Written by: Muskan Singh - 2023005 , Grade IX
Posted on: 18 August, 2020
I have read numerous books until now but none of them are as interesting and inspiring as that written by Lois Lowry. She is the author of several books for children and young adults. She is known for writing about a difficult subject and complex themes that work for young audiences.
I have read her best selling novels, “The Giver” and “Number the Stars”. I loved the storyline of these two novels. Lois won two Newbery Medals for these books. I simply loved Lois's “The Giver” as I thoroughly enjoyed this book even though it is a book for children its complex storyline is enough to hold the attention of the teenagers and older readers. I loved the character named “Jonas” as it is shown how a scared little boy develops himself into someone willing to take a risk in the future. This novel shows us the process of growing up; at first, we get scared to accept many responsibilities but soon we get used to it and we move away from our childhood.
Throughout the book, Jonas' loss of trust in his parents is also important in communicating the morals of the story. At the beginning of the novel, he believes his parents completely. Anyway, he loses his trust and admiration for his father when the giver shows Jonas the tape of his Father "releasing" a newborn child. This incident forces Jonas to leave the community. I loved this book due to these intense feelings. It made me question, “Is the society we live in fact ideal?” or “Have we also been brainwashed into thinking this is what our lives should be like?”
Similarly, I also loved “Number the Stars” which is a fictional story of friendship, loyalty, and courage set during the Nazi period in Denmark. The story begins in Cophengan with Annemarie, her best friend Ellen, and her younger sister Kristi during the Nazi rule. There was a sign of war everywhere, there were soldiers in the corner of the streets, food was scarce. The Nazis were taking the Jewes to somewhere that is worse than hell. So Annemarie protects her friend Ellen from them which teaches us the true meaning of friendship. I loved that the Holocaust and the situation of the second war were introduced in an ideal way. This book provides an opportunity to discuss topics such as loyalty, friendship, and making difficult choices. The most interesting fact that attracted me towards the novel is that the author got the idea of the story from a friend Anneliese Platt who lived in Copenhagen during the German invasion and told stories of the bravery of the Danish people. So, in conclusion, I loved these two books written by Lois Lowry.
Lois as a writer began her career by writing a short story that was published in a magazine. Despite the fact that she was already married and had children, she took out time for her writing as well. She worked hard for it. Many obstacles were there, but she overpassed them and developed herself as a successful child writer.
Lois’s writing is inspirational and her life journey is motivational. I simply love the way she expresses things through her writing. She is an inspiration to me.
