Gathering+Blue

Gathering Blue By: Madi My book is called Gathering Blue and was written by Lois Lowry. I really enjoyed this book a lot and I loved how the storyline was laid out. I liked how the book drew very clear pictures in your head of what the author was trying to illustrate. I also liked how each character had a unique personality and played a specific part in the community to make it run perfectly. In this story, Kira, one of the main characters is on a journey to find the color blue for her threading that her community does not have. She figures out that there is blue over yonder but how can she get it with a crippled leg? This is all happening while her mother’s dead and she heard that her father was too. Specifically, I liked how the story began with a tragic start and then explained more into what was happening throughout the content of the story. Although I liked the beginning the ending was not my favorite because it just left you hanging with so many questions still not yet answered. This reminds me of my own life because it kind of takes place in area of like a campground. In this case it gives me an idea of what it might be like without everything we usually have on a daily basis. This book is like not other book I’ve read before except the Giver because it is part of the series. I like that it’s like no other book because it helps me with picking a variety in different genres. The four main characters are Kira, Matt, Thomas, and Jo. Kira is crippled with a twisted leg but has an outstanding personality and a determined mindset to get blue. Matt is a young boy that is adventurous, hyper, and curious, yet is very caring to his friends when they are in need. He kind of reminds me of Curious George in a way. Thomas is a mature teenager who was very focused into his carving until Kira came and gave him someone to hang out with. Finally, Jo is a quiet and somewhat afraid of what her future might be like because she is only a tyke. I liked everything about each of the characters because each character brought out each other’s best. I think that the author did a great job picking the personalities of each. Matt and Kira, I think are pretty similar to how my cousin, Aslyn, and I are. I can connect to Kira because she has the same type of personality with a determined mindset, yet a pretty easy going. On the other hand, my cousin is adventurous, hyper, and just has many things going through her mind at once like Matt. Without a doubt, Kira relates to Lydie in the book called Lydie because Lydie is left to take care of herself in a primitive time period and since Kira is pretty much an orphan it’s the same type of idea in both of their lives. On the whole, I would recommend this book to others because it has many types of genres in one so there is no doubt that someone will like it. I would recommend it to a young teenager. I would tell a teenager this because Kira is that age and it’s more fun and enjoyable to read a book when there’s a character in it that is around the same age. This book is definitely one of my favorites and since it gave me such suspense on what may happen next, I’m moving on to the Messenger.

By: Katie

The sister book to The Giver, Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry was quite interesting. It had to do with an uncivilized village and a girl who lived there. Most of the people in the village used a slang language; they would take the short way to saying things. I adored this book all except for the end. It had an atrocious ending just like the giver. The plot in this book was that Kira wanted to find blue to put on the robe that she had to work on for the council who saved her life and whom she was humble to. I thought it was weird that blue was to had to make into a dye. Blue is an ordinary in our world, so I could not picture the world without it. It was opposite to The Giver; in The Giver they could not see colors. They only saw in black and white. On the other had in Gathering Blue, they were making colors. Also, everyone in The Giver was perfect and in Gathering Blue when people had a physical disability they put them to death and took them to the field. The complicated main character, Kira, had long black hair. She also had a twisted leg; but she never let that stop her from being the determined person that she is. Whenever she had to go to Annabella’s house to learn the dyes, she never complained or criticized even though it was a long walk. Over all, I think that Kira would be a great person and an astounding friend. Though Thomas, Kira’s friend from the building where she lived and worked, had nothing wrong with him. He was a sympathetic boy who always listened to what Kira had to say. Thomas is a very kind person and a gracious friend to Kira. Also, Matt, Kira’s friend was a dependable person. He helped Kira with her problems and was the one to go to over yonder to get blue and find Kira’s father. Matt would not have been thought of as a good friend but he established that he was truly a faithful friend. In addition, I would recommend this book to anyone who has read The Giver and want to discover more about what this is all about. If you read these two books you would have to read The Messenger, too. Just like I am going to do. It was a surprise to me at the end when Matt ended up finding blue and Kira’s father. I really hope that the last one explains all of the other books, because all of the other ones were quite confusing.

By Niky.

I read the book called ‘Gathering Blue’ by Lois Lowry in about a month tops. I loved this book so I am continuing the books that follow in time to this one. This book was kind of weird because of how the people are in this book. The character that it circles around is Kira… pretty much telling her life story pinpointing one time in her life. Kira is a two-syllable girl with a crippled leg who is facing some very hard times. Her mother has just died, and now they have the option to have her killed since she is crippled and is an orphan since her father died by beasts, and her mother had just died from sickness. But after her life trial, she is sent to live at the Council Edifice and use her weaving skill to restore the singer’s robe. At first she enjoys it and starts learning about the dyes and making new friends. Then some chilling things begin to happen and secrets are bringing themselves to Kira as she unravels the truth. And there are surprises as well that strike her with emotions. I esteemed how the surprises misrepresented Kira’s mind about certain things and is determined her to make a difference in her village. One thing about it was someone she trusted was really not on her side so that was really bizarre. Most things are one hundred percent different in this world except most living things are still there. Furthermore, the characters in this book are all diverse. The most important character in this book is Kira; she is a responsible young girl in my eyes. And there is Matt and Thomas, Kira’s friends. When Thomas was a tyke or toddler, like Matt, he was mischievous and adventurous. Matt is just like that but in present time. He is a very grubby boy. And then come everybody else who have an effect on Kira’s life or less just regular… or evil people who know Kira by her name or her crippled leg. I majorly loathe the other people on the decisions that they make having to do with Kira. They all seem very, very dubious. It usually can either make her want to go away or wish something she will regret. I’ve read other books with characters like Kira most of them are adults though. In this one book, a senior or around there wanted to take responsibility of something they did, Kira is very responsible of her actions and whatever she does or hears and usually tells the truth to the person she tells this to. In essence, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a mysterious book with dramatic twists and colossal emotional levels as well. There is nothing in particular about this book except it is a magnificent one. I give this book five big stars. This book is great for any reader young to old. I do recommend it truly, so go on read it!