Littlest One is a tiny creature slowly learning her job of giving dreams to humans. Each night she and her teacher, Thin Elderly, visit an old woma...
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reviews
Dec 16, 2009
Amanda
rated it: 
This novel was a great departure from the trilogy of Lowry books I had just finished reading (The giver, Gathering Blue, Messenger). It's a fast read, since it's written for preteens/teenagers, but I think adults could appreciate the story and Lowry's writing style, as well. The book tries to answer questions about dreams and their origins and plays with a great narrative style by switching between reality and imagination. The story centers around both the real world of an old woman trying to
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Dec 17, 2009
Maury
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First of all, I really love Lois Lowry. That being said, I loved this as much or maybe even more than The Giver, her most famous book. This is the story of little mythic creatures that give us our dreams. I loved the idea of how and why we have dreams and nightmares, and fell in love with the characters in the story. I also loved that she didn't tie up the whole thing with a nice neat bow. . . the ending was satisfying, but like life, unfinished.
Jul 22, 2011
Amanda
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I love Lois Lowry. I’m so excited to have discovered her this year! For Christmas, I received Gossamer from my friend Julie (thank you!!), which is one of Lowry’s that I hadn’t heard of before. It was light and thin, so I took it with me when we went to visit my in-laws the last couple days. Turns out it was the perfect selection.
Most of the Lowry books I’ve read so far have been middle-grade to young adult, but this was aged younger, probably about 8 or 9 for the target audience. Litt More...
Most of the Lowry books I’ve read so far have been middle-grade to young adult, but this was aged younger, probably about 8 or 9 for the target audience. Litt More...
May 03, 2007
Becky
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Susan and Lisa were right! I loved this book. It is a very quiet, whimsical story, but it still packs a punch. Lois Lowry is not famous for nothing. I was intrigued by how much I felt for the main characters, the dream-givers, without ever knowing what they truly looked like. This book has made me think differently about dreams, nightmares, memories, and people's ability to change. And the importance of pets, souvenirs, and talismans (talismen?).
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Dec 17, 2009
Shaylece
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What is beyond the world of sleep? Where do our dreams come from? Lois Lowry uses her exquisite imagination to explain one of the most interesting parts of life, and makes it even more mysterious. People of all ages will find this an interesting way to explain dreams. Also, the way the story is worked and connected is wonderful and exciting. This is a good and uplifting story of a not so good start of a life for a child.
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Sep 25, 2007
Chris
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Interesting book. My wife loved it - said it was one of her favorites. I am a little less enthusiastic about it. Still, it's a good story with a neat premise (there are imaginary beings that grant people dreams and others than give nightmares and humans asleep are the proxy for their war). Worth reading if you like any other Lois Lowry book. She's consistently inventive.
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Dec 17, 2009
Michelle BF
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This book brings a lot of depth to those little girls who do believe in fairies by giving them a purpose in bringing dreams to people and fighting the dark forces that bring nightmares. Inspiring with a touch of magic that left some up to the imagination (isn't it nice when everything isn't spelled out for you)...
gossamer
gossamer
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May 23, 2007
Shea
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I highly recommend this book to young and old alike. It is a delightful and insightful children's book that will leave you with a feeling of gossamer which is hard to explain...you just have to read it. Though a fantastical perspective on dreaming, it has enough real elements to capture the fascination of multiple kinds of readers.
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Apr 20, 2010
Caroline Alicia
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Okay,
This one was truly a child's book. The print was GINORMOUS (aka gigantically enormous. hugantic? hah) boldface and the book was only 144 pages but I struggled to finish this book. Boring as crap. I have an issue swallowing words like 'flutter' and 'shimmer' and 'twirling'when they are being used repeatedly ...oh and the ridiculous names (oldest one, littlest one, fastidous)...
Back to the book review. There are these little fairy like creatures (forgot what they are More...
This one was truly a child's book. The print was GINORMOUS (aka gigantically enormous. hugantic? hah) boldface and the book was only 144 pages but I struggled to finish this book. Boring as crap. I have an issue swallowing words like 'flutter' and 'shimmer' and 'twirling'when they are being used repeatedly ...oh and the ridiculous names (oldest one, littlest one, fastidous)...
Back to the book review. There are these little fairy like creatures (forgot what they are More...
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Mar 21, 2008
Josephine
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This weekend I had a lot of mundane chores to take care of, so for a treat, I downloaded the audiobook of Lois Lowry's new(ish) book, Gossamer. For almost a year now, every time I've gone to the library, I've looked for Gossamer. Every single time, it's been checked out. This is a good thing.
Fuse #8 wrote about Gossamer when it first came out, and she had this to say about Ms. Lowry (to which I'd like to add an emphatic <span style="font-style: italic;">my feelings ex More...
Fuse #8 wrote about Gossamer when it first came out, and she had this to say about Ms. Lowry (to which I'd like to add an emphatic <span style="font-style: italic;">my feelings ex More...
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Jul 17, 2008
Kirsten
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Littlest One and her teacher, Thin Elderly, are tiny creatures whose job it is to touch beloved objects and then piece the bits of memory and emotion therein into dreams for humans. It is a wonderful vocation, but not without its dangers: there are also the Sinisteeds, terrible creatures that plague people with nightmares. Perhaps most frightening of all, dream-givers like Littlest One and Thin Elderly can become Sinisteeds if they don't do their work carefully.
Littlest One and Thi More...
Littlest One and Thi More...
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Mar 05, 2008
Dawn
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The dream-givers creep around a dark house in the middle of the night. They are compassionate beings who visit humans at night. They touch objects, gather memories, and return them in the form of happy dreams to those that live in the house they are assigned to. The Sinisteeds,inflict nightmares and sometimes travel in frightening Hordes. Littlest and Thin Elderly care for a lonely old woman and a foster child named John. John has endured an abusive father who forces him to eat dog food after
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Mar 08, 2008
Megan
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I listened to this one on CD, and the performed did a great job. It would be good for younger readers.
This book is a fictional story about dreams and nightmares. It follows a young gossamer and her teacher as they give pleasant dreams to an older woman and a young boy named John who is staying in her home as a foster child. Although the story is told mainly through the eyes of the young gossamer, the reader is able to follow the struggles and success of all of the characters. More...
This book is a fictional story about dreams and nightmares. It follows a young gossamer and her teacher as they give pleasant dreams to an older woman and a young boy named John who is staying in her home as a foster child. Although the story is told mainly through the eyes of the young gossamer, the reader is able to follow the struggles and success of all of the characters. More...
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Jan 26, 2008
Jennifer
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Littlest One is the newest Dream Giver in her heap. Playfull, laughing, and barely visible she lightly touches the handful of things in a little boy's room, crafting dreams to send him each night.
Gossamer is a beautiful story filled with wonder, hope and love. Lowry has done a brilliant job with her writing and every part of the story is perfect and well crafted. This is a fun and quick read that is somehow as dreamy and intangible as the title. It left me smiling and glad to have More...
Gossamer is a beautiful story filled with wonder, hope and love. Lowry has done a brilliant job with her writing and every part of the story is perfect and well crafted. This is a fun and quick read that is somehow as dreamy and intangible as the title. It left me smiling and glad to have More...
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Nov 12, 2007
Kimberli
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In Gossamer by Lois Lowry, Littlest One creeps in the middle of the night practicing dream-giving on an elderly woman and her sleeping dog. Toby is training to be a dream-giver, which is someone who gathers shreds of memories and gives them back as dreams. Then the elderly woman takes in a foster child who is an eight-year old boy named John. Littlest One now has to take on a great challenge, she must try to help John with his bad dreams. This book is an interesting fantasy that offers a clever
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Feb 04, 2008
Deanna
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I read a copy of this to see if I wanted it in my Young Adult Fiction library, since I am a fan of The Giver. I couldn't decide whether to give it three of four stars, cause I really wanted to give it 3 1/2. It started out not drawing me in, and really annoying me because there is no description of the dream givers (on purpose by the Author) and that annoyed me. After that, I got into it, and really enjoyed it. I will be buying it.
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Feb 13, 2009
Creative
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This book is a little different from the classic Lois Lowry, and my favorite of all her works. I read it a few years ago and it really got me thinking about memories and association. It's about Littlest, a very young member of a group of beings that take memories from a human's house, weave them into pleasant dreams, and then give them to the humans in their sleep. Littlest is told she has a "gossamer touch" - although inexperienced, she has a lot of raw talent for finding the right me
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Dec 21, 2011
Emily
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As she did in The Giver, Lowry once again examines the role memory plays in our lives – this time the role of memory in creating dreams and nightmares. Littlest, a tiny, fairy-like creature, is a dream-giver-in-training. Through Littlest’s delicate memory gathering touch, which her teacher describes as “gossamer,” and Lowry’s poetic story telling, the stories of both the old woman and her foster son John, a troubled, abused child are revealed. Both John and Littlest face danger and terrible
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Sep 17, 2011
Reading Vacation's Mom
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Gossamer is a fairy tale about Littlest One, who is a dreamgiver. She touches objects and transfers the memories from those objects to humans as happy dreams. Littlest One is curious, playful, caring, and brave. She has a cute way of asking her superiors all kinds of silly questions. Littlest One wanted the best for the humans in her house, and she tried to make their lives better.
The world of dreamgivers is interesting. They live in a cloud castle and must always be in the dark. The More...
The world of dreamgivers is interesting. They live in a cloud castle and must always be in the dark. The More...
Jun 01, 2011
Carrie
rated it:
Where do our dreams come from? Two-time Newbery Medal winning author Lois Lowry explores the possibilities in her newest and most captivating book yet. The imaginative and poetic phrasing of Gossamer draws you in from the first line and holds you completely rapt until the end.
Lowry spins her tale by narrating the day to day experiences of an imaginative creature known as a dream giver. Dream givers are tiny transparent things that humans will never see. By touching lightly and More...
Lowry spins her tale by narrating the day to day experiences of an imaginative creature known as a dream giver. Dream givers are tiny transparent things that humans will never see. By touching lightly and More...
Mar 08, 2011
Charity
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I read this book a week ago and I have been pondering it almost every day since then. It is a very quick read and an uplifting story. Thank you, Anut Jeanie, for recommending it.:)
I finished this book in the middle of the night (when else do I read, really?) and I felt awash with gratitude for my family and life. I'm glad I took the time to read. This is another story that will stick with me and inform the way I look at the world. I hope that it will keep my perspective kind.
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I finished this book in the middle of the night (when else do I read, really?) and I felt awash with gratitude for my family and life. I'm glad I took the time to read. This is another story that will stick with me and inform the way I look at the world. I hope that it will keep my perspective kind.
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Nov 16, 2010
Laura
rated it:
This is a pretty little story by Lois Lowry. I love her clear crisp writing style and friendly yet somehow sophisticated language. Gossamer is a myth about where dreams and nightmares come from. It is soft and light like the title. The element of this book that I really fell in love with is its characterization. Both the humans and dreamgivers represent realistic people that one is bound to either relate to, or know of someone like them. The dog Toby is one of my favorites because of his innocen
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Oct 22, 2010
Trish
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I liked the way the book opens with great dialogue between two creatures and we're not sure what they are or what they're doing, but we know that one is impatient and kind of uppity while the other is young and inexperienced, but charming. Nothing is explained, but clues are given in the writing.
I found that Sarah and Zack were able to deduce things about the story while Seth barely listened at all. We listened to the book whenever we got in the car to go to the YMCA or the park, which More...
I found that Sarah and Zack were able to deduce things about the story while Seth barely listened at all. We listened to the book whenever we got in the car to go to the YMCA or the park, which More...
Sep 04, 2010
Marie
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Certainly the premise regarding dreams on which Lois Lowry chooses to base this great little book could hold as much weight as the theories of Freud and Jung. I have spent a lot of time in college, as part of my profession, around dream labs, and doing some rather unscientific experimentation of my own trying to figure out where dreams come from or what they mean. My conclusion has been that dreams most often are the brain's way of sifting and sorting through "fragments" of experienc
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May 06, 2010
Steve
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A most charming thimbleful of diamonds shining brightly, this story shows once again, how very fertile Lowry’s mind is, and how very well she can apply those unique perspectives to lifelike situations. While the beginning left me wondering if the apprentice dream-giver, Littlest One, and her mentor and responsibilities weren’t entirely too cutsie an idea for me, I’m glad I persisted. Littlest One and the ‘grownup’ dream givers are cleverly made and the evil nightmare-inducing sinisteeds a most
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Mar 21, 2010
HRH
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I've read a good amount of Lois Lowry and this is my favorite. It's the story of a "dreamgiver," named Littlest, who is a tiny fairy who touches possessions to absorb "stories" then "bestows" the "fragments" into our dreams. Littlest, and Thin Elderly are assigned to the house of the Old Woman and the Boy, John. John is an angry 8 year-old in foster care. Lowry does an amazing job at describing John's internal struggles and behaviors without being obvious,
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Sep 08, 2009
Jamie
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Gossamer is a fantasy novel by Lois Lowry. This story is about Littlest one, a dream giver in training who is assigned to the house of an elderly woman with a dog, who has taken in an angry boy named John as foster child. John has had a history of being abused by his father. Littlest is part of a small group of dream givers. By touching, they gather fragments such as words, colors, and sounds, combine them to from dreams to humans and sometimes pets. The giving of dreams is called bestowal. T
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May 27, 2009
Scott
rated it:
I just pecked a few thoughts out on my iPod. And then fleshed them out a little.
Gossamer may have one of the most apt titles of any book ever written. It’s gentle, soft, soothing.
I’ve never read any other Lois Lowry, but her other books at least sound more interesting than this one. She tends to overuse adverbs and said synonyms, which no one notices as a problem until they read it. I would actually read about someone saying something, over announcing, shouting, etc.
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Gossamer may have one of the most apt titles of any book ever written. It’s gentle, soft, soothing.
I’ve never read any other Lois Lowry, but her other books at least sound more interesting than this one. She tends to overuse adverbs and said synonyms, which no one notices as a problem until they read it. I would actually read about someone saying something, over announcing, shouting, etc.
So More...
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Mar 11, 2009
Lucas
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The book Gossamer by Lois Lowry tells the story of a foster child and woman who takes him into her home. The one difference in this world is that dreams and nightmares are given to people by special creatures. Gossamers give bright dreams, and Sinisteeds inflict devastating nightmares. The foster child, John, has endured much abuse from his dad. With the combination of dealing with the bad memories of abuse and the struggles of being a foster child, John is a very weak being. The Sinisteeds atte
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