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Books for Eagles
Books for Capable Readers
Ages 10-16 |
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THE GIVER
written by Lois Lowry
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Jonas lives in a
perfect society. There is no hunger or pain or unhappiness. All conduct is planned and
calculated by The Elders whose role it is to think and choose for the entire society.
Family members are assigned to each other. The number of births is regulated, and all
birthdates are equalized. Each age has its lessons and requirements. At Twelve, children
are assigned their role for life and relinquish their status as children. Jonas is a
Twelve this year, and awaits his assignment with apprehension. While his friends are
assigned familiar roles, Jonas is selected for a position he has never heard of before. He
is to become the Receiver, and the old Receiver takes on the role of Giver.
The thing given and received is memory - that
which is spared every other inhabitant. Even The Elders have no memory, storing this
powerful tool instead inside a single individual who can draw upon it to advise The Elders
against possible mistakes. The Receiver alone holds the memory of terrible pain and
marvelous happiness. Locked inside him are memories of war and passion, disease and death,
weather, colour, seasons, love. Jonas soon learns that, like all carefully constructed
lies, there is much that is flawed and deceptive holding his world together.
Alone in their
knowledge, only Jonas and the Giver can see beyond the illusion. Together they construct a plan to shatter
it. This is a book which profoundly challenges the notion that there are simple answers to
complex problems. It is a very powerful and chilling story.
Winner of the Newbery Medal
/ An American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults / A School Library Journal
Best Book of the Year
E02P019 - Paperback - 180 pp - $9.99
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