Son. By Lois Lowry. 7 CDs. 8:11 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2012. ISBN 978-0-449-01448-6. $47.
Gr 6 Up–Those frustrated over the ambiguous ending of Lowry’s The Giver (1993) will be thrilled with the conclusion (2012, both Houghton Mifflin) to the quartet. Listeners are brought full circle, returning to the fate of Gabriel, the little baby saved from “release” by Jonas. The story begins with Claire, who emerges from unconsciousness following a difficult birth to find that her child (or product) has been cut from her, and she has been “decertified.” In the haste to get her to a new assignment, no one has bothered to supply her with the pills that everyone must take to keep them from feeling things. Claire develops an intense longing to find her son, leading her on a daunting and epic journey that weaves together the worlds and characters of the first three novels. Bernadette Dunne’s whispery voice is perfectly suited to this dramatic, satisfying tale. Whether portraying the naive 14-year-old Claire or the evil Trademaster, Dunne captures the very essence of the characters. Lowry has again created a powerful tale rich with themes like sacrifice, loss, the importance of memory, and the restorative power of empathy that will elicit exciting classroom discussions. A must-have for all libraries with audio collections.–Lisa Hubler, Charles F. Brush High School, Lyndhurst, OH
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