Author of the bestselling and highly influential novels like The Giver quartet, Lois Lowry is a versatile writer, deftly handling both historical fiction futuristic dystopian novels. With books written for different ages, she shows us her storytelling skills, effectively dealing with both ordinary and life-and-death issues.
For example, her children’s book Number the Stars poignantly portrays the challenges that the Jews faced during the Holocaust, but her other children’s books, such as Gooney Bird Greene, are full of humor and wholly relatable themes.
Best Lois Lowry Books for Young Readers
If you have a young reader you’d like to introduce to Lois Lowry, here are some of her best works:
1. Gooney Bird Greene
Gooney Bird Greene stands out among the other second graders at Watertower Elementary School, thanks to her unique lunches and one-of-a-kind sense of style. When the kids get a chance to pick someone to do storytime, they unanimously choose Gooney Bird Greene—who has plenty of “absolutely true” tales to enchant her listeners.
2. Anastasia Krupnik
Anastasia Krupnik is a 10-year-old girl who has everything she wants. She enjoys getting to know her grandmother, and even falls in love. But what happens when she finds out a baby brother is on the way?
3. On the Horizon
This book in verse looks at the lives of people who either died or were forever scarred by the tragic bombings of Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima. She poignantly contemplates war and humanity, truth, pain, and cultural divides.
4. Like the Willow Tree (Dear America)
Lois Lowry writes this book in the Dear America series featuring Lydia Pierce, an 11-year-old girl orphaned during the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic. Their uncle takes Lydia and her 14-year-old brother Daniel and raises them among the Shaker community.
5. The Willoughbys
The Willoughbys are an unusual family, to say the least: the parents try everything they can to get rid of their four children, Timothy, the Barnaby twins, and Jane, and the kids have their own tricks to get rid of their parents!
6. Autumn Street
Elizabeth’s father goes off to fight in World War II, leaving her with her sister, mother, and grandfather. At her grandfather’s house, Elizabeth learns how to survive amidst the cruel realities of life in the adult world.
Best Young Adult Lois Lowry Books
If you’ve never tried reading Lois Lowry’s books, check out these selections, recommended for readers 10 years old and up.
7. Number the Stars
Through this book, we watch the Nazi “relocation” of Jews in Denmark through the eyes of a 10-year-old girl named Annemarie Johansen. Her best friend is Jewish, and her family decides to keep her with them as part of their family, one of the many smuggling activities that helped almost 7,000 Jews cross the sea to Sweden.
8. The Giver
This Newbery Medal awardee is a dystopian novel about Jonas, a 12-year-old boy living in what seems to be a perfect, albeit colorless, world where everyone is content and conformed to a certain standard. But when he’s assigned to be the next Receiver of Memory, he starts to see the dark secrets behind his community.
9. Gossamer
This haunting story follows a sensitive and lonely woman and an angry boy as they face their pasts and find out how they can help each other. Surprisingly, a tiny creature whom they never see renews them with strength.
10. The Silent Boy
Katy Thatcher is the town doctor’s curious and bright daughter who was enthralled by her father’s work, and from a young age knew she wanted to become a doctor too. Perhaps this desire helped fuel her friendship with Jacob, who never spoke but seemed to have an unusual intimacy with animals.
What Kind of Books Does Lois Lowry Write?
Lois Lowry shows her expertise in storytelling regardless of whether she’s writing contemporary fiction, historical fiction, dystopian fantasy, or even autobiographical works.
Among all her books, she is best known for her The Giver dystopian series and Number the Stars, a historical fiction piece.
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Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.
