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Summary: The Giver
Review: When Jonas and the rest of the Elevens (surmised to be eleven year olds) approaches December, they know that the upcoming "graduation" is a significant change. When they become Twelves, their jobs in the Community will be announced. The Elders have been observing them for their entire lives, and they will hold these positions for the remainder of their time. At the ceremony, Jonas is alarmed when the Elder in charge assigns him to the job of the Receiver. He had never heard of the job previously. For all of his life, he has been guided in acting uniformly with whomever was nearby. How was he supposed to do that now? Nothing in his environment has variances. Crimes have been banished. Hate was out-ruled. Love dissolved along with malevolence and bloodshed. As Jonas experiences the teachings of The Giver, he solitarily confronts life prior to his Community. Memories that The Giver must pass on to Jonas are both excruciating and intoxicating, yet they make him think. They force him to turn his mind on doubting conformers and apprehending change. Although the story can get a little sci-fi/freaky, the message it conveys superceeds all of its negatives. A definite must read.
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Summary: 'The Giver' Inappropriate for less than 8th grade
Review: When Jonas at age 12 receives the assignment of 'Receiver of memories' he learns more about his society of sameness than he cares to. As a Teacher I found this book troubling that schools would sanction the reading of 'The Giver' for anything less than 8th grade. The book talks about 'releasing' people and if you have the misfortune of reading it, as you can guess, it equates to euthanasia. I read it before my son's 6th grade class completed the book due to a newspaper article I had read 3 years ago.
My son has had nightmares ever since. He does not understand why someone would write a book like this. Although there are some redeeming qualities about 'sameness' this is a book I would not recommend in any capacity.
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Summary: A book that makes you appreciate our world opposed to theirs
Review: When Jonas leaves with Gabriel, and looses most of his memories, he then feels and experiences the same memories he got from the Giver. He really hasn't lost anything. Instead, he finally understands what the memories mean. After he has lost the memory of snow, a sled and a hill, he experiences it and then the memory can stay with him (Jonas) and Gabe (Gabriel) for life , and the same thing with the music. Also when he takes Gabe (Gariel) with him, he is understanding the true and real meaning of love, unlike the community, who can't experience love because they don't know what love is.
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Summary: very dark and not for children 14 and under
Review: When my 7th grader was reading the Giver and said the book was very strange, I picked it up myself to read. It is a strange
book that is very sad, dark and about a society of people that does not experience life as it really is, but experiences life in a controlled way. There is no pain, love or self expression. The old are sent to the house of old to live until death, never to embrace grandchildren. The weakest in the community are "released" which means they are murdered. The scene in the book where the youngest twin (twins aren't allowed)is injected with a lethal injection,goes thru spasms, then goes limp and dies is ultra sad for anyone to read, let alone a young reader. The law doesn't apply to this community. What exactly is the books value to our children and what lessons are they learning?
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Summary: A great read!
Review: When writing a book with a setting where there is no poverty no theives and so forth it would probably be very hard to maintain your train of thought, but Lowry did an excelent job and created a wonderful book.
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Summary: My favourite English novel
Review: When you start reading the book you do not understand anything , but then more and more the fictual world is building up in your mind. The main character a boynamed Jonas is a little bit out of the ordinary . So for example he csn see things others can't.He lives in a "preconditioned" world where people are not supposed to do their own decisions . Later he becoms the Receiver of his community . That means he will be after his training the leader of the Elders a committee that leads the community . And last but not least there is a rule for everything even for things like the age when children get their bikes . All in all "The Giver" is a very interesting novel that by the way was awarded with the Newbery Medal and other important prizes . But I think you have to make up your own opinion so buy it , read it , like it .
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Summary: *Think of Life*
Review: When you think of life , be happy you have someone who loves you or when you love someone.When you think of life,be glad that you have someone to take care of you, a shoulder to cry on. Read this book and see things in a whole new way.
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Summary: A thought-provoking look at current issues!
Review: While many reviewers state that this is an adult book, not children's literature, I disagree. Our children are a lot smarter than most of us give them credit for. This book deals with confusing issues in a way that allows children to see that adults don't have all the answers and that it's ok to be uncertain. Children are given a discreet look at adult issues in a manner that helps them to make sense of the world around them.
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Summary: "disturbing" is a good thing
Review: While reading some of the reviews that gave the book less than five stars, I was simply shocked. I loved this book. I believe I have 3 copies at home, and I've read it at least 8 times. Some of the reasons people gave for not liking the book were that the novel was confusing, they didn't like the ending, it didn't explain things enough, or (and this is the worst) it was "disturbing". I'm sorry, people, but that is the whole point of the book. I'll first address the fact that this book is confusing. I think it is a valid point, the book does confuse the reader. The reader goes into the novel with assumptions, and the author takes those assumptions and smashes them down the garbage disposal. The frist thing you must realize is that this world is entirely fictional, but like "Fahrenheit 451" and "Brave New World", it is set in the future of humanity. Any confusing events are there to make the reader think. If you are wanting a simple read, just to take your mind off life, I do not reccommend this book. You are just one of those people that this book is against. The book is thought-provoking. Lessons are revealed on many levels, and after many reads. If you find the book confusing, stick with it, read it again, and again, and I guarantee it makes sense. The ending of the novel is just another method the author uses of involving the reader, making the reader think. I won't describe it (you'd all hate me forever), but the ending is basically a fill in the blank. It kills me every time I read it, but every time, I fill in the blank with hope. You'll understand when you get there. Basically, it is ambiguous for a reason. The question the author is asking you is, how will you make the story end? Will you give up your humanity for peace and contentment and boredom, or will you fight for your right to feel, and see, and think? As for the people who thought the author didn't explain things enough, just deal with it. The author wrote the book the way the author wanted to write the book, and maybe the explanations have a reason for being ambiguous. The novel isn't a detailed science report, it is a book with a message, and the author is entitled to whatever poetic license the author wants. Think about the ambiguity and maybe there is a purpose behind it. Facts that don't illuminate the message would just detract and confuse people. And now for the other point. Granted, I only read one that said that the book was disturbing, but that made me so angry that I had to put down my thoughts right away. The book is SUPPOSED to be disturbing. If you didn't think it was, then you are disturbed. But the point is to look at the disturbing parts. It disturbs you to make you look at your life. Are you the kind of person who would go along with this society that murders babies, murders those who don't conform? The message is about the price of individuality. Don't just take a shallow view of this book. If you want shallow, read "The Boxcar Children." This book is for kids, a lesson against peer pressure, but also for anyone who is willing to take the author's challenge and actually THINK for once.
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Summary: The Giver is an EXCELLENT story about a boy named Jonas
Review: who is selected to be the Receiver of Memories. Jonas lives in a perfect community with no choices and no pain, but when Jonas is training to be the Receiver, he feels pain and war and suffering. He knows about colors and choices and realizes that his community is not perfect. As a 5th grader I feel The Giver is a very excellent book, and I recommend it to everyone!
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