can at times be furtively appealing in an hypnotic way. To analyze this society initially it is quite inscrutable to identify how a people could so ardently support such an articulated "guidance." While this book is merely fiction, it indeed sheds light on an ideology that either is intrinsically intelligent, or it is quite eloquently repugnant to the nebulous of human desire, freedom to endeavor. Being a Constitutionalist I prefer the latter rather than the former. To have one's perspective sculpted and wrought by a fashion of governmental control by means of familial degradation and division from a biological existence, sexual drive altered by compulsory pharmaceuticals, intricate scheduling of one's day, standards and virtues that are ubiquitous, one all encompassing day of "birth", population control, genetic manipulation, and procuring children and spouses by application and approval only, is quite destitute of any CHOICE. Is this inane? Is this madness? Or, if freedom was not known in the context that of which is lain before us in the U.S. Constitution-which both Republicrats and Demopublicans are obscuring-would this dystopia be so divisive? The society in this book is something one could indeed marvel by pretext to the actual context due to the lack of tyrannical behavior. We must not be disillusioned. We must not allow the propagators' evidence and statistical datum to dissuade us from having the penchant to pursue freedom as a virtue over security. For such a society in essence, no matter success, does indeed revoke the core and foundations of an inalienable right that our predecessors have fought eons for-FREEDOM! Articulating political structure is arduous and elicits much dissension along the way; however, do not let that make one despondent or draw forth consternation or political apathy. For if political structure, by and for the people, becomes a derelict, then for our children FREEDOM will be merely a vestige. Or, perhaps a more formidable coin, an antiquated myth.

Lowry has definitely deserved to be upon the list of writer's that has hit a symphonic political note. While not as fecundated as George Orwell's (Eric Blair) writing, she has a latent exhortation for us, or at least for me. The book also has a rendition upon perspective of reality and that will certainly shift the tides of what constitutes this book's yield. I would suggest everyone to read this book, along with other dystopian and utopian classics. Each of those titles have their own way of exorcising the demons from both forms of society.

The end did irritate me slightly, I wanted a more pronounced and clarified ending. Nonetheless, following with the book's thesis, THE MATTER OF CHOICE, Lowry leaves it to the reader to bestow your interpretation; which is elating for some and exacerbating for others. My ending was grim which was evoked by random forethought rather than by intention.

As a teacher of learning disabled students...I can say that all of my pupils loved this book. Some of the ideas might need a bit of explaining, but it is a story that kids can really get into.

It's a bit difficult to put into words how I felt about Lowry's The Giver. The first thing that came to mind and just wouldn't go away is "horrific". And though one can't really be caught surprised with the unfolding of events since Lowry, as a measure of her skill as a storyteller, quite expertly built up the climax, there's still a part of me that kept thinking, "Surely it wouldn't be so bad..."

Of course, it was inevitable that this seemingly eerily perfect world she created would topple. And it was all brought about by the power of memories and one's yearning for love. It made me realize that I've never felt so perplexed and awed by a story in a long while.

Certainly dialectic and begging for a multitude of interpretations, The Giver is another one of those worthy reads that dared to explore, among other things, the boundaries of threshold a person can reach, along with one's capacity to break free of bonds just to truly realize what it is to be human.

The reviews of The Giver are absolutely hilarious. People, this is a book marketed to young adults; don't let it kick you around. The author, Lois Lowry, expects the reader to make inferences at certain points throughout the novel. You are going to have to turn your brain on and do a little teeny tiny bit of thinking. But that's okay! Just take a deep breath and try to remain calm. You will make it out alive, trust me.

Seriously, the reader response to this book is almost as fascinating as the book itself. When the adults responding here are not complaining about The Giver being hard to understand, they are objecting to its violent content. Isn't that a little like saying our government's anti-drug commercials are too shocking for TV? When authors write about totalitarian societies, they usually try to frighten the reader into guarding against the emergence of such horrors in real life. It's ironic how the reviewers here, in their responses, betray the habit of being spoon fed their truth in much the same way as the characters in this novel. The members of Jonas' community cannot think for themselves, and the reviewers of this book can't even puzzle out the climax. Not only that, but their aversion to The Giver's violent content is exactly the kind of attitude that would lead to a safety-obsessed world like the one Lowry envisioned.

I'm awarding The Giver three stars. It's an overall decent dystopian novel, but it's flawed in that it doesn't stand out as particularly memorable. A story like Animal Farm, by contrast, sticks with you for the rest of your life. Authors who write about totalitarianism probably want to make a deep impact on their audience and drive home a message. If the message doesn't stick, the book is a failure (at least to a degree). Nevertheless, all in all The Giver is a worthwhile read for all age groups.

I have read The Giver 4 times--twice to myself and two other times to other people. This is one of those books that should be read more than once, just because of all the information in it. The Giver starts off slow, and migh deter some younger readers, but once it gets a few chapters in it becomes very intriuging and thought provoking. This is a wonderful book for young kids to first realize and understand the freedoms and other important things we have in our world today. This also teaches that sometimes living through the bad in life is worth it to get the good. I really cannot say enough about this book. It is simply excellent.

This book, to me, was just brilliant. I love the idea of another time and society, which were expressed so originally in this story. Rules, safety, everything made for what could have been a perfect society. But it is what lies beneath these things, what they choose to cover up, that makes the story really interested.

Jonas, at twelve, grows up way too fast. It is traditional for twelve year olds of his society to be an adult at 12, but Jonas is the only one who truly experiences any real growth.

Given the choice to protect the world they live in or unleash everything unknown, he has a powerful choice to make, and does so accordingly.

This book gripped me right up until the end, which was the only slight let-down. While the end was good, it wasn't great, as the rest of the book was. But overall, I highly recommend this book to everyone. An instant classic.

First of all, WOW, WHAT A BOOK! Of all the newbery books I've read so far this one has been the best, and pushed me to read faster than any book I've ever read.

The Giver introduces the reader to some interesting subject matter such as communistic living, where everyone has a place and everyone works for the greater good. While there is benefit to this style of life, you eliminate indiviuality, and the freedom of choice. Uniqueness is thrown out the window in favor of predictability and stability.

What makes the book interesting is how the different characters handle the mode of life, especially Jonas, who is suddenly given a taste of the truth, and finds the world he is living in unbearable.

The book reminded me of the movie "The Time Machine" (the one with Rod Taylor), In the movie when George gets to the distant future the people there live similarly to the way they do in the book, communaly with no thought to emotion, knowledge, or creativity. There is one scene in the movie that is eerily like a scene in the book where someone falls into the river and drowns. I can't help but wonder if Lois Lowry watched the Time Machine before she wrote the book.

The book is great and Lois Lowry is a brilliant writer, I can't wait to read more of her work.

This book is one of the most thought provoking stories that I have ever read! I read it when I was in the 6th grade and I didn't get it... only after reading it again in highschool did I really see the wonderful creativity of this book.

I hear that they are making a movie of this book that should come out by 2011. I only wish 2 things: 1)they don't take so many liberties; 2)that it would come out sooner, Christmas 2009, perhaps. I really don't know why I like this book. I've never read its "adult counterpart" 1984 by George Orwell. It is a Newberry award winner. While I read many Newberry winners as a child, I didn't read this one until I was grown. Maybe that's good because some things about this book may shock children. It is very cerebral until the end, not your usual children's book, in my opinion. I guess I enjoy it because it is disturbing and also hopeful. It teaches readers of any age to appreciate things that we now take for granted and gives us a look at what life would be like without them. A Dark but Wonderful Read!

Eleven-year-old Jonas is a typical boy living in a futuristic world of mediocrity. Even the geography, (completely flat) and the color scheme (only black and white) are bland. The elder of two children (all that is allowed per family unit), he attends school and enjoys the company of friends like any other kid. But in his town, everyone's behavior is closely monitored, Big Brother-like, with physical punishment meted out for infractions of its many rules. The community gains 50 babies per year and at prescribed ages, persons are given certain freedoms and/or responsibilities (for example, bicycles are given to nine year olds). Once a family's children move away, former parents (babies seem to be born in vitro) move out of their homes and in with others in the same situation until their eventual move to the nursing home and, finally, "release."

Jonas's life changes drastically when he is given his life job assignment, the most respected of the lot, Receiver (of memories). During his training, he gains the freedom of being allowed to ask any question of any person, but is unable to share his newfound knowledge with family and friends. He sees and feels the formerly unimaginable, love, hate, joy and sorrow, and, for the first time, experiences color. He also learns the truth about the procedure known as "release." Author Lois Lowry has created a simply written, amazing book with a memorable plot and engaging characters in this story about social conformity. Of the Newberry Award winners I've read, The Giver is my favorite. Similar science fiction: Feed by M.T. Anderson, The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer, and Fearless by Tim Lott.

I read this book the first time as an adult (late 20's). I remember it was a popular summer reading book back when I was in school. Everyone I know who has read it said it was good, so I figured I'd give it a shot.

From the very first chapter, it had a spooky, ominous feel to it. It was a bit confusing during the first chapter, because it's set in a different world, and even a futuristic setting. The author quickly explains everything you need to know to understand this new world, but it doesn't make it any less strange. It reminded me a lot of "1984" to give you an idea.

The last 10 chapters or so I was not able to pull myself away. It was a good read, don't get me wrong, but it was more of a morbid fascination that kept me glued to it. I could not believe what I was reading. It's horrifying not only to reading about the kind of world that was presented in the book, but to see aspects of it in the real world. It leaves you thinking (just as "1984" did): "Wow, this could actually happen someday if we continued down this path".

It left me feeling very unsettled after I finished reading the book, and that feeling continued with me until the next day. People I've talked to that read it in high school told me that the book always stays with you like that. Not to mention, I finished it right before going to sleep that night, so I was left with some pretty odd dreams and an overall restless night.

When I first finished, I disliked the ending, but after sitting with it on my mind for awhile, I have a better understanding of why she chose to end it that way.

I remember this book being on my 5th grade reading list, but I feel some of the themes are a bit mature for someone that young. I'd say it was better for 15 and older. It just contained too many mature situations, death of a baby, for one. And the author was pretty descriptive.

It was a book that I equally loved and hated. I loved the writing style, and the overall idea. It was a quick read, with no slow points to speak of. Her descriptions were amazing - very detailed. As the reader, you could really picture what she was describing. The characters that needed to be 3-D were, and there were some that needed to be less developed, and it went along with the premise of the story. I also hated the world she created because it scared me so much and it was just horrible.

I recommend that everyone should read this book. It serves as a warning of what may become ("sameness",etc) if we continue on the same path. Don't let the "young adult" label stop you from reading it, it's a must-read for adults too.

This story made me think of the old movie "green sun". It should make everyone react at his/her level without any age distinction but mostly teenagers. No robot in the futurist story, just human conditioned and controlled (by who?) at the extreme. It is wonderfully explained how one ends up not questioning the system and how he/she can escape it. The end is splendid except for a "prop" which appears from nowhere. This excepted, the book is beautiful. I strongly recommend it to everyone over 13. I warranty parents they won't hear "I'm bored" or "I have nothing to do" the time of this book reading and may be thinking of :). For grown ups, it is a fabulous and clear reply to Finkenkraut's "Vain memory".
Claude

This is one of the best books I've ever read. It's just as capable of inspiring adult readers as yound adults. I've been buying copies of this for my younger family members. I've read many, many books as an English teacher and a lover of books, and this one is one of the best. Read it. You won't regret it.

I did buy this to read to my daughter but I couldn't wait to finish it and had to finish it before I could read the rest of it out-loud for my daughter....(also, she was too young for it-she was only 6). I will read it to her for the first time soon (she's almost 9)....anyway....the story is amazing, intensely thought provoking like 'brave new world' and '1984'.
Read it first, then to your child if she's 9 and up. Children can be strongly affected by the mature themes and the conversation & questions that follow...
a wonderful book, highly recommended...

The first time I read this book I was 10 years old, sitting in a library in my elementary school. I can honestly say, this book has the same impact on me today, as it did thirteen years ago. This beautifully written dark narrative on a Utopian society only becomes more relevant with time. It lacks the seriousness of "Brave New World" but somehow manages to be taken more seriously. Perhaps because the future described, could easily happen with today's technology. You will love it if you are 10 or 50, highly recommended.

If the ultimate goal of book club is to develop deep comprehension and critical thinking skills, then this book is the perfect tool. There is so much for students to pour over in search for meaning. It is unsettling at several different levels, and I would expect a fairly mature book club to find their way into conversation without much prodding from the teacher.

I would not start book club rookies out on this for their first book. I think the group would need to be fairly comfortable with each other and have a high level of trust and acceptance - students (and even teachers!) would need to feel confident to try out ideas without judgement and be able to sort out their thoughts in an open, caring atmosphere.

In my experience, many book club books often have very superficial themes that students grasp and extract connections from. I don't think such books propel them to higher levels of thought and understanding. I often hear something like, "This book is about a brother and sister fighting, and I sometimes fight with my sister too." There just isn't anything for them to take their ideas a step futher. When the book clearly presents thought-provoking themes that students grab onto and want to discuss, it is a wonderful thing. Book clubs are for books that MUST be discussed and CANNOT be read and understood (quite as fully) by yourself. This is exactly the type of book that is made for book club.

"The Giver" is a must-read book for both tweens and adults. Lois Lowry delivers a powerful message in a compelling story, which is written in a lively and lovely manner. My 12-year-old son loved it as much as I did. Ms. Lowry has made a note-worthy contribution to modern day literature. Read it! Have your kids read it!

The Giver is one of those stories that keeps you involved from start to finish. You spend much of the book trying to figure out where you are, only to discover that the utopia does not exist. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a great book to read!

This book is, at least in part, a cautionary tale, in the tradition of Brave New World and 1984, about the danger of allowing ourselves and our government to continue slouching toward paternalistic statism. The difference between it and those older and better known stories of dystopic societies is that this one is written for kids.

I found the book to be well written, well paced, and of a length that won't scare off tweens and teens. The development of Jonah was quite well done within the constraints of such a short book (171 pages in the paperback edition I read); he was likable and sufficiently flawed so as to be believable. As for the other characters (excepting The Giver), their lack of development is one of the points.

The Giver does a fine job of giving the reader food for thought and discussion about the inverse relationship between individual liberty and the imposition of outcomes by governments and communities. It's not a one-sided account on that score, however. I often found myself being seduced by the security, safety, and civility that accompanied the depicted totalitarian society. As is typical of good fiction that tells some significant truth, that balance allows the reader to come to a conclusion through seeking and thinking as opposed to having it thrust down his throat; that makes the The Giver's case against soft fascism a strong one.

I do find it a delicious irony that the education establishment, a great friend to the statist movement, has embraced this book.

Some have complained that the book contains some logical inconsistencies. I thought those were minor and they didn't significantly detract from my enjoyment of the book.

There are some mature themes that some parents won't be comfortable with their kids reading about. These include infanticide and senicide, capital punishment for crimes far short of murder and rape, and some fairly oblique sexual themes.

I bought this book for a child because it was recommended by another child. I read it before sending it and found the vocabulary to be at about an 8th grade level. This is a good book for a child who's of above-average reading ability in grammar school, especially because the topic lends itself to more than one level of meaning; consequently, the child could re-read it in a couple of years and find a different level of connection with the story. I think that children would identify with the plot, i.e. the hero child, and the values the book teaches are of the "Dr.Seuss" variety. I plan on sending it to other children when they're old enough.

The Giver
Author: Lois Lowry.
Publisher: Laurel Leaf
Reprinted: September 10, 2002

Fry Readability: mid to late 9th grade.
Number of pages: 192
Genre: Utopian fiction

Synopsis:
This novel chronicles the workings of a utopian society. This community centers around duty, responsibility, correctness of speech, and courtesy to others. At the age of 11, each child must take his or her place as adults within the community. On the day of the Ceremony of 11, Jonas gets assigned the mysterious and highly respected position as The Receiver of memories. His training centers around receiving the unremembered memories of the world. Joy, pain, love, depression, and loss pass to Jonas through The Giver of memories. These new experiences give Jonas a new range of emotions and appreciation for life. At the same time, it begins to distance him from his family unit and isolates him from the rest of the community. He realizes the atrocities the community commits on a day to day basis to preserve sameness and to prevent the community from feeling. He begins to plan, with the help of The Giver, to release the memories to his community and allow them to look at life in all its rich colors, its devastating pain, and its overwhelming joy.

Negative aspects of book:
This book has a couple of disturbing moments centering around "being released" or the euthanization of those who cannot conform to sameness (the elderly, the sick, twins). My students found these parts difficult to read and even more difficult to understand. However, it did make for an interesting conversation about what a utopian society would be like and where conformity can lead a society. While I don't believe there are negative aspects of this book, these touchy areas should be approached with sensitivity and caution. At the same time, the issues that Lowry raises within real societies is unmistakably important for students to study and consider. We used some of the more disturbing areas in the book as a spring board for some incredible discussion. We even re-examined our own society in light of Lowry's critique.

My personal appraisal of book:
This book was interesting to me as a junior high student and even more interesting to me as a teacher of junior high students. It is a classic that holds readers and thinkers to a high standard. Parts of it may be hard to read for students with a lower reading level without teacher support (sentence structure and vocabulary might prove an obstacle to understanding). However, the story itself interested each student more and more the deeper we dug into the story. It is thought provoking while its characters are endearing, and its community is intriguing. It shows that without being taught, there is kindness, courage, love, and choices in a colorless, unvarying world.

The Giver
Lowery, Lois
Published by Laurel Leaf (2002)
Reading Level: 6.5
192 Pages
Youth Science Fiction

I remember reading The Giver for the first time as an emerging adolescent. For the first time I can remember, a novel challenged me to do more than just imagine. This powerful novel (to the my delight) forced me to consider and evaluate the circumstances and situations the author describes. Lois Lowry weaves together a provocative narrative that challenges our assumptions about the desirability of a utopian world, and explores the dark underside that so often accompanies flawed human attempts at manufacturing perfection. The story is less about Jonas, a 12-year old boy who is designated to become the receiver of memories, than it is about the twisted modern utopia he inhabits.

The story is set in a world without extremes. There is no pain, no suffering, and no poverty, but at the same time, no joy, no meaning, and no love. The cost of ridding the world of its ills is sacrificing many of its greatest virtues. By introducing the reader into the sterile world Jonas is born into, and accompanying him as he breaks through personal and societal barriers, Lowry invites her audience to consider controversial issues about freedom of choice, the nature of authentic experiences, the conditions of righteous rebellion, the intrinsic value of human life, and the price of a painless existence.

Jonas's experience reminds us of the simple joys we tend to take for granted in our world, full of endless variation, possibility, challenge, and choice. In the (literally) black and white world that Jonas inhabits, experiencing everything from the fundamental concepts of color and hunger to simple pleasures and pains like sledding and sunburns leaves Jonas profoundly changed. The way Jonas grows and matures through learning about his environment reminds the reader of how important it is to seek out new knowledge to better understand our world and ourselves.

Despite the striking differences between the modern world and the society Jonas is born into, many of the decisions that Jonas grapples with upon discovering the true nature of his utopian existence are similar to those every teenager and adult must make as he or she matures to gain wisdom, and with it, responsibility. It is almost painful to watch Jonas, at a mere 12 years of age, carry the enormous burden of remembering (and experiencing) the imperfections and wonders of the past alone. Jonas's journey, beginning with his passage into adulthood with the Ceremony of Twelve, and culminating with his decision to flee the only world he has ever known (to what end, we will never know...), reveals the incredible range of emotions we all know well as the human experience.

The Giver -
1. Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Co. (1993)
2. Author: Lois Lowry
3. Reading Level: Young Adults (Ages 11-15)
4. Number of Pages: 192
5. Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy

Lois Lowry's The Giver is written from the point of view of Jonas, an 11-year-old boy who lives in a perfect yet artificial community. There is no pain, no poverty, no fear, no war and no hatred. This society has also eliminated choice.

Jonas has an unusual power of perception. Sometimes he perceives flashes of color, whereas for everyone else, there is no color. He also has instances where he sees objects change shapes. This foreshadows Jonas's assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve. Jonas' life changes the day he turns twelve. He is apprehensive about the upcoming Ceremony of Twelve, when he will be given his assignment as an adult member of society. The Committee of Elders tells Jonas that he has been chosen to be the Receiver. The Receiver is the sole keeper of the community's memory. Someone must keep the memories of pain, war, emotion, etc. so that the community can avoid mistakes that were made in the past. Jonas receives these memories from the current receiver, a wise old man who tells Jonas to call him Giver.

Soon Jonas learns The Giver will transmit all of the past memories of the world to him, and his life will be difficult and lonely. He was no longer able to participate in family and community activities, and was no longer able to spend time with his friends. Jonas soon realizes that the world he knew is a lie. He asks permission to view a releasing ceremony and witnesses his father murder a baby boy by injecting him with a drug. His father "discards" the young boy into a garbage, because the boy constantly cried, unlike the "normal" newborns. After Jonas receives good and bad memories, he is deeply troubled and changed. He is not forbidden to share any of his training experiences with the community.

Understanding for the first time that life is far better being aware of the memories of the past and being able to choose, the Giver helps Jonas develop an escape plan from the community. Jonas escapes and the book ends. Lowry wants the reader to create the ending to this thought-provoking chapter book.

There are some negative aspects of this book. The people in the community are not allowed to feel. They only have one point of view - what they are taught by the elders. Also, the releasing ceremony is criminal and disturbing.

In this book, young readers are asked to think about life without the ability to choose, where everyone is the same, where there is no religion. It is a provocative book that allows its readers to bring their own beliefs to find the symbolism. I recommend this well-written book be read in a school setting. After reading this book, readers can see what life could be like without diversity, and it makes readers appreciate the freedom we have to make our own choices.

The Giver
Lowery, Lois
Published by Laurel Leaf (2002)
Reading Level: 6.5
192 Pages
Youth Science Fiction

In this captivating story, a young boy named Jonas struggles to come to terms with his own specialness, his community's secrets, and the full range of human experience. Jonas lives in a community where everything is carefully planned and carefully controlled. There is no suffering or discomfort, but likewise no joy and little individuality. Children are assigned to families, mates are chosen by a committee of elders, and the weather is always comfortable. The people's lives proceed in a course prescribed by the community's elders, marked by routine, ritual and procedure. With the passage of one such ritual, The Ceremony of Twelve, the youth of the community are assigned to a profession. As his friends begin preparing for their new adult roles in the community, Jonas embarks on an altogether different journey.
Jonas has always known himself to be a bit different from his peers, and at his Ceremony of Twelve, he is chosen as the Receiver of Memories. As such, he is charged with holding all of the human memories passed from previous generations, so that the others in the community might be shielded from them. And so- bit by bit- Jonas begins to receive these memories from the pervious Receiver, an old man now know as the Giver. With these memories comes a whole range of emotions, good and bad, and wisdom well beyond his years. Armed with these insights, and the access granted to him as the Receiver, Jonas begins to see his community in a whole new way.
This book is a wonderful read for young people or adults. It dramatically addresses the issues with which adolescents are already familiar: feeling deeply, leaving childhood behind, and questioning the rules of their upbringing. It challenges the mind to consider issues of conformity and rebellion, and the infinite pros and cons of the human condition. The reader must wrestle with the questions like "is the absence of unpleasantness really happiness?", "is getting rid of sadness and pain worth it if it means giving up things like love and creativity?", and "how far will people go to preserve harmony and avoid unpleasantness?". These questions challenge and extend young minds, but may be a bit complex for young readers. Additionally, the mood and subject matter of the book are quite dark at times, and may be upsetting to some. Overall, however, this is an intellectually and emotionally engaging book that I found hard to put down!

As soon as I picked up this book I was captivated by it. The people are all so ignorant ... the old saying ignorance is bliss Is best put here. Although there are some parts of the book that made me cry, don't ask me why but when I found out who got released I kind of knew it by the way he talked about her. Overall A great read and a captivating one at that.

The Giver, by Lois Lowry (Mass Market Paperback - Sep 10, 2002), is a must-read for anyone who knows what it's like to be 12 and want to change the world. The books is a Flesch-Kincaid Level 6, but it is an enjoyable read for any age. The book is 192 pages long and is an engaging cross between a utopian and dystopian novel.
The Giver follows the coming of age of 12 year old Jonas, who lives in a community in the future. At first, it seems to the reader that Jonas's world is perfect, free from poverty, pain, sadness, bad manners, even dish-washing! However, the perfection of Jonas's world comes at a very high cost. The community has gone to great lengths to ensure that nothing ever goes wrong, which means there are regulations on everything from when you can learn to ride a bike to who you will be "matched" with for your husband/wife. The effect is one of all-permeating "Sameness"--no one can see color, no one can break the rules. And those who do are "released" from the community. No one in the community ever makes their own decisions--even their jobs are chosen for them, at age 12. So, Jonas, at his ceremony of Twelve, learns that his job is to be the next "Receiver." The Receiver is the person in the community who holds in his/her mind all the memories of the past. This person protects the rest of the community from the pain of having to remember all of the past emotions, and also is consulted by the community when his/her wisdom is needed to make decisions. Because he is to be the next Receiver, Jonas meets the man who currently serves the community as the Receiver. Jonas comes to know his as the Giver, because he begins to pass along all of his memories to Jonas. Through these memories, Jonas comes to know the world as it was, and begins to see how much his world is missing--family connections, love, diversity. Gradually, Jonas and the Giver decide that they want to restore these missing elements to the community, which Jonas will do by willingly leaving the community, thus releasing the memories and emotions to everyone else. Meanwhile, Jonas has begun to care for a baby named Gabriel who cannot sleep through the night like babies are supposed to in the community. Jonas comforts Gabriel with soothing memories from the past, and begins to develop a bond with the baby that resembles the family connections Jonas has seen in the Giver's memories. However, Jonas finds out from his father, who works as a Nurturer of new babies, that Gabriel, because of his "imperfection" is going to be "released" from the community, and finally realized the true meaning of that word--"Released" means that Gabriel will be killed by lethal injection. Devastated, Jonas decides to make his departure early, and ventures out of the community into the "Elsewhere", a place that is full of many things he yearned for--color, difference, but also things like hunger, pain, and danger. Finally, when he and Gabriel are weakening and out of food, they find a sled at the top of a snow covered hill. They climb aboard and enoy the thrill of riding down toward a village where they hear singing. The end of the book leaves their fate undetermined, but Jonas is sure that someone is waiting for them.
Although it suffers from a few minor logical gaps, this book is a wonderful read for anyone who has ever questioned the status quo or rejected the idea of being the same as everyone else. It is especially good for middle-school aged youth because the protagonist shares many of the same struggles as they do as he learns to make real choices and take real responsibility in a world that seems to want to keep him from doing so.

Title: The Giver
Author: Lois Lowry
Number of pages: 192
Level: 6th-8th grade reading level
Genre: Science Fiction
Synopsis of Plot: Jonas is a young boy, turning twelve at the beginning of the story. He has grown up in a fictional community where there is no crime, violence, poverty, or "memories" of the past. He has only know this eutopia, where there is only happiness, feelings are constantly shared, and everything is very well organized and planned out. There are very strict rules that guide daily life in the community. Every member of the community follows the same life plan, where no one chooses a husband or wife. Rather, couples are matched up, children are chosen to go to certain homes after being born by "birth mothers," and each home is only allowed two children for population control. There are no choices to be made, but Jonas soon finds out that he will be faced with one as he turns twelve, a very important age in the community. At age twelve, every child is given a job that they will hold for the rest of their lives. Jonas receives the most important job in the community: Receiver of Memories. He is given memories and knowledge of the world as we know it now, by an Elder in the community called "The Giver." Jonas learns of pain, of war, of weather, freedom, animals, color, family, and all of the things he has grown up not knowing. He realizes that choices can be made, and that life doesn't have to follow this dull, empty-of-joy pattern.
Negative Aspects: The only negative aspects I have seen after reading this book many times, is that there are some dark sides to the book that some children may not be able to understand. For example, euthanizing and infant may be difficult for some children to understand, and also the scene where war-fare is described. The only other negative aspect that I could see, is that though the book is fictional, there are many aspects of the book that go unexplained. The community lives in this "ideal," world, but no one ever explains how they got to where they are, with no memories, or color, or what happened to the rest of the world before "sameness."
My Rating: I give The Giver 4 stars personally. I have read the book numerous times, as well as having read it to my class. The book is a quick read, and never felt boring. It really gave students insight to what the world would be like without family, choices, pain, or joy. It was interesting, and brought up a lot of great discussions in class. It presented many ideas that I had never thought of before. The only reason that I didn't give it 5 stars, is the same reason I stated before. The book is fictional, but still needs to provide some type of explanation of how the community that Jonas grew up in, came to be. This would help readers to fully understand the history behind the book, and understand the choices that the people in the community had made.

Overall, I would recommend this book for most middle-school students who are able to read at this level. It's an interesting book that really challenges the thought of what a community is, individual thinking, and how rules can affect everyday life

The Giver by Lois Lowry a children's SF for 8-12 year olds written in 1993 is part of a loose set trilogy set in the same imagined world but not necessarily with the same characters. It deals with a world where your life is one of conformity and happiness. The short novel honestly faces why a society such as this would arise with its benefits and essential failure explored. The core of that failure is that...grief is the price you pay for love. Without sadness, can love and laughter really exist?

We discover a community of unlimited happiness and good manners set in a green and pleasant paradise of high but largely hidden technology. In this world, only 50 children per community are born from genetically approved placements in birth mothers. Regulations define your clothes, toys and your role in society from your first year. From eight you have to volunteer for a range of community duties so that your life long occupation from twelve can start. We join Jonas as the ceremony for 12's is near for the allotment of his calling. Much to his and the communities shock he is not allotted a job but is selected to be the Receiver. In learning what this is, he discovers the hidden pain and dark side of unlimited happiness. This sets off a chain of events as Jonas discovers what being released really means. He faces what growing up means, and consequences whose meaning you have to decide.

The book has over 3000 ratings on Amazon.com alone so we are talking popular and critical success (it won the Newbury Medal- the USA children's literature award). Even so, it is banned in several USA State's School and Library systems because of the dark emotional issues dealt with. If you or your children have not read it then you have missed a classic. But if you have read it then you know why it's enjoyable and highly recommended!

This book is about a boy, named Jonas who lives in what seems to be like a special community that is protected from everything. At first, it is a bit difficult to understand the rules of the community because they are not displayed early on for the reader. However, they are learned throughout the entire book. The rules of the family consist of: you cannot lie, each family must eat at the same time, they must tell about their dreams and fellings, and there are no secrets. Every child in the community experiences the same thing, and even receive the same gift for their birthdays. It is not until age nine that they can even ride a bicycle. However, age 12 is the most important brithday. This is when the children are assigned their job or duty within the community. The protagonist, Jonas, is given the most important job of the Receiver. He is allowed to lie, have secrets, and may not tell anyone what occurs at his job. The Giver is Jonas' trainer for his job, and he receives many things from the Giver. He is told he will learn about rain, snow, fire, the sun, and another world. The first memory he recieves is of snow, where he is sledding. The next memory is pain, while he is sledding he goes over ice, falls off his sled, and hurts his leg. At this point in the story it is explained that every time someone gets hurt, they receive a pill, and they don't receive pain. Jonas is the only one in the community who can feel pain.
At the beginning of the book Jonas' father (who is the Nurturer), brings home a baby named Gabriel. Jonas realizes that him Gabriel are the only two in the community with Hazel eyes. Everyone else has dark eyes. Later, Jonas also notices that the Giver also has Hazel eyes. He puts all of this information together, and knows that Gabriel will be the next Receiver. One night, when Gabriel is crying Jonas accidentally gives him a memory. Throughout the book Jonas is faced with hardships. He is traumatized when he realizes that his father actually kills babies that don't belong in the community. THis transformation, and growth in his character makes him begin to think about leaving. His last memory that is given to him is the memor of the outside world. Jonas decides to try and find the place, and leaves one night with Gabriel in search of it. In the end, Jonas and Gabriel die of starvation and freezing temperatures.
All of the aspects of this book are very dramatic and shocking for readers. It is a fantasy story, but could also be classified as a science fiction novel. Due to the content of the book, and the depth at which it can be analyzed it would be more appropriate for Juniour High or High School students. Children in this age range will be more able to think about the book and its true meaning about social norms. Classroom debates about having a sheltered community could be held with these students. The novel presents these topics in a very shattering way which draws in readers, and sparks motivation. However, a concern would be the emotional readiness of the reader to tackle a book that speaks out against things that are different from our society. One example is that, in the novel children are not nurtured by their parents while they are infants. They are nurtured by the Nurturers in the community, and then assigned to a family. This is a concept that may be too abstract for a younger audience. This book could be tied into any type of skill development while teaching reading. These skills included questioning, prediction, and of course the idea of forming opinions as readers. I na Social Studies class when introducing classroom debates, this story could be shared to illustrate a different culure, and teams could be formed to support various reader opinions on some of the themes in the book. It is a high quality book, that while it uses simple language it messages are brought with very descriptive words that help readers picture what is going on throughout the story.

This is, quite possibly, one of the most amazing books I have ever read. It's a world that could be completely real someday, which alone is frightening enough. I found it almost impossible to put this book down and would have loved it to be even longer. But it's tight and emotional and I can't wait to read anything Lois Lowry has written.

I read this book in grade school back in the 90's, and I still love it today. It's one of my all-time favorites..everything about it. It really makes you think..and just appreciate people for their differences. Our flaws are what bring color to the world. I didn't find one bit of it boring or as some said "disturbing". I don't see why a 9 or 10 year old kid wouldn't be able to read it. It's not like a horror novel or something.

When author Lois Lowry regularly visited her parents in a nursing home, she noticed that her father was physically well but his memory was going, while her mother's memory was good but her body was failing.

According to a 2004 interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, this gave her the inspiration for her Newbery Award-winning novel, The Giver: "I began to think a lot about the concept of memory. When it was time for me to begin a new book, I began to create in my mind a place and a group of people who had somehow found the capacity to control memory."

Jonas lives in a utopian society where rules, discipline, politeness, similarity, and daily medication rule the day. The only time that differences are celebrated is during the Ceremony of 12: when twelve-year-old children are assigned their careers, based on meticulous observation of how they spend their volunteer hours.

While his peers are given jobs like working with the elderly, and Assistant Director of Recreation, Jonas is selected to be the community's next Receiver of Memory. Training him is the current Receiver, whose task is to pass on all the community's "memories" to Jonas -- thus turning the Receiver into The Giver.

It is during this long series of scenes that Lowry really gets her point across, as Jonas learns more about his fellow residents that anyone but other Receivers has ever known, and he slowly discovers just to what lengths his community has gone to get the result it desired.

There is much more to the story, but describing it here would take away from the experience of reading this wonderful novel that has become a sort of Brave New World for modern readers. Lowry's ability to choose exactly the right word is not surprising for a story that considers a lack of "language precision" to be worthy of punishment. The way she reveals piece by piece the myriad things that this "perfect" community is lacking, making for a level of suspense that rivals an Alfred Hitchcock film, is nothing less than astonishing.

The Giver is powerful for its demonstration that life without tension is not really life at all. We can always try to smooth over or hide another bump in the road, another cause of stress or discomfort. But, in doing so, we only deceive ourselves and take away from the most worthwhile part of existence. Without pain, loss, and difference, we can not have love, hope, and the vibrancy of life. This is a warning that we must be willing to risk our deepest selves to truly live.

I think it must be more difficult to write Children's fiction than Adult Fiction, and more difficult still to write a Children's story that adults like and can relate to. Lois Lowry has this gift. The story is very compelling and thought provoking.

It is ultimately about the lack of freedom of choice and its consequences. Everything in The Community is controlled and you have absolute rules to live by in order to keep the community peaceful and happy. Only one person in the community knows the truth and sacrifices made to be able to live without strife....he is The Receiver of Memories. He holds the memories of what was the past. He holds pain, sorrow, loss, love, joy, torture, war, climate: He holds it all so the community doesn't have to. Jonas is chosen to be the new Receiver of Memories when he becomes a 12. The old R of M becomes The Giver as Jonas becomes the new R of M. Through The Giver, Jonas begins to understand what is behind the facade of his community, thereby forever separating himself from it because he can never go back to the way it was, not with his knowing. Then he is faced with a life or death choice. What he chooses is brave and mature.

I absolutely will read more of Lois Lowry. She does not disappoint. I recommend Gossamer, a very heartfelt and engaging story.

I first read this book when I was 10 years old. I finished it in one day. Then I read it again...and again...and again. I treasure it to this day, and each time I pick it up, I am easily sucked back in. It is deep yet accessable, thought proviking...ugh, words cannot adequately describe how and why I love this book! With it, my adiction to reading began. I have loved many other books since, but The Giver holds a special place in my heart (and book shelf), and I will pass it down to my children some day.

Ok, so I just finished the book, and have been reading all of the reviews on here. Let me explain my take on it.
It seems like the majority of the people say it is very boring. Really? I read it in two days! It opens up and is very exciting, she creates a sense of something is going on. You don't know what it is, and then the story unfolds. When at the Ceremony of Twelves he is skipped, my heart skipped a beat too! Near the end when he realizes what must be done, I'm in there rooting for him! Go Jonas!!
Now for the negative. The middle did go slow, and was kind of weird how he receives the memories. The emotions that come across are very real, but as far as action in the story, it does go slow. Also, the whole stirrings thing could have been dealt with differently. Actually, the whole stirrings thing was ok, I suppose, but getting to that point by washing naked people was completely inappropriate, and other ways could have been more effective in introducing puberty.
People complain about it being boring - deathly boring!! THAT IS THE POINT!! The author is trying to show us that being the same - sameness - is bad. We are individuals, and God made us unique the way we are. Of course, that reasoning can be taken to extreme too. The theme of euthanasia - I took it as a warning. I don't know if you realize it or not, but our world is heading that way.
Was it worth a read - yes. Worth a read for young kids or even middle school - uhh - parents you decide.

I am not a prude or a conservative in my outlook on life. By most standards I would be considered fairly radical. That being said, I absolutely cannot understand how this book has won the prizes it has as a "Book for Children." While it is well written and thought provoking, and I consider 95% of it as suitable for kids, the ending may confuse and upset those of more tender years, and the graphic description of a release absolutely will shock and deeply disturb those of a more sensitive mien. I have still not recovered from reading the latter, and I honestly wish I had never read it. It will stay with me for a long time, upsetting me in the process, and I would never want that to be the case with any of my children. Please, parents, do not think this book is a great read for your kids just because a number of "experts" have chosen to award it the prizes and accolades it has received. It is, as I have titled this review, GHASTLY, and very disturbing. In closing, I looked at the author's smiling picture at the back of the book and found myself thinking, "What kind of person is this woman to be capable of writing such a descriptive passage of a release? How could she ever want a child to read such a thing? Is she capable of writing other books that hit in such a darkly disturbing way?" I will never be able to answer that last question because I will never read another book from this woman, whom I believe may have some pretty serious mental health issues, especially as it applies to her true feelings about children.

Put simply, this is a fantastic book. Following the character of Jonas, Lois Lowry tells the story of a world in which difference has been obliterated, rudeness is obliterated, and everything is controlled. However, beneath this Stepford-like perfection lies the truth--in order for this utopia to continue, lies must be told and atrocities must take place behind closed doors, in the dark and silence. At the start of the book the reader has only a vague (though persistent) feeling of creepiness, though as the story continues this escalates into full revulsion. As I was reading, I could not help but be reminded of Ayn Rand's book, "Anthem" (those who enjoyed the Giver might find that they enjoy this book as well, and for similar reasons). This book reminds us of the importance of pain and joy, and reminds us that even though life might sometimes hurt, the goods are worth fighting for. From a philosophical standpoint, this book is beyond fantastic in its implications and the issues it raises--a must read. Brilliant.

Book was delivered when promissed. A great read. Discusses big ideas in great format--my students were engaged the whole time.

I was really surprised by how deep this book goes. This is another book I bought for my 6th grade guys who need the audio of the book to help them gain the comprehension of the story. I listened to it from my house to school (20 minute drive) and I didn't ever want to get out of my car!! The themes in this story are really moral and deep, kind of a bit much for younger students. This would be a good book for an older more experienced reader, even though the reading level is somewhat low, the tones and the morals in it are somewhat out there for the reading level. It will make you think.