Rating: 
Summary: Great Book, Bad Ending
Review: I give The Giver four stars because it is a great book, but the ending is one which I myself did not understand. The Author, Lois Lowry, obviously put a lot of thought into each individual character. When you read the book it is as though the characters are there around you. You can see them. They come alive in your mind. Jonas, is a young boy who does not see the world with the same eyes as us, for he has grown in a community different from those in which we grew. There nothing has great importance as they do to us. Then his life is changed in a way his fellow citizens can not understand. Everything in his life is different. As you read, you can feel the pain that Jonas feels. It is some of the best characterization I have ever read. The community in which Jonas lives in strangely different from ours. Lois Lowry brings the community to life. She explains in detail how the community does certain things to keep perfection. It is as though she is in this community writing what she sees and hears, yet this community does not exist in real life. She lets you see into the ways of the community. For example, each night at dinner a certain amount of food is given to each family. If the family does not eat it all at supper they must put it in a container and set it on their doorstep so that the city maintenance crew can pick it up. This is something new to the reader and Lois Lowry brings it to life. Love is something that the community does not have. The pills they are required to take stops all feeling. Yet, when Jonas stops taking the pill and works with the Giver, he knows what love , sadness, happiness and loneliness are. He is starved for feeling. He does not like the idea that the Community has been deprived of such things. He knows it needs to change. This book is truly one that show the characters feeling. I think that Lois Lowry put a lot of emotion into this book. It is a superbly written piece and I see why it received the Newbery Award.
Rating: 
Summary: My Giver Review Essay
Review: I give this book 5 stars. I am just a simple 12 year old boy, but this book inspired me. The Giver told me what might be the future. I think 12 year olds should read this book because it makes them use their brains and think. Lois Lowry wrote this book well, except for the dream Jonas had , and the needle in gabs head . Overall , I thought she had good detail on the memories and how the community was run. It was very intriguing in many ways and no matter what , I was always on my heels because of all the action going on. It taught me some ways of life, and the truth. It made me re-think what I have and what I've got. It was a different book for me because i usually read mystery or murder books but to me this was an "everything" book. It was an ambiguous book that means it makes you decide for yourself. It treats you like an adult so you can make choices. When I first read this book I felt more mature. It is an amazing book , that's why I gave it 5 out of 5 stars. If I were you I would read this book . Lois Lowry is a great writer and I wish she would write a sequel. Treat Lois Lowry and read this book. In my 12 years of life I will say this was one of the best books I have ever read.
Rating:
Summary: Haunting and Deep
Review: I got this book from the library because my sister, who is only eleven, reccomended it to me. She said she enjoyed it, but obviously she couldn't have understood its true depth. I read this book in one afternoon, since it is short and the language simple, but it haunted me for days. This book made me so glad to be human; it made pain feel wonderful just because I could *feel*. The only word for it is spectacular. It made me cry when I found out about Rosemary, and I was ecstatic when Jonas took Gabe with him. The ending is a bit unclear, but I think it was meant to be that way. This book will never end, since we all have our own ideas about what will happen next. I love books that end that way, since they can just make me think for days on end. Some people have said that this book is sick, and not something they'd want their kids to read. I think that that's censorship, and isn't that something that this book talks about? In the book no one is allowed to read books, for fear that they might actually - gasp - think! By saying that you wouldn't want your kids to read this, aren't you doing the same thing? This book isn't sick, it just inspires contemplation. The plot is beautiful and at the same time frightening. I could spend years analyzing it, since it has to many different meanings. I found it terrifying, since Lois Lowry is clearly warning us about what might happen if people continue the way we're going: We long for perfection, but can there truly be a perfect world? I doubt it, since a "perfect" world would end individuality and rebellion. This book is wonderful, but it's not really suited for sixth-graders. If I were a teacher, I'd prefer to have ninth-graders study it, since I'm sure they would understand it much better. I'm thirteen, but I'm a bit ofa philosopher, and the other people in my grade who read this book didn't really grasp its true meaning. This is an amazing book. It may be a bit strange, but, all you people who say that it's sick and you'd never let your kids read it, have you even stopped to contemplate it? It's people like that who made Jonas's world the way it was. Think about it.
Rating:
Summary: A look at what could happen to our world.
Review: I had heard about this book for years but I had never read it. People always talked about it like it was a forbidden fruit or a masterpiece. The question always was, "Should children read this story?" I finally had a chance to read it! I found the story to be very intriguing. It makes you think about the "what ifs" that could happen in our future. The author pulls you into Jonas's world by involving you in the memories that The Giver passes on to him. Children should be briefed on the story and its elements before reading this book. I think it would be appropriate for middle school children. A teacher from Michigan.
Rating:
Summary: A book to read more than once!
Review: I had heard so much about "The Giver" that I felt compelled to read it myself. I soon started reading it aloud to my husband and a few hours later we were through and involved in a heavy discussion of the book. Since then I've read it twice more and met the author, and I've learned something new, about not only the novel but our society as well, in each reading. Great book for adults as well as teens.
Rating: 
Summary: Well-written, but disappointing!
Review: I had high hopes for this book, because I love Lois Lowry's Anastasia Krupnik series. Unfortunately, what started out a promising, fascinating read really fizzled at the end. The author did a great job creating a Utopian world that isn't all it seems to be, but I think she copped out towards the end. The resolution of the story is too ambigious for my liking. When I invest the time and effort into reading a challenging story like this one, I expect a payoff at the end, and this book disappointed me. It's one of those "Well, the ending is whatever you want it to be." If you don't mind that kind of story, then go ahead and read it. If you prefer your stories more neatly packaged and fleshed-out, skip it.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant!
Review: I had originally perchased this book for my 9yr. old son. I'm
so glad I got to it first. I have very little time to read and when I do I want it be a book worthy of my time. What a true find this book was! It is one of the best books I've come across in a long time. And, even better, it's a book that trandscends all ages and all time. *Just for the record I believe Jonas made the correct choice
Rating:
Summary: An Incredible glimpse into a new world
Review: I had read this book when I was younger, but was reassigned to read it for a class assignment. The first time I read it, the futuristic awe of the book passed me by, but after reading it again I've realized what a great vision into the future and inspiring novel it is. If you liked this book, you should also read the book 1984.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book For Teenagers
Review: I had recently read this book at school in my reading class. I am in eighth grade. I couldn't put the book down. It tells the story of Jonas, a boy who grows up in a world different then ours. He doesn't like it and wants to experience the outside world. He encounters a challenge,which is being picked as the new Reciever of Memory. This is a great book.
Rating:
Summary: A Top O' the World Book!!
Review: I had some misgivings about reading this book at first, for I was absolutely sure it would be really wierd. But my friends insisted that it was great so I gave The Giver a try. I was completely flabbergasted when I finished. The Giver was actually one of the best books I have ever read, and I've read millions! Sure, it's a bit unusual, but are there any great books that aren't? Sooo, if you're uncertain, looking for a book to read, or need a book for a friend or a child of around ten, get this book! The Giver is SUPERB!
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