Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, 137 pages

From the MARC: "In 1943, during the German occupation of Denmark, ten-year-old Annemarie learns how to be brave and courageous when she helps shelter her Jewish friend from the Nazis."

I didn't read this book as a kid, but I wish I had. I really liked how Annemarie learns that courage isn't the absence of fear, but is doing what's right even when you are afraid.  

The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry

 (The Willoughbys #1)

192 pages

"This "sparklingly smart" (Kirkus, starred review) and "hilarious" (Booklist, starred review) story follows four children in an old-fashioned kind of family with parents that—well, they're not all that one would hope for.

"The Willoughbys—Timothy; the twins, Barnaby A and Barnaby B; and their sister, Jane—concoct a diabolical plot to turn themselves into worthy and winsome orphans. Little do they know that Mr. and Mrs. Willoughby, their odious mother and father, have already begun to formulate their own thoroughly despicable plan. Soon a stern nanny, an abandoned baby, a candy magnate and his long-lost son, and even a Swiss postman are pulled into the Willoughby children's schemes to escape their mother and father and live happily ever after...or something like that.

"Replete with a tongue-in-cheek glossary and bibliography, this hilarious parody pays playful homage to classic works of children’s literature with a fresh twist sure to please."  --from the publisher

What a great, classic, children's story. Lots of silliness if you don't mind a little dark humor. I give it four out of five stars.

Son (The Giver #4) by Lois Lowry

Son (The Giver #4) by Lois Lowry-304 pages

This is the fourth and final book in The Giver Quartet. It is the story of Claire and Gabe, her son, and how each longs for the other. It is also the story of Jonas and Kira and Village. It neatly ends the story that The Giver began. Lowry ties the story together very well in this book. I especially liked the ending. I would recommend that anyone who has read The Giver continue and read the rest of the story in Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son.

Messenger (The Giver #3) by Lois Lowry

Messenger (The Giver #3) by Lois Lowry-142 pages

This is the story of Matty and how we learn of his true name. It is set six years after the events of Gathering Blue and Matty has been in Village with Seer (Kira's father, Christopher) the entire time. Village has always been a welcoming haven for those who didn't fit in at their former villages (many of their former villages discouraged or disallowed emotions/feeling or were very flawed in some way). However, Village is changing for the worse and will soon be closed to outsiders. Matty must return to his old village and convince Kira to return with him to Village and Seer. We learn of Matty's true name at the end of the book, but there are clues throughout. I am eagerly anticipating the story's end in Son, which is the fourth and last book of The Giver Quartet.

Gathering Blue (The Giver #2) by Lois Lowry

Gathering Blue (The Giver #2) by Lois Lowry-183 pages

This is the second book in The Giver Quartet. The story is about Kira, a crippled girl living in a dystopian society that diminishes those with limitations/challenges, such as Kira. However, Kira is allowed to stay and is tasked with repairing/restoring the Singer's Robe. She soon finds out the truth behind the village/society she lives in. I like this book, but not as much as The Giver.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Giver by Lois Lowry-171 pages

I started reading this for the dystopian challenge last month, but didn't finish it in time. I had already listened to the audiobook version, but I wanted to read it myself. It is a good, thought-provoking read. It's ideas about sameness and differences invite the reader to consider such things and what the effects might be. We ought to celebrate our differences and realize that each of us is unique, yet the same in one aspect: that we are all human beings. I'm not a big fan of the abrupt ending and not learning exactly what happens to Jonas's former community, but perhaps it is best left up to the reader's imagination. Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys dystopian fiction and being challenged to think critically. I plan to read the other three companion novels written by Lois Lowry at some point in the near future, but I have other books to read, for now.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Giver by Lois Lowry (audiobook)-224 pages in print (depending on which edition)

I watched the recent movie with Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, and others, so I decided to listen to the audiobook since it is this month's challenge and it is a fairly short one. I wanted to know how the movie and the book were alike and different. The community and the way it is operated reminds me of many satirical, dystopian futuristic novels I have read and movies I have watched, such as 1984 by George Orwell, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Equilibrium (film), Gattaca (film), and etc. The Giver has some elements from each of the aforementioned movies and books. Sameness and not truly feeling anything is what the community values and that would be scary in reality. If everyone was the same, then it would be very boring and terrible. Additionally, the climate is controlled and there is no snow, no sun, no emotion based on weather. Books and films such as this make one (me, at least) think critically about life and living. I really enjoyed listening to this and it has peaked my interest in reading the rest of the series and in re-watching the movie, although I have a feeling that I will not/do not like the movie as well as the book.

Son by Lois Lowry

Son by Lois Lowry - 393 pages

This is the fourth and final book in The Giver quartet by Lois Lowry.  It is the book that ties all the other books together.  It tells the story of Claire, the birth mother of Gabe, the young child taken by Jonas when he was slated to be killed in The Giver.
I enjoyed the story.  I liked how it tied up the loose ends of the other books.  Listening to the audio did make me more aware that even though this book had the happiest ending of any in the series -- it really is not a happy book.  It is filled with heartbreak, sorrow, and yearning.

Son by Lois Lowry

Son by Lois Lowry -- 400 pages

The fourth book in The Giver Quartet, Son bridges the gaps between the first three books and ties them all into one story.

Son starts where the first book, The Giver starts, in Jonas' community where everything is in order. When Claire was 12, turning 13, she was assigned to be a birth mother, or a vessel. She carried her product and followed the rules, but somehow something went wrong. The birth went wrong. Her job went wrong.
She was then assigned to work at a Fish Hatchery, but she did not forget the baby that she had carried and seen. When she finds him, she keeps him a secret, telling no one that he is her son, but visiting him often and breaking her heart every time.

Claire's story lasts through the first three books and continues the story of the third book, joining all of our favorite characters and answering the questions that we still had.

This was my favorite book in the series.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Giver by Lois Lowry -- 240 pages

Jonas lives in a perfect community. No one is unhappy, because the government or "The Elders" have chosen your parents, siblings, job, children, etc. Everyone is the same. Everyone has a place.

Jonas and his schoolmates are at a critical point in their lives as they are 12 and ready to receive the job that they will have for the rest of their lives. But Jonas is not assigned to a job, instead, he discovers, he has been selected, chosen to be the next receiver of memories.

During his training, Jonas receives the memories of what the world was like before their community, and he begins to realize just what they had to sacrifice to get where they are. As he becomes less and less content, he starts looking for a way to restore memory to the community and bring back everything that they lost.

I enjoyed this book very much and I think it is a great children's book.

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry - 215 pages

This is the second book in The Giver quartet -- although you would never know it from reading it.  There is one small mention of a character from The Giver that is merely described by his eye color.

I listened to this book on audio.  It is the story of Kira, a young girl who is saved because of her skills weaving.  She is charged with repairing the Singer's robe that conveys the history of her world in pictures.

I enjoyed the audio version of the story.  It was a good story on its own - without trying to tie it to The Giver series.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Giver by Lois Lowry - 180 pages

Jonas has been given the high honor of being the next Receiver.  He will receive all the memories of the past to help the elders make important decisions for his community.  But is it right for only one person to remember colors, emotions, and music?

This is one of those books that I think people should reread over and over again.  Each time you read it you get a little more out of the story.  Since the movie version came out this summer, I decided it was the perfect time to read it again.  This time I chose to listen to the audio.  I really enjoyed the audio version of the book.  It was interesting how the voice of Jonas changed as he received more and more memories of the past.

The Giver, by Lois Lowry

The Giver, by Lois Lowry, 192 pages

Jonas lives in a society with no pain, no color, no choices, and no memory that things were ever different.  When Jonas' destiny is revealed to him, everything he thought he knew about his past and future begin to change.

I recently discovered that this book is actually followed by three other books, in a sort of series.  I was confused, because (spoiler alert, but not really, apparently) I remember having the impression that the main character dies in the end.  And... I still get that impression upon re-reading it.  Weird.  But anyway, this is a pretty good introduction to dystopia and science fiction for kids, who probably don't realize that is what they are reading.  But I think that adults, too, might enjoy revisiting this book.

Messenger by Lois Lowry

"Messenger" by Lois Lowry - 169 pages

The third and final book of the trilogy. Have a box of kleenex handy because this book will make you cry. Matty was introduced in the second book, "Gathering Blue". In "Messenger", Matty is enjoying his new life in Village delivering messages to the surrounding towns. He is the only one in the community that is able to go into Forest. Forest gives warnings to those who dare to enter without "permission" such as a sharp prick with a twig, etc. Matty must traverse the dangers of Forest one last time when he is sent to bring back Kira. Will Forest welcome him this time? Or not? Read now to find out.