You probably remember being forced to read books such as Number the Stars or The Giver in middle or high school, but did you ever actually read them? Probably not. Its not too late, though. Lois Lowry is a fantastic children’s author, but her books are universally enjoyable. So, here are a few reasons you should dig them out of your parents attic or buy them on your iPad and give them another chance.
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Love The Hunger Games?
Then you’ll love The Giver. You’ve probably seen the trailers for the movie that just came out a couple months ago, but you’ve likely forgotten the first futuristic book you ever read. Its about a utopian society where the individual’s right to choose is taken away from them in order to eliminate pain and conflict. But is it worth the cost? -
A Refresher.
As mentioned above, The Giver movie has just come out recently and chances are that you don’t remember the key plot points of the storyline. Who’s Jonas? What’s the Receiver of Memory? What’s the Sameness? If you go back and read this quick novel before grabbing The Giver from Redbox, you won’t be lost for half of the movie. -
The Books Mean Something (and you may actually understand it this time).
Number The Stars isn’t just about a little girl and her family helping hide a Jewish family from the Nazis; it shows that even during the monstrosity of the Holocaust, goodness can prevail. The Giver shows us that even though emotions and wrong choices may cause us pain, you can never have true happiness without that suffering. -
They’re More Enjoyable Than Most Adult Books.
As CS Lewis once said, “A children’s story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children’s story in the slightest.” This definitely holds true for Lowry’s books. They’re more popular with children, but the plot and characters are enjoyable for adults as well. Some of these books include: The Giver, Number the Stars, Gathering Blue, Son, and Messenger. -
Your Children (Or Future Children) May Need Homework Help.
Lowry’s books are classics when it comes to Middle/High School English classes. Your kids will probably have to write papers or book reports over a couple of her books, and wouldn’t it be useful if you knew exactly what was going on in each book?
