The Giver by Lois Lowry (208 pgs, Houghton Mifflin) won the Newberry Award in 1994. (On a side note, it also won the Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Award in 1996 which is an award sponsored by the state of Illinois!) I picked it up for both the Newberry Challenge AND the Dystopian Challenge. I'm certainly glad I did!
"It was almost December, and Jonas was beginning to be frightened." And so starts the story of a boy that is growing up in a time and place where sameness is the way only way of life. There is no such thing as choice. When a child is born, it is placed in the hands of a Nurturer. The child isn't even named until December. Every December, there is a ceremony celebrating the year's in the life of a child. The newchild is placed with it's new family...one that is chosen for that child. Every family unit is allowed 2 children. One boy and one girl. No more, no less. As the years progress, so do the ceremonies. At 8, the child is allowed to start his volunteer hours. At 9, the child is given his bike. And at 12, the child is given his Assignment. This assignment is the job you are going to do for the rest of your life.
Jonas is nervous about the 12's Ceremony this year because he is to be assigned, and he has no idea what that assignment will be. As he sits in his position waiting, he hears the assignments of all his friends. But Jonas assignment is one that is a surprise to everyone. He is assigned to be the next "Receiver of Memories". It's one of the highest honors in the Community.
When Jonas starts his training, he meets "The Giver", the man he is replacing as a Receiver of Memories. The Giver must "give" memories to Jonas. And not just memories of the Community, but memories that have been passed from Receiver to Receiver. He is given memories of color, because there is no longer color in the world of Sameness. He is given beautiful memories of snow and family and love, all things that he has never really experienced before. But when Jonas is shown what it really means to be released, he must find the courage within himself to try to change the way of life for one newchild that is about to be released.
I thought this book was wonderful. I like dystopian books anyway. But Lowry has created a world that is structured and filled with sameness. A world that is hard to imagine. She shows us that even though the world we live in right now is filled with tough choices, at least we HAVE the right to choose. Maybe we make the wrong choice sometimes, but the alternative is not really better. And she has created a compassionate, loving and courageous character in Jonas. A character that should be admired. I can see why this book won the Newberry!! I think all young adults should read this one. 4.5/5
Also reviewed by:
Kristi @ Passion for the Page
Kristi @ Passion for the Page
