The following sites can be used to support and enrich the Book Club unit for The Giver by Lois Lowry.

Explore Related Topics

• American Library Association: Banned Books Week – The American Library Association holds Banned Book Week each year so that people will learn to "fish in the river of knowledge" and celebrate their freedom to read. This website gives information on why books get banned and explores the topic of intellectual freedom and censorship.
• American Memory: Historical Collections for the National Digital Library – This site is the keeper of some of America's most interesting and important memories. Visitors can reach into the past and look up a specific event, invention, or person in history or can find out what happened on a specific date in history. Learn how people and events of the past affect our lives today for better or worse
• Behind the Name: The Etymology and History of First Names – In the world of The Giver, all words must be chosen very carefully and naming is an important ritual. This website can help anyone who wants to take a closer look at the meanings behind names and other words. It allows visitors to research names and access a variety of related links.
• Exploratorium: The Memory Exhibition – Study the fascinating world of memory and the human brain; learn how we keep and access our memories and examine the ways in which we can use our powers of memory. The site includes articles, online exhibits, activities, and illustrations. Visitors can also link to sites that study the mechanics of the human brain, the similarities between the human brain and a computer, and the people and events in history that are part of our collective memory.
• The Franklin Institute Online: Light and Color – This informative site explains how we see and judge the colors all around us. It also explores why some people have trouble seeing certain colors and why colors seem to affect our vision, appetite, and mood. Visitors will also find a list of links to related sites.
• Student Pugwash USA: Social Responsibility in Science and Technology – Student Pugwash USA, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning organization, presents ideas on the future of science; communication in the 21st century; genetics, biotechnology and social responsibility; technology and the environment; and science and human rights.

Related Readings/Other Media Available Online

• "Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed," and "The Lottery" – Download and listen to these classic short stories by Ray Bradbury ($4.95) and Shirley Jackson ($3.95). Listeners can assess selections with three different players: Windows Media Player, RealPlayer, and Audible's own desktop player. (All are free downloads.)
• "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost – Read the text of Robert Frost's famous poem about making one's own choices in life.
• "Unknown Citizen" by W.H. Auden – Read W.H. Auden's poem about the life of a man who lived his life as a "number" and never explored his individuality.
• "Warning" by Jenny Joseph – Read Jenny Joseph's poem about nurturing individuality and a free spirit.
• The Wave – Download and view this 1981 made-for-television drama using RealPlayer. In it, a high school teacher carries out a social experiment to demonstrate how easily people move to follow a charismatic leader–regardless of the leader's message and actions.

Meet the Author

• Lois Lowry –  The author's official site.
• Lois Lowry: The Internet Public Library – In this profile, Lois Lowry shares details about her life and answers several questions from her readers. Visitors to this site will learn about her writing process and her thoughts on some of her most popular titles.
• Lois Lowry: Random House Guide to The Giver – Using RealAudio, visitors to this site can listen to Lois Lowry talk about The Giver. A transcript of the message is also provided.
• Lois Lowry Teacher Resource File – This site by the Internet School Library Media Center presents biographies, book reviews, lessons plans, articles, and other resources related to Lowry's work.