Plot Summary: Given his lifetime assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the receiver of memories shared by only one other in his community and discovers the terrible truth about the society in which he lives. (from cataloging) Evaluation: My copy of The Giver is all bent and dog-eared from years of enjoyment. No one writes characters like Lowry, and the characters are what stay with me whenever I read her books. In this book, fittingly, the only characters that give a strong impression are Jonas and the Giver. The others are all fairly drone-like. My favorite moment in the book is when Jonas first sees color. I could see that moment with him, and it is one of the moments in any novel I have read that has stayed with me the longest. The story is simply masterful and deserves every one of the significant number of awards it has received. Possible Uses with Children: The book would lend itself to a study of almost any literary device, but particularly characterization and elements of plot. A clever teacher might also use it as a means to discussing individuality and the meaning of freedom.