The Giver by Lois Lowry

Eleven-year-old Jonas lives in an ideal world.  There is no crime, no hate, and no fear.  But it is not until Jonas turns 12 and begins working with the Giver that he learns there are things like love, color, sunshine, and music that are also missing from this “ideal” world.  As the new Receiver of Memory, Jonas begins to receive all the secret memories of the less-than-perfect past world that the Giver has to give him.  With each new memory, both good and bad, Jonas begins to question the world he has been brought up in.  There is no suffering, but there is also no joy, no choice, no individuality, and no privacy.  Can Jonas continue living in this “ideal” world when he knows the truth about what he’s missing?  Can he keep his secret memories locked away inside himself until he grows old and it’s finally his turn to be The Giver?

Set in a future world, The Giver examines the high cost of living in a conflict-free world of perfect order and sameness, where every step in life from birth to death is carefully controlled.  A powerful story that combines science fiction and fantasy with history and real life, this book is recommended for young adults of all ages in public and school libraries.

Awards

1994 Newbery Medal
1996 William Allen White Award
1993 Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book
ALA's Best Book for Young Adults
ALA's Notable Children's Book
Booklist Editors' Choice
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

Learn More

Read more about Lois Lowry on her website or her blog.  The Giver is currently being made into a movie, which is scheduled to release in 2013, so be sure to watch out for that.

Watch a short interview with Lowry below:

A quote from the book:

“The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain.  It's the loneliness of it.  Memories need to be shared.”

― Lois Lowry, The Giver

Read the sequels to The Giver to find out what happens Jonas, his family, friends, and the world they live in.

Book #2

Book #3

Book #4

Lowry, Lois.  The Giver.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1993.  Print.
9780385732550; Hardback; $8.00; 180 pages

Also available in paperback, audiobook, and ebook formats.