by Lois Lowry
I first read The Giver in 6th grade. It...it gave me faith in the books teachers choose for their students. (Needless to say, that faith died early in high school). Still, I have long appreciated my middle school teachers' good tastes.
The Giver is about a boy named Jonas living in a utopian community. Everyone is happy, everyone has their place. No pain, no fear, no inconvenience. As one who is just finishing college applications, I've gotta say, that sounds pretttty nice.
But it's only when Jonas comes of age and receives a unique and important task that he realizes, there are other things missing too...
This was a beautiful moment in my childhood. One of those times you always remember, you know? When your teacher actually places a really good book into your hands. And then issues the instruction, "Now we're going to read this as a class. We'll spend this week reading and discussing chapter one."
.
..
...
Yeah, right.
I tried. I really did try, okay? But you don't...you just don't do that. You don't hand me a book and tell me not to read it. I paced myself. I started with only one chapter. Okay, two chapters. I even read it in class, though not exactly with the class. I sort of listened to the discussion, with one ear, but there was a buzzing in the other. That book was crumbling my willpower.
The next day I read to chapter 5. Then a few more. Less than a week in, I cracked. I was gone. Smoke floated up from the frantically flipping pages, which would've made my teacher wonder except she was going over some fascinating symbolism with the class.
So much for pacing myself. Anyway, Lois Lowry is a fantastic author. The Giver is insightful, entertaining, and sometimes frightening. It's a book that makes you think, and leaves you wondering. The characters are believable and well-developed, the setting and atmosphere of the community so clear that you feel like you're there. It's a great commentary on what we lose when life becomes too perfect.
The companion books, Gathering Blue and The Messenger, are equally insightful in their own ways. This is one of those magical sort-of series in which each book can stand alone but they fit together. There's a newly released fourth book too, called The Son. I'm itching to read it, but hey, look, there's another application essay calling.
Happy reading.
for: older kids on up
Content rating: 4/5 Quite clean, but there are issues brought up that many find disturbing. Apparently this is a challenged book, whodathunkit? Anyway, I don't want to give anything away but there's some sad deaths and some mild sexual attraction. I had no problem reading this as a 6th grader, but parents of aspiring younger readers may want to check it out.
My enjoyment: 5/5
I first read The Giver in 6th grade. It...it gave me faith in the books teachers choose for their students. (Needless to say, that faith died early in high school). Still, I have long appreciated my middle school teachers' good tastes.
The Giver is about a boy named Jonas living in a utopian community. Everyone is happy, everyone has their place. No pain, no fear, no inconvenience. As one who is just finishing college applications, I've gotta say, that sounds pretttty nice.
But it's only when Jonas comes of age and receives a unique and important task that he realizes, there are other things missing too...
This was a beautiful moment in my childhood. One of those times you always remember, you know? When your teacher actually places a really good book into your hands. And then issues the instruction, "Now we're going to read this as a class. We'll spend this week reading and discussing chapter one."
.
..
...
Yeah, right.
I tried. I really did try, okay? But you don't...you just don't do that. You don't hand me a book and tell me not to read it. I paced myself. I started with only one chapter. Okay, two chapters. I even read it in class, though not exactly with the class. I sort of listened to the discussion, with one ear, but there was a buzzing in the other. That book was crumbling my willpower.
The next day I read to chapter 5. Then a few more. Less than a week in, I cracked. I was gone. Smoke floated up from the frantically flipping pages, which would've made my teacher wonder except she was going over some fascinating symbolism with the class.
So much for pacing myself. Anyway, Lois Lowry is a fantastic author. The Giver is insightful, entertaining, and sometimes frightening. It's a book that makes you think, and leaves you wondering. The characters are believable and well-developed, the setting and atmosphere of the community so clear that you feel like you're there. It's a great commentary on what we lose when life becomes too perfect.
The companion books, Gathering Blue and The Messenger, are equally insightful in their own ways. This is one of those magical sort-of series in which each book can stand alone but they fit together. There's a newly released fourth book too, called The Son. I'm itching to read it, but hey, look, there's another application essay calling.
Happy reading.
for: older kids on up
Content rating: 4/5 Quite clean, but there are issues brought up that many find disturbing. Apparently this is a challenged book, whodathunkit? Anyway, I don't want to give anything away but there's some sad deaths and some mild sexual attraction. I had no problem reading this as a 6th grader, but parents of aspiring younger readers may want to check it out.
My enjoyment: 5/5
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