Chapter Book 4

A.    Author: Lois Lowry

B.     Title: The Giver

C.     Illustrator:

D.    Readability: 5.9

E.     Genre: Science fiction

F.      Subgenre:

G.    Theme: Power, Society

H.    Primary and secondary characters: Jonas and The Giver

I.       Award(s) date of publication:  Newbery Medal 1994

J.       Publishing company: Laurel Leaf

K.    ISBN number: 9780614221961

L.     Brief summary: Living in a world with no color, no choice in career leaves Jonas in a world full of questions. Who will he marry, who will be chosen as a child. Their lives are all just a cassette tape,that the elders control. As Jonas turns 12 he finds that his career will be replacing the Giver. Jonas will begin training immediately and he can live and ask questions to everyone as he pleases. The training continues by letting Jonas see all the memories, good and bad. He has to learn how to handle his emotions since before this he had never had any.  The day comes where Jonas learns about the “release,”  lethal injection, and who will be in the release process. Jonas is asked to fake his death  in order to free his community to feel. Jonas flees the city with baby, transmitting the memories to the child all of wonderful feelings.

M.   Description of how you would use the book with students: This book pulls at all of the heart strings. It is a good book for students to read when learning about society and fantasizing about what our lives would be if we were to live that way. It is a reflective tale that really is not for the faint of hearts, it brought me to tears.