The Giver By Lois Lowry

As a closet science fiction reader, there was a lot for me to like about The Giver. The book was a breeze to read and I found myself immediately sucked in. It is impossible to imagine living in a world of "sameness", no color, no snow, no sunshine, no individuality, no choice. The thought of a group of elders choosing my mate, my children, my job...
This story explored many complex themes. Of primary importance to the story, are the exploration of the role memory plays in who we are and the importance of the individual over the "community" or the whole. Memories are both a blessing and a curse to us as human beings. Memories bring not only pleasure but pain. In the absence of memory, the society cannot prevent mistakes. So they give the memories to the Reciever so that he may guide them when they are confused. It is through memory that Jonas learns what love and family really are. To be void of memory is to be void of feeling.
The importance of the individual is explored when Jonas shows the power that an individual has. Jonas is able to change the lives of Gabriel, the Giver, and the community as a whole by returning their memories to them in the end.
The book presents many thought provoking questions. A pivital moment in the book comes when Jonas is given his rules and asked himself, "What if they all had been instructed: You may lie". Jonas was raised in a society where you did not lie. His world was shaken. If he was given those instructions, what if others had been too? He no longer knew what the truth is. The climax of this discovery occurs when he asks to see the "release" of one of the newborn twins. He watches in horror as his father takes the life of the newborn and disposes of him down a shute. I believe it is this one event that shapes the decisions that Jonas will make through the end of the novel.
Then, there is the end. Lowry has skillfully left the end up to the reader. What happened to Jonas and Gabriel? Did they discover the "Elsewhere" or was it an echo of a memory from the Giver and Jonas' and Gabriel's fate is to freeze to death in the snow.
What a powerful novel for middle school aged children. Just as Di Camillo does in her works, Lowery was able to capture the darkness within and without each of us.

The Tale of Despereaux By Kate Di Camillo

I usually do not spend alot of time looking at the presentationof a book. After our discussion in class last week, I decided to take a closer look at the packaging of The Tale of Despereaux. I have the hard back edition of this book. On the front of the cover is a beautiful watercolor of Despereaux scampering across the castle floor with his sword tid to his side. The back of the cover is the staircase leading down to the dungeon. The spine of the book is adorned to look like a classic collector's book. It is red and black with gold writing and it contains a small picture of Despereaux and the caption, "The Tale of Despereaux being the story of a mouse, a princess, soom soup, and a spool of thread". The cover pages are a mint green with a scroll design all over the page making the pages appear to be part of an old book. The book itself is printed on a parchment, linen like paper with the edges of the pages appearing to have been chewed by a mouse. All in all it is the perfect set up for what is too come.
The story itself is absolutely magical. I love the convention of the author addressing the reader periodically throughout the test. I also like Di Camillo's use of unusual vocabulary, such as perfidity, and the explanation she provides.
The characters are well developed and each have their own distinctive personality. The plot is well crafted and perfectly meshed together. I also, thouroughly enjoyed the use of humor and irony throughout the book. One of my favorite parts is when Despereaux is being taken to the gallows by the two hooded mice and he asks is he might have one final word with the princess to which one of the mice replies, "Cripes. You don't learn, do you?" and Despereaux realizes one of the mice is his brother , Furlough.
I feel this book firmly establishes Di Camillo as a force in children's literature. Despereaux is so different from her other Newberry Award book, Because of Winn Dixie. But, each of these books is perfectly crafted for its particular genre.
This is a book I will definately recommend.