The Giver, Book 1
by Lois Lowry
Young-Adult, Fiction, Classics, Dystopia, Science-Fiction, Fantasy, School
At the age of twelve, Jonas, a young boy from a seemingly utopian, futuristic world, is singled out to receive special training from The Giver, who alone holds the memories of the true joys and pain of life.
Recommendations from Common Sense Media
Age Recommendation: 11+
What Parents Need to Know:
Parents need to know that Lois Lowry‘s The Giver is a thoughtful and original novel that examines a flawed utopian society. In the world of the book, a “Receiver” holds all of the community’s memories connected with pain, love, and desire so that no other people experience those feelings. The Giver is the first of a four-volume series, and it won the 1994 Newbery Medal. Lowry adapted it for an excellent graphic novel in 2019, and it was made into a 2014 film. The novel has a few disturbing scenes, such as when Jonas experiences the suffering of a wounded soldier, and when he learns that his community euthanizes unwanted people. There are also mild references to sexual desire (“stirrings”). The Giver is an excellent and thought-provoking example of a dystopian novel, and it is often assigned in fifth grade or middle school English classes.
Educational Value: 2/5
The Giver shows young readers a key example of a utopian novel. It also encourages them to think critically about a life without pain, love, or desire.
Positive Messages: 3/5
The cost of utopia can be dystopia. A life without suffering is, by nature, a life without love.
Positive Role Models: 3/5
Jonas risks his life to save a toddler. He realizes that he no longer cares for himself; all that matters is rescuing Gabriel.
Violence & Scariness: 2/5
Jonas is horrified when he learns that unwanted members of their society are executed. He also receives memories of war, and feels the pain and thirst of a wounded soldier. Jonas falls from a bicycle and cuts his leg.
Sex, Romance & Nudity: 2/5
Jonas begins experiencing “stirrings” and sexual dreams, but the only one he describes in detail involves realizing that he wants a girl his age to remove her clothes.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking: 1/5
As soon as they enter puberty, children begin taking a daily pill to control “Stirrings.”
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