The Giver has been on my TBR list since 2 of my kids have read this novel in public school.  Written in 1993, by Lois Lowry, it is the first in the Giver Quartet which includes Gathering Blue, Messenger and Son.  The Giver has sold over 10 million copies and has been made into a movie.

The Giver is part of many school curriculums for grade 6 or 7.  Despite its ability to engage students and spark learning and discussion, it has been listed as the 11th most banned book on the American Library Association list of 100 Most Frequently Banned Books – take a look at the list and you will see that Lowry is in good company with many other terrific authors!

The Giver tells the story of Jonas.  He seems to live an idyllic life with his parents and younger sister in a safe, regimented community where everyone knows their place.  As he becomes ‘a twelve’ he is assigned the role of Giver and begins the process of learning the memories from ‘before’.   As he begins to see colour, experience pain and feel joy, he begins to question the way of life within his community where everything is same and the residents are protected from any discomfort.

I enjoyed this book during my commutes and the audio version was narrated very well.  I don’t want to comment too much about the plot in an effort to avoid spoilers but would be happy to chat about it offline!  The audio version kept my attention and, a few days after finishing it, I still find myself thinking about it.

I enjoyed reading the author’s biography – she was born in Hawaii and moved frequently since her father, and later her husband were in the military.  Her first book was written at age 40 and like me, she had 4 children.  She has published more than 30 books which are enjoyed across the world!