This was always a favorite read-aloud in my middle grade classroom.
With the movie’s release last Friday, I had to pull it off the shelf and visit Jonas and his dystopian world once more. I wanted to remind myself of each plot point to eventually see what modifications the movie made, which was on the drawing boards for 15 plus years. Fans of the book have already voiced their displeasure at the increase in Jonas’s age from 12 to 16. I’m sure the producers wanted to reach a wider audience base. Also, with the relatively short nature of MG books, additional material was written to make it a full blown movie. Today’s review is all about this Newbery classic, but here are two links where the author, Lois Lowry, talks about the movie: BOSTON GLOBE ARTICLE & NEW YORK TIMES INTERVIEW
PUBLICATION DATE:1993 WORD COUNT: 43,617 READING LEVEL: 5.7
FULL PLOT (From Amazon):
The Giver, the 1994 Newbery Medal winner, has become one of the most influential novels of our time. The haunting story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community. Lois Lowry has written three companion novels to The Giver, including Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son.
FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT THE GIVER by Lois Lowry
- Jonas. If the world had a few more like him just maybe there would be more kindness, less wars, and a thoughtful appreciation for what we have.
- This is one of those stories that will touch you in different ways at different stages of your life.
- One of the best things you can do is a writer is to surprise your readers. Lois Lowry does that numerous times making this a page turning experience. It’s hard to put down. Early on you can probably guess the decision Jonas will make. It’s the mark of a superb writer that we get there in such unexpected ways.
- Rich discussions can take place with this tale. Was the ending what you expected? Could our present culture benefit from any of the characteristics of this dystopian society? What is the most valuable gift in life? How important is individualism?
- The ending can be interpreted in two different ways: Pessimism or Optimism. No matter which you choose as a reader there will still be a sense that the characters reached a stage of happiness they had never known before. I know we get more of an answer in book three, THE MESSENGER, but for now my vote is for an optimistic future for the main characters.
FAVORITE LINES:
For the first time, he heard something that he knew to be music. He heard people singing.
********************************************************************
Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.
Always in the Middle... 
One of my favorite books of all time. I first read it around 1995, and I read it again about two years ago, and loved it just as much. Yes, the ending’s ambiguous, but I prefer novels that leave something up to the reader.
Hah! You did exactly what I want to do this week…reread The Giver. On the ending I was and always have been on the “starting a new life” thought. Having said that I love the ambiguous nature of it and have had young patrons who do as well. And, ones who hate it, lol!
This is a great idea. I need to reread this too. I loved it when I first read it in the 90s, and it’s one my son enjoyed too. I don’t understand what the problem with the ending is…I thought it fit perfectly with the novel.
I haven’t read this for years. I do want to see the new movie. Maybe I’ll see the movie first and then reread the book. Thanks for your thoughts.
I have to read this–never did, always wanted to!
Pingback: A Year of Marvelous Middle Grade Monday! Are You Kidding? | Always in the Middle