A Reading Guide to the Giver (Scholastic Bookfiles)

Rating:
Summary: A PERFECT WORLD
Review: The special young boy named Jonas lives in a utopian society. Nothing is wrong there, no color, no pain, no joy or happiness, and no sorrow. Nobody does anything wrong, and if they do they are released. I liked the book because it keeps you reading on. It's an attention grabber. I also liked this book because of the rule with the children, the one where, if they say a word wrong or they come in tardy to class they have to apologize. I think that should be put into schools today. I also like how the families share their thoughts and feelings at dinner. They also share their dreams, like the one where Jonas was in the bathing room at the House of the Old, along with Fiona. They were standing by the tub, and Jonas was trying to convince Fiona to get into the tub of water. Saying to his mom, "I wanted her to take off her cloths and get into the tub, I wanted to bath her. I had the sponge in my hand. But she wouldn't. She kept laughing and saying no." I haven't read too many books but I'm glad I read this one. The Giver is one of those books you just can't put down. I have read The Giver twice and I learned something new about it both times, and if I have a chance and the time to read it again, I would.

Rating:
Summary: Seemingly a Utopia
Review: I've read The Giver three times in my life. Once on my own in 6th grade and I didn't get to finish it; I still regret that to this day. Then I read it in reading class in eight grade. I was so amazed. It stunned me how it was so well written. Lois Lowry's imagination is outstanding. It felt as if I was right in the book with Jonas. I just finished it for the third time this year in my tenth grade English class, and still the book gets better every time I read it. It's about a twelve-year-old boy named Jonas, who lives in a real but yet far from reality world, where there is no crime, pain, or wrongdoing of any kind. The elders of Jonas's community assign he and his fellow Twelve's to their life occupation. You'll find out that Jonas is special and so he gets a job that only one person gets. He's chosen to be the receiver of memories in from the Giver. Jonas begins to find out things in his community that no one else except he and the Giver know about. The thing I like the most about the book is that Jonas's world has a controlled environment and they have a pill for everything like pain and feelings.

Rating:
Summary: The Fake Utopia
Review: I don't totally understand how I feel about this book. Ibelieve that on the outside The Giver is about utopia, the ideal placeto be. On the inside, however, their community is cruel. I do likethe fact that everyone is equal but what about individuality? I mean how can everyone stand to be alike? I guess it's because they don't know any better but only knowing their one way of life isn't fair. They need to be more educated with life and the outside world. This book kind of reminds me of a cult with their rules, and the way they dress, and getting jobs appointed to them without their consent. I guess if I think about it, the book had to be a good one because I actually read it. I never read books EVER but I did enjoy reading this one; it just aggravated me. I can't stand to be like everyone else, well it's not that I can't stand to be like others, I'm just not your average teenage girl. I just don't totally understand how people couldn't realize that they weren't themselves. They were almost as one person. I keep complaining about the book but I did like how the Giver gave Jonas memories and how Jonas could give them to Gabe. I also liked the Ceremonies for the children. However, I didn't like what they referred to as "release" and I didn't like how their lives were just planned for them. They had no choice in anything. I couldn't live like that! END

Rating:
Summary: STARTS OFF BORING ENDS WIERD
Review: This book starts off very boring. The first 50 pages areboring and I would skip over them. The middle of the book is greatand it makes you wonder about our culture and if we could make improvments on it. the end is wierd. It leaves the reader not knowing what happened.

Rating:
Summary: The Giver
Review: The Giver is really a fascinating book. I'm not really a strong reader, infact I hate reading, i am in the 7th grade and had to read it for language arts and loved it. It really keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Rating:
Summary: A Perfect Society?
Review: Lois Lowry does not give us the perfect society, she gives us a society of everyday people who have become morally lazy because they live in a comfort zone. I read this book in junior high and loved it. It's a novel about sacraficing emotions, art, and morality for the comfortable life. The characteristics and crimes of this supposed eutopia are intregueing. Lowry has an impressive imagination and vivid writing style. Her original take on the eutopia topic will be well appreciated by everyone from age 11 upwards.

Rating:
Summary: An outstanding piece of literature
Review: I read The Giver in 5th grade, and have reread it many times since. The plot line that the back cover gives is nowhere near as complex as the actual book is. There are many questions that arise as the book goes on, questions of morality. You have to totally letyourself into the characters mind. This book intrigued me because you have to really think to comprehend the"big picture" and not just the "scene" that goes on inside it. I strongly recommend this book to children and adults alike. It is a moving novel that will stick with you forever.

Rating:
Summary: A Beautifully Written Book
Review: This book is my favorite of any I have ever read. It iscaptivating, sad, happy and descripitive all in one. This is a mustread for everyone. I can compare it to favorites like the Harry Potter series, and "Girl Interrupted" by Susanna Kaysen. This book is amazing and something everyone should experience. END

Rating:
Summary: Disappointment compared to Lowry's-- Number The Stars
Review: My son's 6th grade teacher read The Giver to his class a few months ago. I am into children's literature of all types and I as his mother like to read what he is assigned in his class. I was very disappointed with The Giver. Number The Stars was absolutely 5 star fabulous. But, The Giver--- too adult for one. I especially didn't like the way Ms. Lowry degrades womanhood and motherhood in this book. To be called as a 'birthmother' in this book is to have a dishonored scum life. I already see enough in our society of the degradation of motherhood--- I don't want to read it in a book--- much less have my son exposed to such obsurdity. Also, the part in the book where all boys had to take a pill once the pubescent stirrings begin was a very 'out to lunch' kind of notion. I realize this is a fictional book. But, how about keeping books perfectly clean in all aspects? Number The Stars was clean and uplifting in all regards. Charles Dickens Great Expectations is about the best book I have ever read. Ms. Lowry has such a gift of writing. I'd like to see her keep to clean, uplifting, inspiring content. Good books are my escape of societal ills. The Giver reminded me of too much of our own social problems.

Rating:
Summary: The Best book of all times!
Review: I just wanted to say that this is the best book i've ever read, and the thing is that i really dislike reading. This is one of the few books I enjoyed. I read it last year in 8th grade and it is a truely touching and moving book. The world that Lowry creates is so overwhelming it totaly envelops you in the reading. I would recomend this book to anyone i love it!