BOTM for December is THE GIVER

[Jemima]

With 26.7% of the votes, our winner this month is The Giver by Lois Lowry, from Tuesdays at the Castle with 17.8%. The poll had 45 votes in total.

I'm interested to see the comments on this. I wasn't thrilled by the description, and since it is quite expensive for a UK reader to buy, I'll see if my library can get it for me.

You can post your comments any time for the next six months or so, as these posts remain open for ages.

[Cheryl]

I've read it several times, for school and for pleasure. I find it moving, and a good introduction to thoughtful SF for younger readers.

[Rebecca]

I re-read this just a couple of months ago. I think it's worth reading. Kind of an indictment of the safe-at-any-speed society we are trying to create.

I wonder if I can share a library ebook with you?

[Jemima]

Rebecca wrote: "I re-read this just a couple of months ago. I think it's worth reading. Kind of an indictment of the safe-at-any-speed society we are trying to create.

I wonder if I can share a library ebook wit..."

That's an interesting idea. I expect not, but no reason not to try :)

[Madeline]

This was a great choice! In fact, my own group read this last month. I didn't get a chance to read it because of some work, but I hope to read along with you all this month :)

[Justine]

I read this book a couple of years ago and watch the movie when it came out recently. It's a great book, and we can certainly talk lots about it like we did with Tuck Everlasting. I particularly liked the colour/no colour analogy to life with/without memories.

[Cheryl]

Do you think the movie did it justice? I don't really care to read it yet again, but I do need my memory refreshed to discuss it effectively....

[Cheryl]

http://www.cinemasight.com/review-the...
Actually, I just read this review and have decided I totally do not want to see the movie.

[Kat]

The Giver is one of my favorite books. It is classic a dystopian and a real "make you think" story. I read it when I was a student getting my library degree as part of a long list of required books. I grabbed it without reading the description, and that is the best way to go-- just read it and let the details unfold for you. As for the movie- bleh.

[Jemima]

I read the sample from my library (still trying to get them to give me a new card, but it seems I have to find a library and take proof of who I am with me) and it really made me want to read more. I find this nurturing, predictive world stifling, but intriguing at the same time!

[Rebecca]

Jemima wrote: "I read the sample from my library (still trying to get them to give me a new card, but it seems I have to find a library and take proof of who I am with me) and it really made me want to read more...."

You know if you came into my library with a card that expired years ago, I would give you a very sad, sad look :D

[Dixie]

I loved the Giver and liked Gathering Blue even more, but hadn't realized there were four in the series, so I ordered the last two.

[Beverly]

I haven't been around lately, but hope to start back with the group. I read The Giver years ago when I was still teaching, so I'm reading it again because my memory isn't that long. Back later.

[Jemima]

Rebecca wrote: "I would give you a very sad, sad, look."

Put it down to having enough money to buy 3 books for the price of 2 at Waterstones for the years of commuting!

[Gretchen]

I just finished re-reading THE GIVER. In my original review, I compared the characters to a human ant colony! This time I just found it creepy. But a very compelling read, until the ambiguous ending. Didn't leave me wanting to read more. THE GIVER, however, almost forced me to read on until the end. I'm sort of curious how middle grade students feel about the book.

[Dixie]

Part of the first book I ever wrote was written while my son was reading the Giver in about 7th or 8th grade. I hadn't read it yet, but our conversations about it intrigued me and inspired my villain, who tries to create peace by leveling everything, making all children leave home and attend school to learn one unified language, and curriculum. Later a reader in India remarked that it struck her as a good story but a bit heavily anti-communist. I burst out laughing in surprise but I think what she sensed was a direct result of my second hand exposure to the Giver.

[Lori]

I really enjoyed The Giver. I think it is a fantastic book to introduce kids to the dystopian genre. It's not my favorite in the genre but it is still very thought-provoking. I am going to add this to my pile of books to read aloud to my daughter. I think she will enjoy it quite a bit.

[Beverly]

I'm about half way through The Giver and love it, again. The characters are appealing, to me, even though they live in a strange world. Of course, it's all they know. It's also a scary world, thinking that no one has a choice as to his/her future. I haven't read the other books in the series but would like to.

[Dixie]

I have read this several times, and as I mentioned, my local book club also chose the giver for our Jan 22 meeting. I ordered the three other books in the Giver set, and read Gathering Blue, but then I love that book too, and had read it once. I haven't gotten to the next two yet, but did go in to teach and ended up with an hour to wait around and a copy of the giver nearby. I was going to just glance through, reread the snow sledding scene and ended up starting from the beginning again. My niece, last year was stage managing a performance of "The Giver" at Redlands University and Lois Lowrey came backstage after and said she'd been in the audience and loved their version.

[J.S.]

I finally got around to reading this book. I finished it last week and still have mixed emotions about it. I felt I had to push myself through the first few chapters. Good thing I don't live in a virtual, sterile world because even just reading about it was slightly maddening to me. I was intrigued and drawn in once they started showing how they maintain their perfect world. And couldn't wait to see how it ended. Then it ended, and I felt cheated. I really wanted a final chapter showing if the town survived the rush of memories. I would've love to see what it was like twenty years later, for example. Over all, I enjoyed the book, but would've loved just a little more.

[Cheryl]

I suspect that, because it's a children's book, the author left the ending open to encourage youngster's to imagine, maybe discuss as a family or class, what happens next.

Of course, sequels were written later, and though they are not directly connected, there is some information in them as to what the author imagines happened here.

[Jemima]

Just a comment, eighteen months later - I found it in my library, and read it in the last few days. I echoed JS's feeling: it ended... what? I reread the last couple of pages, and thought of multiple meanings it might have. Then I woke up with more meanings of the whole book. But one of those is - if there is nothing outside, where do the planes come from?
I was glad there was the comment from Lois Lowry in the copy I got, at the end, talking about how The Giver had spread internationally and the differences it had in other countries. It made for more insight.
I'm glad I read it, even this late!