BOTH BOYS READ THIS BOOK FOR THEIR 5TH GRADE ASSIGNMENT. I FINALLY READ IT TOO... IT IS A DEEP READ... YOU NEED TO PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT INTO IT AND ANALYZE THE MEANING OF THE STORY... KIAN TOOK ONTO THE STORYLINE AND ENJOYED THE BOOK.... RICARDO... HE IS MORE ONTO THE SURFACE DISCRIPTION AND NOT ANALYZING AND THINKING...HE LIKES EASY SPELLED OUT READS... KIAN CAN THINK AND PUT PUZZLES TOGETHER... I ENJOYED THE BOOK AS WELL IT MADE ME SEE THE MEANING AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GIVER AND RECEIVER. ( )

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. ( )

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? ( )

I thought this book is very confusing and hard to follow. ( )

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.

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. ( )

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”. ( )

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 ( )

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.

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.

This book is Science Fiction ( )

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. ( )

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.

Cool young adult sci-fi book. ( )

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.

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. ( )

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.

titlewave: http://titlewave.com/search?SID=1f0f9...

Newberry medal winner 1994

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. ( )

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.

Fantastic book! About futuristic societies and the importance of keeping our human characteristics. ( )

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. ( )

he's called the giver cuz he gives you shit, get it? ( )

This book has a strange effect on me. I don't have much to say about it beyond that -- I'm sure anything I might say has already been said in the 334 other reviews. ( )

I am haunted by this story. Told thru the eyes of 12 year old Jonas, we learn what it's like to live in sameness. Everyone is expected to conform, a job is bestowed upon you at age 12, there are no colors, there is no sunshine, there are no such things as feelings... until Jonas is assigned to be the new Receiver, whose job it is is to be the keeper of all the memories from way back, and back and back. As Jonas learns the memories that came before him, he learns what it's like to be an individual, to see colors, to feel emotion. He wants these same things for his family and friends, and in the untimate act of unselfish sacrifice he tries to do just that... It is a powerful novel and I am amazed that the words have not lost their power some 15 years after it was written. ( )