Synopses & Reviews
A Newbery Medal-winning classic is reinvented in a gift edition format with illustrations from the acclaimed artist Bagram Ibatoulline.
Since winning the Newbery Medal in 1994, Lois Lowrys The Giver has become one of the most influential novels of our time. This illustrated edition, a celebration of the books standard of excellence and of Lowrys illustrious writing, makes a perfect gift. The text is complemented by thirteen new illustrations from the acclaimed artist Bagram Ibatoulline. Also included are an introduction by the author and her inspiring Newbery Medal acceptance speech. The additional content and gift packaging now make it easier than ever to introduce young readers to this riveting modern classic, and provide a fresh edition for its legions of fans.
The story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal world. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver does he begin to understand the dark secrets behind his fragile community.
The Giver is the first in a quartet of books that includes Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son.
Review
"Wrought with admirable skill -- the emptiness and menace underlying this Utopia emerge step by inexorable step: a richly provocative novel." Kirkus Reviews with Pointers
"In a departure from her well-known and favorably regarded realistic works, Lowry has written a fascinating, thoughtful science-fiction novel. The story takes place in a nameless, utopian community, at an unidentified future time. Although life seems perfect -- there is no hunger, no disease, no pollution, no fear -- the reader becomes uneasily aware that all is not well. The story is skillfully written; the air of disquiet is delicately insinuated; and the theme of balancing the values of freedom and security is beautifully presented." Horn Book Guide
Review
"Wrought with admirable skill -- the emptiness and menace underlying this Utopia emerge step by inexorable step: a richly provocative novel."
Review
Award-winning author Lois Lowry will deliver 2011 The May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture
The Giver
1994 Newbery Medal Book
Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor Book
ALA Best Book for Young Adults and ALA Notable Children's Book
"A powerful and provacative novel.”The New York Times
"Wrought with admirable skill -- the emptiness and menace underlying this Utopia emerge step by inexorable step: a richly provocative novel." Kirkus Reviews with Pointers
Number the Stars
1990 Newbery Medal Book
“A story of Denmark and the Danish people, whose Resistance was so effective in saving their Jews.”School Library Journal, starred
The Birthday Ball
"An original fairy tale with a decidedly comical twist." –Booklist, starred review
"Guaranteed to generate giggles and guffaws" –Kirkus
" . . . Feiffer's wiry ink illustrations paint the characters in offhand caricatures, adding to the merriment." –PW
The Willoughbys (Pub Date: 3/31/2008; Lifetime Sales: 83,860)
BESTSELLER LISTS
#9 The New York Times Children's Chapter Book List (8/03)
#5 The New York Times Children's Chapter Book List (7/27)
#13 Book Sense
The Heartland Indie Bestseller List, #14, Week ending July 17, 2008
"Lois Lowry...casts her noble and enviable shadow wide across the landscape of children's literature...here turns her quick, sly gaze to parody."Publishers Weekly, starred review by Lemony Snicket
"[S]parkingly smart satire."Kirkus, starred review
"The tone of this darkly dry pastiche is consistently witty, and it's chock-full of accessible parodic references to...classic children's texts...Lowry crafts a tidy plot." The Bulletin, starred review
"Great fun . . .sly humor and a certain deadpan zaniness give literary conventions an ironic twist, with hilarious results."--Booklist, starred review
Gooney the Fabulous "[Gooney Bird's] eccentric outfits and words of wisdom are peppered throughout to keep the story moving along while Thomas's characteristic black-and-white illustrations provide nice visuals. Full of new vocabulary words and information about fables . . . A must for Gooney Bird fans." --School Library Journal
Review
"Lowry, who has often turned to new genres and made them her own, now freely adopts certain conventions of the romantic fairy tale to create a fresh story buoyed by wry wit and occasional schoolyard humor. The many idiosyncratic characters are drawn with swift, sure strokes in both the writing and in Feiffer's inimitable ink drawings, notable for their economy and assurance of line as well as their pitch-perfect expression of personality, attitude, and emotion. An original fairy tale with a decidedly comical twist."and#160; and#8212;
Booklist, starred review
"Lowry uses her knack for cleverly turning familiar stories on their heads (last seen in The Willoughbys) in this tale about a princess who's utterly bored with privileged palace life...Throughout, Feiffer's wiry ink illustrations paint the characters in offhand caricatures, adding to the merriment. Employing elements from the "Prince and the Pauper" as well as ample doses of humor and slapstick, Lowry sets the stage for a rowdy denouement."and#160; and#8212;Publishers Weekly
"This is a captivating but gentle fairy tale with memorable characters and wonderfully swirly, evocative, energetic character sketches by the fabulous Feiffer."and#160; and#8212;School Library Journal
"In her clever fairy-tale reconstruction, Lowry transforms the traditional princess into a refreshingly egalitarian heroine with a mind of her own. The hilarious, original and truly loathsome suitors are aptly memorialized in Feifferand#8217;s spritely black-and-white caricature illustrations. Guaranteed to generate giggles and guffaws."and#160; and#8212;Kirkusand#160;Reviews
"A lighthearted concoction overflowing with wordplay and alliteration. . . . [Readers] will laugh themselves silly."and#160; and#8212;New York Times Book Review
"Lowry draws on wicked humor, sly wordplay and stock characters to propel this pleasantly predictable romp . . .[she] again proves her range."and#160; and#8212;San Francisco Chronicle
"Newbery Medalist Lois Lowry and acclaimed illustrator Jules Feiffer throw one not-to-be-missed party with The Birthday Ball."and#160; and#8212;Family Fun Magazine
"Feiffer's frenetic lines and distinctive caricatures maintain the offbeat tone while adding a charming quirkiness in their own right. Youngsters who like thier fair share of mischief will get a kick out of this fractured fairy tale either on their own or as a readaloud."and#160; and#8212;The Bulletin
"Happiness radiates out from the Birthday Ball, zings down to the village and up again. A great story when read aloud."and#160; and#8212;Chicago Tribune
Review
"This gently Christian piece with Rohmanns earnest pencil illustrations will please talking-animal fans"Kirkus
"An impeccably constructed, good-humored adventure filled with master plans, near disasters, and brave rescues, all gently frightening for readers even younger than the target audience. Lowry creates a cozy church environment of lenient sextons, disheveled organists, and skittish Altar Guild ladies, from a mouse's point-of-view. Fun and lighthearted."Publishers Weekly
.
Review
“A powerful and provocative novel”—
The New York Times
“Wrought with admirable skill -- the emptiness and menace underlying this Utopia emerge step by inexorable step: a richly provocative novel.”—Kirkus, starred review
“Lowry is once again in top form raising many questions while answering few, and unwinding a tale fit for the most adventurous readers.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“The simplicity and directness of Lowry's writing force readers to grapple with their own thoughts.”— Booklist, starred review
“The theme of balancing the values of freedom and security is beautifully presented.”— The Horn Book Magazine, starred review
Review
This unusual book contains photographs from Lowry's past and her reflections on them. In the introduction, she suggests that the book will answer readers who ask, "How do you get ideas?" Toward that end, every section begins with a quotation from one of Lowry's books that relates in some way to the subject of the photo. Think of yourself sitting down with Lowry and looking through her albums while she stops and points at pictures of herself as a child and a teenager, photos of her parents and siblings and, then, more recent pictures of her children and grandchildren. Each picture evokes a memory that is a paragraph to a couple of pages long. Readers who remember the deftly portrayed family relationships in Lowry's novels will be fascinated by pictures of Lowry, her older sister, and her younger brother, as well as the often amusing tales of their youth. The mood is not always light, though, and few will be unmoved by Lowry's reflections on her son Grey's death in 1995....Only a writer with Lowry's blend of humor, detachment, and storytelling ability could make the form work.
Booklist, ALA
"Imagine sitting on a sofa with a friend listening with fascination while she tells you about the pictures in her photo album. That is the feeling once has when browsing through this book of Lowry's family snapshots and reading her lively commentary on them. . . . The author's voice comes through strongly as she shares both her happiest and saddest times. . . . Much more intimate and personal than many traditional memories, this work makes readers feel that Lowry is an old friend." School Library Journal
Review
"Humorous situations and dialogue to match seem to roll effortlessly from Lowry's pen, and her characters are consistently real and believable." Booklist, ALA
Review
"Readers . . . will find this emotionally charged reverie understandable and unforgettable." Booklist, ALA, Starred Review
Review
"Lowry's style is bright, fast-paced, and funny, with skillfully drawn, believable characters." School Library Journal
Review
“The author balances humor and generosity with the obstacles and injustice of Katys world to depict a complete picture of the turn of the century.” Publishers Weekly, Starred
“Lowrys latest achievement delivers complexity disguised as simplicity—providing depth through her child-narrators eyes.” VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates)
“Emotionally devastating and infinitely haunting.” Horn Book
“Not since Autumn Street has Lowry written a novel that injects childhood experience so deeply with adult tone.” The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
“Lowry excels in developing strong and unique characters.” School Library Journal
“Well-crafted and narrated by a perceptive, large-hearted child.” Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Not simply another story on a subject currently in vogue, this book is memorable as a well-crafted reaffirmation of universal values." Horn Book
"Not simply another story on a subject currently in vogue, this book is memorable as a well-crafted reaffirmation of universal values." Horn Book Guide
Review
"Touching, inventive, believable, and hilarious . . . with a solid base of sharp characterization and some pithy commentary on our society." The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Review
"Anastasia herself is at her best here: headstrong, inventive, endearing, and irrepressible, though not above learning from her mistakes." Publishers Weekly
Review
"Lowry gives readers a fine mixture of wit and wisdom, offering funny adolescent dialogue that is true to their interests and language." School Library Journal, Starred
Review
It's Future Job Day at Sam's nursery school, and not only has his mom made him a "Zooman Sam" jumpsuit, his sister Anastasia has acquired for him a whole mess of sports caps with such fitting logos as Tigers and Cubs. In a class filled with future firefighters, Sam's zookeeping aspirations really stand out, and he's especially thrilled when his teacher tells him he can wear a different cap each day and tell the other children about each animal: "For six weeks he could stand in front of the circle and feel that feeling of being the most interesting person in the room." This is a slender thread on which to hang an entire novel, but Lowry spins interesting variations on her theme, and the book ends with a swell (and well-prepared) surprise. Sam remains every middle-grader's little brother; parents, too, will be amused.
Horn Book
"For Future Job Day' at Sam Krupnik's nursery school, the four-year-olds have been instructed to dress up as representatives of their desired profession. Sam doesn't want to be a fireman, as do all the other boys in his class. Instead he wants to be somebody important, somebody interesting, somebody more than ordinary,' a secret concept he privately and quite marvelously dubs the Chief of Wonderfulness.' With the assistance of his impossibly even-tempered mother and ever-helpful sister, Anastasia, Sam dresses up in a spiffy homemade zookeeper's costume. Sam's teacher allows Sam to tell his class about a different zoo animal every day, a privilege that he finds both thrilling and challenging. The plotting is leisurely, the story is slender, and a subplot about the training of the family dog barely registers. This cast of familiar characters isn't as vibrant as usual, and the material runs out of steam before the novel ends. Fans of the Sam books may find satisfaction in the nicely foreshadowed but still unanticipated punch line." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"This is a perfect choice for introducing young listeners to chapter books as common threads are carried throughout, and both humor and pathos are abundant. Long-time friends of the Krupniks will sink their teeth into this latest installment with relish. Fangs alot, Lois Lowry!" School Library Journal, Starred
Review
"A sad and funny book about [a] . . . teenager who learns the meaning of loneliness and enters adulthood with the knowledge that one can indeed inherit the best of two worlds." Booklist, ALA, Starred Review
Review
"Lowry . . . is adept at portraying the nuances of relationships and emotions. Here she presents a lively cast of characters in an unusual plot, skillfully handled." Kirkus Reviews with Pointers
Review
"In a more serious tale than the Anastasia novels, Lowry lightens tension with her same high-grade humor and brings thoughtful perceptions to a story that is also full of drama and adventure." Booklist, ALA
Review
"The prose is light as gossamer; the story as haunting as a dream." —Kirkus Reviews, starred Kirkus Reviews, Starred
"Lyrical, richly descriptive prose ushers readers into a fascinating parallel world inhabited by appealingly quirky characters." -Publishers Weekly, starred Publishers Weekly, Starred
"A beautiful novel with an intriguing premise." --School Library Journal, starred School Library Journal, Starred
"Lowry succeeds again with this lyrical and compelling story about the importance of memory and the transforming power of love...The gentle blend of wit and pathos will enchant readers." VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates)
"...The novel effectively evokes the flimsy and sometimes tentative grasp on happiness and comfort...and the ways in which darkness can be combated through love." Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Review
"Writing for a younger audience than usual, Lowry displays a keen understanding of how second-grade classrooms operate." Horn Book
"Lowryand#8217;s masterful writing style reaches directly into her audience, managing both to appeal to young listeners and to engage readers." The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Veteran author Lowry produces a laugh-out-loud chapter book." Booklist, ALA
"and#8230;irrepressible Gooney Bird is that rare bird in childrenand#8217;s fiction: one that instantly becomes an amusing and popular favorite." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Lowry articulates her hapless hero's thoughts in words more witty than he could imagine . . . at the same time she keeps the narrative and dialogue spontaneous, natural, and humorous." The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Review
"Throughout this lighthearted saga of the narrator's 'dog days,' the author proves she is as well versed in animal behavior as in human sensibilities." Publishers Weekly
Review
"As usual, Lowry delivers tight, page-turning prose, plenty of humor, and characters right out of readers' neighborhoods." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"The tone of this darkly dry pastiche is consistently witty, and it's chock-full of accessible parodic references to...classic children's texts...Lowry crafts a tidy plot."--The Bulletin, starred review
Synopsis
Now a major motion picture, Lois Lowry’s Newbery Medal–winning classic about Jonas who lives in a seemingly ideal world. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark secrets behind his fragile community.
Synopsis
Rife with humor and personality, this very young middle grade novel has a classic old-fashioned feel and a package equipped with the makings of a modern classic. In Bless This Mouse, a very resilient and quirky colony of church mice fear yet another Great X (more than they fear cats!), but under Mouse Matriarch Hildegardes leadership, they band together and save themselves from impending doomeven if its just by the skin of their tails! Lois Lowry is no stranger to delighting middle grade audiences. Lowrys acclaimed Gooney Bird series was championed by School Library Journal as "[a] fine selection for beginning chapter book readers and as a read-aloud." Lemony Snicket gave The Willoughbys a starred review in Publishers Weekly, while Kirkus called it a "sparklingly smart satire." More recently published on our Spring 2010 list is Lowrys Birthday Ball with "wonderfully swirly, evocative, energetic character sketches by the fabulous Feiffer" (SLJ) which Booklist hailed "an original fairy tale with a decidedly comical twist" in its starred review.
Synopsis
As the German troops begin their campaign to "relocate" all the Jews of Denmark, 10-year-old Annemarie Johansens's family takes in Annemarie's best friend, Ellen Rosen, and pretend she is part of the family.
Through Annemarie's eyes, we watch as the Danish Resistance smuggle almost the entire Jewish population, nearly seven thousand people, across the sea to Sweden. A tale of an entire nation's heroism that reminds us there was pride and human decency in the world even during a time of terror and war.
With a new introduction by the author.
Synopsis
A resilient and quirky colony of church mice fears another Great X more than they fear cats. Under Mouse Mistress Hildegardes leadership, they save themselves from one danger after anothersometimes just by the skin of their tails! Can one ultimate act of bravery during the feast day of St. Francis get Father Murphy to bless these mice and keep them safe forever? Rife with humor and personality, this young middle-grade novel has an old-fashioned feel with the makings of a modern classic.
Synopsis
Princess Patricia Priscilla's sixteenth birthday is in one week. That means she has seven days before her birthday ball, and seven days before the moment when she must select a suitor to marry.
Oh, dear. Seven days is not a very long time, sixteen is not very old, and Princess Patricia Priscilla's prospective suitors consist of a dirty duke, a foppish prince, and foul-mouthed conjoined counts.
Princess Patricia Pricilla is not terribly optimistic about the whole affair.
And so, with her cat Delicious in tow, Princess Pat sneaks off to join the peasant children each day at the schoolhouse in hopes of finding out just what she's been missing before she must resign herself to a wretched future. But after meeting Fred, Nell, Liz the norphan, and a rather dreamy schoolmaster, Princess Pat wonders if perhaps the plans for her Birthday Ball might require one or two adjustments. . .
Synopsis
The modern classic and Newbery Medal-winning The Giver is the first a quartet of books that includes Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Lois Lowry's latest Son.
Synopsis
Since winning the Newbery Medal in 1994, Lois Lowrys
The Giver has become one of the most influential novels of our time.This stunning redesign of The Giver Quartet presents a fresh, cohesive package that ties
The Giver, Gathering Blue, Messenger, and
Son together.
The story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal world. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver does he begin to understand the dark secrets behind this fragile community. The Giver is the first book in The Giver Quartet, which also includes Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Lois Lowry's latest return to Jona's world, Son, available September 2012.
Synopsis
Now a major motion picture, Lois Lowry's 1994 Newbery Medal–winning tale has become one of the most influential novels of our time. The haunting story centers on Jonas who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community. This movie tie-in edition features cover art from the movie and exclusive Q&A with members of the cast, including Taylor Swift, Brenton Thwaites and Cameron Monaghan.
Synopsis
"I would like to introduce you to this book. It has no plot. It is about moments, memories, fragments, falsehoods, and fantasies. It is about things that happened, which caused other things to happen, so that eventually stories emerged." Children as well as adults often ask Lois Lowry where the ideas for her stories came from. In this fascinating, moving autobiography, the Newbery Medalist answers this and many other questions. Her writing often transports readers into her own world. She explores her rich history through family pictures, memories, and recollections of childhood friends. She details pivotal moments that affected her life, inspired her writing, and that magically evolved into rich and wonderful stories that one is reluctant to put down. Lowry fans, and anyone interested in the writing process, will tremendously enjoy this poignant trip through a remarkable writer's past.
Synopsis
Anastasia's seventh-grade science project becomes almost more than she can handle, but brother Sam, age three, and a bust of Freud nobly aid her.
Synopsis
When her father leaves to fight in World War II, Elizabeth goes with her mother and sister to her grandfather's house, where she learns to face up to the always puzzling and often cruel realities of the adult world.
Synopsis
Princess Patricia Priscilla is bored with her royal life and the excitement surrounding her sixteenth birthday ball. Doomed to endure courtship by three grotesquely unappealing noblemen, she escapes her fateand#151;for a week. Disguised as a peasant, she attends the village school as the smart new girl, and#147;Pat,and#8221; and attracts friends and the attention of the handsome schoolmaster. Disgusting suitors, lovable peasants, and the clueless king and queen collide at the ball, where Princess Patricia Priscilla calls the shots. What began as a cure for boredom becomes a chance for Princess Patricia Priscilla to break the rules and marry the man she loves.
Synopsis
A wry, dry, laugh-out-loud princess tale by the hilarious Lois Lowry, with illustrations by Pulitzer Prizeand#8211;winning cartoonist Jules Feiffer. Princess Patricia Priscilla is bored with her royal life and the excitement surrounding her sixteenth birthday ball. Doomed to endure courtship by three grotesquely unappealing noblemen, she adopts a peasant disguise and escapes her fateand#8212;for a week. In this tale of mistaken identity, creamed pigeons, and young love, the two-time Newbery medalist Lois Lowry compares princesses to peasants and finds them to be exactly the same in all the important ways.
Synopsis
Soon to be a major motion picture, Lois Lowry's 1994 Newbery Medal-winning tale has become one of the most influential novels of our time. The haunting story centers on Jonas who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community. This movie tie-in edition features cover art from the movie and exclusive Q&A with members of the cast, including Taylor Swift, Brenton Thwaites and Cameron Monaghan.
Synopsis
The Giver, the 1994 Newbery Medal winner, has become one of the most influential novels of our time. The haunting story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community. Lois Lowry has written three companion novels to The Giver, including Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son.
Synopsis
When their mother starts to date the mystery man on the fifth floor, who has been instructed by his agent to "eliminate the children" by the first of May, eleven-year-old Caroline and her older brother figure they're targeted to be the victims of a savage crime.
Synopsis
A story where edge-of-your-seat horror meets post-apocalyptic thriller, perfect for fans of Lois Lowry and The Mazerunner
Night is coming.
On Marins island, sunrise doesnt come every twenty-four hours--it comes every twenty-eight years. Each sunset, the townspeople sail to the south, where they wait out the long Night. None of the adults will tell Marin, Kana, or their friend Line exactly what happens when they leave the island, but when the three are accidentally left behind in the gathering dusk, they learn the truth: at Night, their town belongs to others, and those others want them gone.
Fleeing through the now-alien landscape that used to be their home, the three confront shocking transformations and uncomfortable truths about themselves. They are challenged to trust one another or perish. Marin, Kana, and Line must find their way off the island . . . before the Night finds them.
Synopsis
Katy Thatcher was the bright and curious daughter of the town doctor. She was fascinated by her fathers work, and even as a child she knew that she too wanted to be a doctor. She wanted to know about people. Perhaps it was this, her insatiable curiosity, or simply the charm of Jacobs gentle intimacy with animals large and small, that fueled their friendship. Although Jacob never spoke to her or even looked at her directly, Katy grew to understand him from the moments they spent together quietly singing to the horses. She knew there was meaning in the sounds he made and purpose behind his movements. So when events took an unexpected and tragic turn, it was Katy alone who could unravel the mystery of what had occurred, and why.
A two-time recipient of the prestigious Newbery Medal, acclaimed author Lois Lowry presents a sensitive and moving story of a wide-eyed young girl growing up at the beginning of the twentieth century and the influence of the farm community around her. Through Katys eyes, readers can see the human face so often hidden under modern psychological terminology and experience for themselves the haunting impact of her friendship with the silent boy.
Synopsis
Thirteen-year-old Meg envies her sister Molly's beauty and popularity, and these feelings make it difficult for her to cope with Molly's illness and death.
Synopsis
Going to the park to broaden his horizons, fourteen-year-old babysitter Enid enjoys unexpected friendships with a bag lady and a black saxophonist.
Synopsis
Anastasia Krupnik answers a personal ad, and by stretching the truth, finds herself in quite a predicament when the special "he" wants to meet her.
Synopsis
In her seventh adventure, the irrepressible Anastasia decides that charm school is the answer to her career dilemmas.
Synopsis
It's Future Job Day at Sam's school, and Sam knows exactly what he wants to be when he grows up-a zookeeper, just like Zookeeper Jake in his favorite picture book. His mother and big sister, Anastasia, help Sam create a memorable costume-so memorable that Sam insists on wearing it long after Future Job Day has passed and the rest of his classmates are back in their regular clothes. Encouraged by Mrs. Bennett, his teacher, Sam embarks on a lengthy project to teach his preschool class about a zookeeper's responsibilities, and along the way learns just how difficult a job teaching is. As always, the patient and loving Krupnik family stands by as Anastasia's irrepressible little brother struggles with a set of nearly impossible goals. Children will delight in this latest story featuring the precocious and irresistible Sam.
Synopsis
Sam Krupnik, mad at his mother because she won't let him wear his newly acquired plastic fangs in the house, decides to run away.
Synopsis
Natalie Armstrong, an attractive, happy teenager about to enter college, sets out to discover the parents who gave her up at infancy.
Synopsis
Many things change for twelve-year-old Rabble Starkey, her mother, and her best friend, Veronica Bigelow, when Veronica's mother becomes mentally incapacitated and the Starkeys move in with the Bigelows.
Synopsis
Mysterious things begin to happen after Uncle Claude comes to stay with his sister's family.
Synopsis
Where do dreams come from? What stealthy nighttime messengers are the guardians of our most deeply hidden hopes and our half-forgotten fears? Drawing on her rich imagination, two-time Newbery winner Lois Lowry confronts these questions and explores the conflicts between the gentle bits and pieces of the past that come to life in dream, and the darker horrors that find their form in nightmare. In a haunting story that tiptoes between reality and imagination, two people—a lonely, sensitive woman and a damaged, angry boy—face their own histories and discover what they can be to one another, renewed by the strength that comes from a tiny, caring creature they will never see.
Gossamer is perfect for readers not quite ready for Lois Lowry's Newbery-Award winner The Giver and also for readers interested in dreams, nightmares, spirits and the dream world.
Synopsis
From the moment Gooney Bird Greene arrives at Watertower Elementary School, her fellow second-graders are intrigued by her unique sense of style and her unusual lunches. So when story time arrives, the choice is unanimous: they want to hear about Gooney Bird Greene. And that suits her just fine, because, as it turns out, Gooney Bird has quite a few interesting and and#8220;absolutely trueand#8221; stories to tell.
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Through Gooney Bird and her tales, acclaimed author Lois Lowry introduces young readers to the concepts and elements of storytelling. By demonstrating some of the simple techniques that reveal the extraordinary in everyday events, this book will encourage the storyteller in everyone.
Synopsis
Lowry's third novel about J.P. and his sister has J.P. in love and doing all sorts of weird things, such as wearing deodorant and even telling a lie to impress Angela.
Synopsis
Born between a board fence and a set of trash cans, the hero of this absorbing new novel by Newbery Medalist Lois Lowry is a lowly stray dog. Abandoned at an early age by his mother and separated from his siblings, he faces every challenge with his nose upturned and his lustrous tail held high. His journey out of puppyhood, during which he becomes the loyal companion to a homeless man, discovers an ear for poetry, and meets his match in his brutal rival, Scar, is a story of perseverance in a world of danger and unexpected opportunity. But through it all, he cannot forget his frail little sister, Wispy, and he does not rest until he finds her again. Told with humor and keen insight into both canine and human behavior, the story of this proud survivor will delight dog-lovers and adventure-lovers alike.
Synopsis
In Lois Lowryand#8217;s Newbery Medaland#8211;winning classic, twelve-year-old Jonas lives in a seemingly ideal world. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver does he begin to understand the dark secrets behind his fragile community.
Synopsis
Irrepressible Anastasia is in junior high now and participating in the "Values" curriculum through which students learn to make moral decisions. Early one morning she hits the Cambridge streets with her pooper-scooper to walk her new dog. In her half-awake groggy state Anastasia mixes up the two plastic bags she's carrying: one containing letters to be deposited in the mailbox for her mother and the other with her responsible morning gatherings. She's too embarrassed to call the post office to confess and she begins to feel more and more guilty and scared as she notices some intense local police activity in the vicinity of the mailbox. What will Anastasia do?
Synopsis
Abandoned by their ill-humored parents to the care of an odious nanny, Tim, the twins, Barnaby A and Barnaby B, and their sister, Jane, attempt to fulfill their roles as good oldfashioned children. Following the models set in lauded tales from A Christmas Carol to Mary Poppins, the four Willoughbys hope to attain their proscribed happy ending too, or at least a satisfyingly maudlin one. However, it is an unquestionably ruthless act that sets in motion the transformations that lead to their salvation and to happy endings for not only the four children, but their nanny, an abandoned baby, a candy magnate, and his long-lost son too. Replete with a tongue-in-cheek glossary and bibliography, this hilarious and decidedly old-fashioned parody pays playful homage to classic works of childrenand#8217;s literature.
About the Author
Jules Feiffer's artistic sensibility permeates a wide range of creative work, from his Pulitzer-winning comic strip in the Village Voice, to his Obie Award-winning play Little Murders, to his Oscar-winning anti-military short subject animation, Munro, to his beloved illustrations for The Phantom Tollbooth. Feiffer's cartoons have appeared in The New Yorker, Esquire, Playboy, and The Nation, and he was commissioned by The New York Times to create its first op-ed page comic strip which ran monthly until 2000, when Feiffer decided to start off the new millennium by giving up cartooning. Taking inspiration from his three daughters spanning three generations, he has reinvented himself as a children's book author. His first book, The Man in the Ceiling, was selected by Publisher's Weekly and the New York Public Library as one of the year's best children's books.A former instructor at the Yale School of Drama and Northwestern University, Feiffer is now an adjunct professor at Southampton College, a member of the Dramatists Guild Council and has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters. This is his first book with Houghton Mifflin.