The Giver, by Lois Lowry, Paperback, Grades 5 and up

The Giver is a hauntingly powerful dystopian novel that belongs in every young reader's library! Jonas is a boy who inhabits a seemingly ideal world: a world without conflict, poverty, unemployment, divorce, injustice, or inequality. It is a time in which family values are paramount, teenage rebellion is unheard of, and even good manners are a way of life.

December is the time of the annual Ceremony at which each twelve-year-old receives a life assignment determined by the Elders. Jonas watches his friend Fiona named Caretaker of the Old, and his cheerful pal Asher labeled the Assistant Director of Recreation. But Jonas has been chosen for something special. When his selection leads him to an unnamed man -- the man called only the Giver -- he begins to sense the dark secrets that underlie the fragile perfection of his world.

Told with deceptive simplicity, this is the provocative story of a boy who experiences something incredible and undertakes something impossible. In the telling, it questions every value we have taken for granted and reexamines our most deeply held beliefs. Recommended for ages 12 and up.

Winner of the 1994 Newbery Medal

“A powerful and provocative novel”—The New York Times

“Wrought with admirable skill—the emptiness and menace underlying this Utopia emerge step by inexorable step: a richly provocative novel.”—Kirkus, starred review

“Lowry is once again in top form raising many questions while answering few, and unwinding a tale fit for the most adventurous readers.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“The simplicity and directness of Lowry's writing force readers to grapple with their own thoughts.”— Booklist, starred review

“The theme of balancing the values of freedom and security is beautifully presented.”— The Horn Book Magazine, starred review