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Summary: The Giver
Review: In the story a child is going into adulthood faster than most people. For twelve years the main character, Jonas, will grow up in what they call a perfect world. This perfect world has no colour , feelings or pain.
When Jonas is twelve he is picked to be the new reciver of memories. For a long year after he is twelve the Giver will transmit to him all of the memories they are missing. Jonas finds out what a lonely world he is living in , so he and the Giver make a plan to...I am not going to tell you the end if you want to know read the book.
My rating***
I give this book three stars because I don't like books that do not have an ending that tells you what happens. So the story line was really good in this book but did not tell me what I wanted to know. The other thing that bugs me is that it tells you that they don't have colour and weather but they do not tell you how they got rid of it.
Becky Holden mr.C's grade 7 class
Rating: 
Summary: The Giver Takes More Than it Gives
Review: In the story The Giver, a boy, named Jonas, lives in a community that the people think is a utopia, but he learns it is the exact opposite. The community is interesting because everything is chosen and done for you. For example, your job is picked for you by a group of elders, and your bike is given to you at the age of nine. At first, Jonas likes his community very much because everything that is needed is provided, and he has nothing to worry about. Then, he is selected to be the receiver of memory, the person who keeps all the memories from different generations. He goes to the Giver who trains him and soon finds that his world is not so great after all. The conflict in this "utopian" world is that Jonas wants everything his community does not have. He learns that there are things called love, color, and music. He decides he wants to run away and, in the process, breaks most of the community's rules. If Jonas is caught, he will be severely punished. After successfully running away, Jonas is miles down the road from where he began his journey and is struggling to keep moving. Jonas sees a colorful house with people inside who seem to love each other, and he hears what he thinks is music. Lowry leaves you there to make up your own ending. The Giver is very well written, for example, the language that is used is not too advanced but at just the right level for a sixth or seventh grader. However, the book gets into a slump in the very beginning and becomes very boring because there is nothing happening in Jonas' life. Even his escape is not very suspenseful because whenever he is about to be caught, he uses a very dull strategy to get out of the situation. If you're looking for a book with a lot of action and suspense, keep on looking. I would give this book two out of five stars.
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Summary: The Giver and the importance of Folklore
Review: In the story THE GIVER, the importance of folklore in a culture is shown. This story takes place in a futuristic time, though it's not like the people seem to be more advanced, just more controlled. No one can make any choices for themselves, though they don't want to because they could get it "wrong". Animals are mythical creatures, the sun, colors, snow, hills, and everything that could be an inconvience to their society is gone. All are supposedly equal, though it doesn't seem that way. The Giver in this story is an Old man who has generations of memories from many other givers, and when his time comes to be "released", he has to have passed on all of the memories to a chosen person. Neither the Giver nor the receiver can share any of their knowledge with anyone else, this is how the people want it to be, without pain, but without pleasure. No one knows their was a past, no one knows there will be a future, they just exist. Jonas is assigned to the job of Receiver of Memory, and his ignorant life has ended. As he learns more and more about the past, the different feelings and things that exist, he can't understand why the whole society doesn't want to know of these things. So he and the Giver devise a plan in which memories will be released back into the community, and they would learn what life should be like with memories, culture, and love. Folklore is important because of how it can teach and relay ideas to help improve a culture or a person. Without folklore, then our societies would be as boring as the next, nothing to set us apart from others. I think THE GIVER tells this in a very different way, and I hope that you will enjoy the book as well.
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Summary: I liked it.
Review: In the tradition of "Brave New World" and "1984", Lois Lowry changes from her mood from a very funny book writer to make her one and only science fiction book - and her best. "The Giver" suggests the wonders and horrors of a Utopia. Jonas, the main character, when he becomes twelve, is assigned the absolutely most important role in his Community. It is to receive memories from an older man. No one else has memories. They look up to him for advice. At the end of the book, Jonas and the older man, The Giver, decide they need to share memories, and Jonas leaves the Community. When the Receiver leaves the Community, the whole Community begins to experience memories, and everyone goes crazy. Jonas's journey is to Elsewhere. No one in the Community knows what Elsewhere is, but Jonas finds out that Elsewhere is what we live in, not the dull, boring Utopian society Jonas is used to. Straight forward, "The Giver" is, by far, the most influential book I've ever read. From my point of view, it shows that if we don't change our ways to good, they'll be changed for us - for good. We also learn that a perfect life is definately not perfect by the standards of an un-perfect society, and that the only way everything will be perfect by both standards is when we are in Heaven. I encourage you to read this book. By the page number, you will think it's a children's book, but by the book, you will be influenced like you never thought possible by a book.
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Summary: A Question of Choice
Review: In the wonderfully imaginative mind of Lois Lowry, a futuristic Community has been created where there is no more war, no more suffering, no more starvation, no more unemployment, no more choices. Everyone is seemingly happy. This is where a Twelve named Jonas lives. He is selected one day to be the Receiver of Memory of his society by the Elders of the Community. This is the highest honor to receive and at first Jonas is nervous, but excited to start training. But once under the instruction of his mentor, The Giver, who teaches him the truth about the choices his ancestors made, Jonas begins to understand the pain involved in bearing the burden of truth. Together with the Giver, he makes the tough decision to initiate change, if he can survive long enough to do so.
This book was one of the most engaging books I have ever read. Lowry has a talent for creating memorable characters and uses stark details that place the reader right alongside Jonas. She also has a knack for lucid pacing and dialogue. This book examines the question of the choices we might make to "make this world a better place," and the sacrifice that comes with comfort. I recommend this novel to readers of all ages.
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Summary: A Community Custom
Review: In this astonishing novel, a boy named Jonas is turning twelve years old. In the community of which he lives in, a celebration is held each time that you turn a year older. During the celebration, or ceremony you are expected to do a specific job or play a specific role. Adulthood is very important in this community because turning twelve is a big deal and it puts you up a step toward maturity. At the Ceremony of Twelve, you receive a job, or your role in the community. Considering Jonas is turning twelve this year, he is expected to get his role in society, along with his friends Asher and Fiona. Asher hopes that his role in society will be the one that has to do with taking care of kids and Fiona hopes that her role is the one that will have to do with taking care of the elderly. Jonas doesn't really mind of what role he gets, but he hopes that it will be something that will suit him well.
When the big day finally comes, Jonas gets a job that he will soon get to love. This role will suit him very well. He begins to learn things about his community and has a knowledge of things that only he and his teacher are allowed to know about. He also learns about the people who have been "released" from the community.
This book is both suspenseful and rush-fulfilling. In this book, you are always waiting for the huge moment of what Jonas's role in the community will be. Once you find out the role he plays, you will want to keep reading to see what will be the outcome of what he learns and how his experience will eventually turn out. -A.B.-
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Summary: I absolutely loved this book.
Review: In this book Jonas was living in a perfect community, no love,hate,or feelings. Although I liked the book I would really hate living there. I recommend this book to everyone.
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Summary: A wonderful book!
Review: In this book Lois Lowry introduces the fascinating concept of people living in a world of sameness. When twelve year old Jonas receives his job assignment as the community's Receiver the Giver introduces him to a world he never knew, a world of color, music and birthdays. Jonas wants the people of his structured community to experience feelings, and choice. And maybe with the Giver's help he can do it. I highly recomend this book, it combines exceptional writing with a fascinating concept, and it really makes you think
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Summary: This is a great book!
Review: In this book there is a main character named Jonas who lives in a world of samenaess. At his "cermony of twelves" he gets the job the reciever. Through Jonas's training with the old reciever or the "Giver" he learns about true happiness and pain. He is shocked about what the lives of people are like outside of the commuity, and about there "choices" in life and how there is color. This is a very good book and I highly recomend it!!!
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Summary: A true classic that's NOT JUST FOR YOUNG ADULTS
Review: In this understated masterpiece, Lowry examines the idea that humans could entertain the possibility of giving up love, strife, choice, and all variables in life in exchange for "happiness" (really a sort of placid complacency.) The premise seems unreasonable as the act of love is mechanized, career paths are chosen by a board of elders, and all the pain and joy and memory of society is stuffed into one overloaded brain. The Giver must give this knowledge to the Receiver, "The (New) Chosen One," an astute twelve-year-old boy named Jonas.
In the beginning he never questions his society because he knows no alternative, but he knows he has always been a little different than the other kids. As soon as he is exposed to pain and love he wants to share them with others, but the Giver explains the circumstances of his society and his lonely responsibility. Like members of today's society, Jonas and the Giver must decide whether it is right to continue compromising freedom and choice for security and "happiness." CLEARLY THE ANSWER IS NO!!! Mature juveniles (a paradox?) and even adults can enjoy and learn from this novel. Younger kids can still appreciate the good writing even if the universal concepts don't yet click. Spread the word!
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