Lois Lowry, The Giver
Young adult literature is currently focused on dystopian themes e.g. The Hunger Games or Matched where governments control every aspect of society. A contrast to that would be a utopian society as the theme for a teen novel. One might instantly think that that would be better but you might be in for a surprise! Consider reading an older but intriguing novel by Lois Lowry. She began writing for children in the late 1970's and published her first book, A Summer To Die , in 1977. Her ideas for characters seem to appear to her and from there she sculpts a story. The Giver was published in 1993 and Lois won her second Newberry Medal for this book. The Giver is an incredible story about a future world where people are sheltered from the pain of everyday life. Never experiencing pain might sound appealing but in so doing these people are unknowingly robbed of experiencing their feelings, the ma...