From: Jane E Kurtz <jkurtz>
Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1997 16:48:18 -0600 (CST)

Oh...well...if we don't have to be profound...I, too, will jump in. Like many of you, I wasn't impressed with NUMBER THE STARS and didn't consider it one of her best, so I've been glad for the new perspective of hearing what it's like to experience the book through kids' eyes. My thoughts about THE GIVER, at the moment, are purely flowing along practical lines: I'm supervising a student teacher who is leading a sophomore class through a discussion of Farenheit 451. I thought I would share Ginny's posting of Lois Lowry's remarks with her because they raise provocative questions about the kinds of things the class has been discussing this week--but I also find myself wondering, once again, why high schools are so slow to change their canon. Why not read THE GIVER instead? Or would kids have encountered this book at an earlier age and thus feel it redundant? I read THE GIVER as an adult and found it compelling...would high school students find it "too easy"? Are high schools using the book--or mostly middle schools or elementary schools? Does anyone have any creative thoughts about just what the process is or could be for getting high schools to consider using some books that, say, weren't being used when I went to high school 25 years ago?

Jane Kurtz, waxing pragmatic on this one
Received on Sat 01 Feb 1997 04:48:18 PM CST