Jonas's world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.

The world in which Jonas inhabits is a colourless world controlled strictly by a group called the Elders(they are a council who make all of the decisions) The first twelve years of a each persons life is celebrated- Year twelve being the most important year. When a child turns twelve he/she is given a career based on the Elders observation of the child - The Elders determine this through what community work the child has done and by his/her personality. Jonas at the twelve ceremony is chosen to be the Receiver of Memory. He is given a couple of guidelines such as he is allowed to lie and that he can't talk about his training etc. The former Receiver's job is to transfer memories of the world to Jonas by placing his hands on Jonas's bare back. Jonas is fascinated by lovely memories such as snow but is horrified by others like war...

The Giver is a light heartened take on pain and suffering. It shows the importance of remembering such pain but also to remember the wonders of the world. It is a story of growth on how a boy discovers the true history of the world, he acquires right and wrong and ventures out into the world to seek out the aspects of life which have been hidden from his community. It is a fabulous story of bravery, knowledge, adventure ,understanding and change. It is a book that leaves behind a trail of appreciation within the reader for the simple things in life such as the magic of colour.