By Lois Lowry

What if you lived in a world where everything was orderly and the same. Where life was structured and you didn’t have to worry about anything. Your future was planned out for you. That is the world that Jonas lives in. At first, everything seems perfect. He is about have his future determined for him, when, well, it doesn’t happen. Instead, he is apprenticed to the mysterious Giver, an old man who seems to have far more than the rest of society.

As Jonas learns about the world around him, he begins to see his society in a different light. Why is everything so structured? Who determines the rules? And where do people go when they’re Released? When danger threatens his family, Jonas must put everything he has learned to use to save the people he loves, if love can even exist in this world.

Why should you read this book?

I first read this book when I was in elementary school and have reread it quite frequently ever since. It is an amazing work of science fiction and a great introduction to the genre. If you’re looking for a quick read and an interesting plot, this book is the right one for you. It’s fairly light, but begins to introduce some heavier concepts that you can think about.

Who should read this book?

There are some darker themes in this book, but it shouldn’t really be that much of an issue for most readers. I would recommend this to 5th graders and above.

Note: The Giver is the first book in a series, but the other books are very different to this one. They are a lot darker and more disturbing and are not appropriate for middle schoolers. So please do not go and read the entire series if you like The Giver. Please wait until you are at least in high school, and maybe talk to your parents about it first.

General Stats:

• Genre: sci-fi
• Book 1 of 4 – see note above
• Age: 5th grade and above
• My rating: ★★★★★