I read this aloud with my 6th reading grade class. At first, the story started out a bit slow. Then we were all fairly well-hooked and into the strange and different world that the author has created, a society of normalcy. By the end, we were really rooting for Jonas and couldn't wait to see how the story ended. In fact, many of my students wanted to take the book home over the weekend to finish on their own the last couple of chapters, which was cool.
The Giver is thought-provoking and intriguing, with a futuristic and communal setting that drives home the importance of individualism and free will, or does it not? Imagine a perfectly created world without wars, pain, and suffering. What expense would come from this? You can’t have the good without the bad, right?
If science fiction is a genre that you enjoy or are new to, perhaps after reading The Hunger Games or the something similar, then The Giver might be a great book that you’d enjoy. Plus, if you like this one, then you’ll be happy to know that this is the first of a four-book set. Enjoy!
