The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Giver. Written by Lois Lowry. 1993. ISBN 978-0-440-23768-6. Winner of the Newbery Medal (distinguished literature for children). Contemporary realistic fiction. Ages 10+.

Jonas, an Eleven year old boy, lives in the Community, with his two parents and younger sister, Lily. None of them are blood relatives to one another. During the annual Ceremonies, Jonas partakes in the Ceremony of Twelve. This is where each child turning twelve receives their Assignment as to what their job or contribution to the Community will be for the rest of their lives. Jonas is Selected, not assigned, for the Receiver of Memory. A prestigious position, and known as the highest honored within the Community.

As Jonas meets with the old Receiver, now the Giver, he begins to study his trade, and learn about the outside world. The memories Jonas receives are not only those of the Giver, but those of the entire world, for as long as history, back and back and back. Jonas starts seeing things in color and feeling things such as love. He also has to feel terrible things such as War and neglect. Jonas doesn't understand why the world was so beautiful once and now everything is in Sameness. He expresses these feelings to the Giver, and they agree that these memories should be memories that everyone should have. The devise a plan to have Jonas escape and go find Elsewhere, but it goes horribly wrong. Jonas and his baby brother Gabriel escape on bicycle, and are searched after. As Jonas runs for his and Gabe's life, he leaves the Community and Sameness behind, along with all of the memories he sets free, into the people of the Community. Jonas and Gabriel do finally find safety in Elsewhere, or the normal world with color and music and love.

This book is a fascinating read, and I enjoyed it much more as an adult than I did as a child. I believe that is because I probably understood it more. However, it is not too hard for young readers to get through, and the concepts are not difficult.

This book can bring up a lot of questions about how we are all individuals and unique. It can also bring about a discussion of "what ifs." What if the world were like the Community? What if we saw everything in black and white? What if everything we had known in our childhood turned out to be a lie?