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1   nebowers | Oct 8, 2009 | 
This book is good. I dont really like how the book starts and "The Giver" doesn't really come in until the end. But, I guess it keeps you waiting and anxious, so... sillybilly4 | Dec 16, 2009 | This book is about a boy who grows up in a Utopia type of community. Here they everything in their life is chosen for them by the head of the community. Each parent has to ask permission in order to receive a child and then they do not even get to chose what they receive. Jonas gets assigned the position as the new receiver. This is the most important job in the community because they are in charge of holding the people of the community's memories of the past. When Jonas gets this job he soon realizes that everything that he was taught growing up is wrong. In order to save his "little brother" from being "released" he runs away from the community with his little brother. When he leaves the community, all of the memories come back to the community. This is my favorite book of all time. I read it when I was in the 6th grade, but I did not truly understand everything that was said in the book. Now that I am older, I can see the deeper meaning behind the story. I think that this would be a good book to show the class that it is good that we have different people and personalities in the classroom. Life would not be good if everyone was the same. 1 KaetlynBrennan | Dec 15, 2009 | This is an fascinating, almost chilling tale about a boy, Jonas, who is chosen to be his community's new "receiver". Jonas receives memories from "The Giver"; memories that are full or feeling -- pain, love, loss, color, and life -- that are deemed too dangerous for the community to be able to experience. I loved this story. It just comes out of the blue at you and I want to get my hands on the rest of the story becuase I'm not sure I competely understand the ending... (  ) mmillet | Dec 14, 2009 | Wow. Just wow. It has been a long time since a book stayed with me in this way. It was one of those books that you know has profoundly affected you but you are still not quite sure how. As a Teenager I loved one of Lowry's other books, Number the Stars. It really made me see courage in a different light. This book has affected me in a different way I think. The way the story is built up, the normalcy of it all, to have it changed makes you doubt and question your own perceptions. Lowry manages to make Jonas's feelings into the readers feelings. Although I am not a twelve year old boy I felt like I was feeling everything Jonas was feeling. Which for a book about feelings and memories is not only essential but also amazing. This was one of my banned books and although I can see why some would want it banned I think that it would be devastating! This book has so much to offer both purely stylistically and also as fodder for discussion. It is a book that one should not read and keep in their heart but rather one that should and must be talked about. This is truly an important book! (  )2 Zommbie1 | Dec 11, 2009 | This is the story of a young boy named Jonas set in a seemingly future utopian society. When Jonas comes of age he is given his job assignment. His job assignment is to be the "Receiver of Memory." He then meets with the person who is to train him in his new job simply named, "The Giver." What follows is Jonas learning about the true nature of his society and what his new place is to be in it should he choose to accept it. This is one of my favorite books of all time. The way the story unfolds really surprised me and the ending is enough to leave you in tears. Tears of joy or tears of sadness I won't say. You'll have to read the book for yourself and find out. This book would be a wonderful to read aloud to your classroom. Older classes may benefit more from reading it on their own though. In a junior high or high school class setting I would have the students write journal entries documenting their thoughts about the major events that happen during the book. ( )1 AwXomeMan | Dec 10, 2009 | A good book about a touch between a boy and a man. When the man touches the boys back he has the feelings of what the man was thinking about when the man touched him. These feelings could range from pain to comfort to warmth to very chilling winds. But when the giver(the man) gives the thoughts to the boy he can never get them back. How much is the giver wiling to give away? (  )1 MrsSClass | Dec 7, 2009 | I thought this book is very confusing and hard to follow. (  ) MrsSClass | Dec 7, 2009 | Summary: Jonas a 12-year old who is assigned his career just like all the members of the community. Jonas lives in a world without pain and is bland without color. He begins to see flashes of color before he is selected to be The Receiver. As The Receiver Jonas must take on the pain of the past so that no one else in the community will experience pain at all. The process of learning the memories includes happy moments, but they are muted by the intense pain of war and suffering that Jonas must experience. Jonas begins to question the fabric of his society and wonders what lies in the beyond. The dramatic end will keep you on the edge of your seat. Review: This book had a huge impact on me. Filled with existential conundrums and personal transformation. As I was reading this book I constantly thought of George Orwell's book 1984. So if you liked that book you will almost definitely enjoy this one. If you liked the movie The Matrix you will also enjoy this book. I very highly recommend. School Use: What I would have my class do is to have them write the ending. How would the students see the future of Jonas? I know my ideas have greatly differed from others that have read the book. A very special book that is already incorporated into many curriculums. 2 trevordyett | Dec 6, 2009 | This novel is a great representation of how people will give up everything in order to live in a more "perfect" society. They give up their rights and ambitions for something that they think will be better. I like how in the utopian society everything was black and white but when Jonas entered the real world he finally saw color. He had never seen animals or plant and is in complete awe at this "new" world. This is a great way to introduce to children the idea of utopian societies. Nothing can ever be perfect and one should appreciate where they come from. This is a great way to open up and have an in class discussion on the book. You can see what other students point of views are on the topic. Perhaps as a homework assignment each child could create what they view as their own utopia. It would be interesting to see the various ideas. ( )1 KellyBryan | Dec 6, 2009 | This 1994 Newberry Award winner tells the story of 12 year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly perfect community. But soon after becoming the ‘Receiver of Memories’, Jonas discovers that it is anything but perfect. Guided by the previous Receiver, an old man named ‘The Giver’, Jonas unravels the mystery behind his utopian world including a shocking custom called ‘Release’, practiced by his father. A tale of suspense and science-fiction, this book is written for kids ages 12 and up but adults will find it to be just as absorbing. “The Giver” is the first book in the ‘Giver’ trilogy, which was followed by “Gathering Blue” in 2000 and then concluded in 2004 with “Messenger”. ( )1 Ginac | Dec 6, 2009 | I loved this book, I read it once in grade school. but i don't think i really grasp it back then. I can grasp it now, thats for sure. and it blew my mind. I love reading rebelion novels, where the main characters just do their own thing.,.,. they break from the mold of society, .. This book really grabed ahold of me when i was reading it. I kept thinking how lucky Jonas was to be learning so much more about his society. .. it was a heavy burden though. he couldn't share it with anybody ( )1 derekgries | Dec 5, 2009 | The Utopian society that Jonas lives in is anything but. When life is too sanitized it is no longer living. I found this book to be funny, sad, disturbing and thought provoking. The transformation that Jonas goes through is told with great detail and the characters are very well defined. This book asks the question...be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. 1 joel07 | Dec 5, 2009 | Given his lifetime assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the receiver of memories shared by only one other in his community and discovers the terrible truth about the society in which he lives. 1 hgcslibrary | Nov 29, 2009 | This book is Science Fiction ( )1 |  behr31 | Nov 19, 2009 | The world Jonas lives in is perfect. Or is it? Lois Lowry creates a world in which everything has been carefully planned. The right career is chosen for you, the right spouse, the right food. The weather is unchanging, but the sky is never blue. When Jonas starts to train for his very special career assignment, The Receiver, he learns that his paradise is far from perfect. This is an excellent book for students in 6th grade or older. It is the finest type of science fiction, commenting on society and making the reader question important issues such as conformity and the role of government in personal life. ( )1 YAbookfest | Nov 19, 2009 | An awesome thought-provoking journey exploring the concept of ideal vs real life. Sad and sweet this tale explores the difficult choices made by Jonah to repatriate human- kind with their memories and true feelings. 1 toddphillips77 | Nov 17, 2009 | Cool young adult sci-fi book. (  )1 | ccavaleri | Nov 12, 2009 | Jonas resides in a utopian community. When he was twelve during the Ceremony of Twelve he was given the assignment of the receiver which was rare considering that there was only one other receiver of memories. While in his training he learned shocking secrets about his community. In learning the secret, he experiences a more exciting reality. This is a book that I read when I was in Advanced Reading in the 8th grade. This is a good book but meant for me advanced readers because the language can be very confusing. 1. Students should form discussion groups and talk about the book every 6 or 8 chapters. 2. Each student will write about there favorite memory in their journal. 1 Johnab1288 | Nov 11, 2009 | In this book a boy named Jonas receives powers to see dreams from an old man he calls The Giver. Jonas also has to feel all the joy and all the pain in the communitie's dreams. ( )1 Peiffer | Nov 11, 2009 | The Giver is about a boy, Jonas, who lives in a community where everyody and everything are the same. The people do not have choices, everything is decided for them. There are strict rules the people have to follow. When you turn 12 you are assigned a job. Jonas is chosen to be the towns next Reciever. He will recieve memories from the past before sameness, and use the memories to guide the community. During Jonas's training, he realizes what life would be like without sameness. Jonas has an important descion to make. The Giver has been one of my favorite books for a long time. I really like how it shows another way to live with strict rules and no choices. I don't agree with every rule the community has, but there are some rules and regulations the community does that I think would help with our own lives. This book would be a great debate book. You can have your class read it and have them discuss the differences of our community and the book's and discuss the advantages and disadvntages of the community in the book and our own community. Have the class discuss which community the prefer and why. 1 KeriMullins | Nov 4, 2009 | 1 |  nkuhn | Oct 30, 2009 | Genre: Science Fiction Age Appropriateness: 5th + (Awesome for adults as well as children!) Review: This book is a wonderful example of a science fiction for juvenile fiction because of it's ability to look into a future without decisions. The author uses this opportunity to explore free will and love without telling the reader exactly what to think. The reader is allowed to form their own opinion with the picture drawn already of what no free will or love might look like in reality. Setting: The future! In today's culture we are allowed to make decisions for ourselves (within boundaries) and able to love. This book is set in a future time period when these things are not allowed or available. ( )1 bknight07 | Oct 28, 2009 | Genre: Science Fiction Review: This is a good example of Science Fiction because it is about a society that lives completely differently from our own. The society believes in sameness, meaning every "family unit" is exactly the same, there is no free will, there are many many rules, there is no color or race, there is no lying or keeping of secrets, no one is allowed to be kept alive who is not perfect, and there are no emotions such as pain, happiness, love, etc. No one is aware of this fact except for the receivers of memory, who get all the memories from the previous reciever. They are then faced with the society that they have created and how unjust it is. The story is mainly about Jonas and how he is faced with these memories and what he does with them in this society. Media: the cover is a photograph Age Appropriateness: Intermediate, high school Character: The protagonist in this story is Jonas. He lives a normal life until he receives the job of receiver, then he is faced with all of the wrongdoings of the society he lives in and does his best to do what's right to fix it and to save the life of a young child about to be murdered. 1 beth1219 | Oct 28, 2009 | Fantastic book! About futuristic societies and the importance of keeping our human characteristics. ( )1 abella | Oct 27, 2009 | The Giver is about a community that is based on very rigid rules so that all live equally, and more specifically it is about a young boy and the elder who is training him to take over the position of Receiver. This is a suspensful book that will keep any young reader wanting to turn the pages. It is also an eye-opener about how things work in societies and different communities. When Jonas because to discover things he had never known it is very overwhelming for him as a child, and as someone who has no way of sharing his experience with anyone else. I recommend this book for every library, but especially my library (medium public library). It is an award-winner for a reason. ( )1 betsyeggers | Oct 24, 2009 | |
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There was absolutely nothing remarkable about the apple. Jonas had tossed it back and forth between his hands a few times, and then thrown it. And - in the air, for an instant only - it had changed.
It is the future. There is no war, no hunger, no pain. No one in the community wants for anything. Jonas's life is simple, filled with routine and small pleasures. But everything changes on the day of the Ceremony. From the moment Jonas is selected as the Receiver of Memory for the Community, his life will never be the same.
My thoughts:
The easiest way to describe this book is as Nineteen Eighty-Four for children, but that would be selling it short. Although written for children, this book easily engaged me. Jonas is a likeable character, and I couldn't help rooting for him.
One of the rules of the community in which Jonas lives is that all members should speak with a 'precision of language'. This precision of language is refected in the tight, spare prose used to tell the story. Not a word is wasted, and it is a delight to read. The images evoked are vivid and the weirdness of a near-emotion-free community is quite unnerving at times, as is the whole idea of Sameness. The story made me grateful for all the freedom of choice I have, even taking into account all the pain and suffering that can come with it. A world without choice, without colour, without music, without love would not be a world that I would want to live in.
I'll be keeping this book on my bookshelf so that I can pass it to my own children, both for their enjoyment and their education.