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The Giver by Lois Lowry
Twelve-year-old Jonas lives in a perfect world with no war, no fear, and no pain. It is a world governed by the principle of Sameness where everything is safe and determined by the Committee of Elders. Jonas and his classmates await the Ceremony of the Twelves, where each will be assigned the tasks they will perform for the rest of their lives. Eventually Jonas realizes that "there aren't any choices, if everything's the same" and learns to appreciate the power of being an individual who makes choices and exercises control over his own life.

Ms. Rief chooses literature that will engage students in discussions about their own lives as well as about the world portrayed by the literature. She hopes these discussions will help students become informed, clear-thinking citizens who are able to communicate effectively with others and who think critically about the complex and diverse world in which they live.

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