Gossamer

Without a doubt, Lois Lowry's books stand out when compared with some of the other fare on contemporary bookshelves --- and thankfully Lowry has been recognized for it. In 1990, she won her first Newbery Medal for NUMBER THE STARS, a fictionalized account based on the true story of how a group of Christians in Denmark saved their Jewish neighbors from persecution during World War II. She received her second Newbery Medal in 1994 for THE GIVER, probably her most well-known book to date. Now comes another book that is so beautifully written and so poignant in message that its sure-to-be glowing reception just might give new meaning to the expression "three time's the charm."

GOSSAMER tells the story of a group of mythical creatures (for lack of a better expression to describe them) who are responsible for the creation and distribution of dreams. After being assigned to various households by their leader, Most Ancient, the creatures settle into their roles as dreamweavers by acquainting themselves with objects in the house (photographs, articles of clothing, trinkets on a bureau) that contain significance and memories of the owners. After they have gathered enough meaningful fragments, the dream-givers combine them to create a story, or dream, to bestow onto the sleeping inhabitants. This process is, in fact, how dreams are born.

So, too, are nightmares created by the evil Hordes, who attempt to undo all the good that the dream-givers impart by banding together to flood their victims' subconscious with dark and stormy thoughts. If enough insidious nightmares are inflicted upon these sleeping individuals, their waking hours can become increasingly negative and damaging until they no longer can remember how to be happy and at peace. In this agitated state, they are a great risk to those around them and to society as a whole.

In addition to providing a unique and imaginative explanation as to where dreams and nightmares come from, GOSSAMER also tells the moving story of an angry boy and a lonely old woman who are brought together under unfortunate circumstances. The boy has been taken away from his parents because his father beats him and his mother, and the woman is lonely because her husband died, leaving her alone and without many friends. As a way to find companionship and to give back to the world, the old woman agrees to take the little boy in for a summer until his mother can get back on her feet. The bond that forms between the two is so subtle yet so ripe with feeling that by the book's conclusion, you wonder how the two ever could have been apart.

Lowry's latest offering is simply magical. It is clear that she has taken great care to write a narrative that will both teach and touch its readers. A book full of gentle spirit and pure beauty, GOSSAMER is definitely award-winning material.

--- Reviewed by Alexis Burling

I am a retired teacher who does tutoring in reading. I have used Gossamer several times for students at varied grade levels and the kids ALWAYS get into this book. It is beautifully written and the story enfolds you.

Because it is a fairly short book, it looks easy to a slower paced reader, but its concept and vocabulary are complex enough to challenge a good reader. Its advantage is that it hooks the kids and just pulls them right into the text. It has a slow enfolding of the plot so that in the first 3 chapters of the book, ( they are short chapters), the reader is left guessing just who/what are these creatures drifting through homes as the people sleep. A lot is left for the reader to guess and predict.

One student said that Gossamer spoiled her, she was comparing all the books assigned in school to Gossamer, and most fell far short of it.

This story shows once again, how very fertile Lowry's mind is, and how very well she can apply those unique perspectives to lifelike situations. While the beginning left me wondering if the apprentice dream-giver, Littlest One, and her mentor and responsibilities weren't entirely too cutsie an idea for me, I'm glad I persisted. Littlest One and the `grownup' dream givers are cleverly made and the evil nightmare-inducing sinisteeds a most appropriate counterpoint to the dream-givers, who focus on giving good dreams. Littlest, as she is known, and her master end up working the house of a kind retired woman who takes in a troubled foster boy. His life has been problem-filled, particularly when one considers the hostility he projects on others as expression of the horrors he has faced. He wants his mother back, and she wants his return as well. The sinisteeds also have designs on the boy, John. It becomes Littlest's goal to ease him out of his difficult mental state, one which the sinisteeds identify as a weakness that they can exploit. The long and short: it's an enjoyable story, a fast read for an adult and an appropriate one for intermediate grade readers, and I recommend it to both groups.

This book was another good read by Lois Lowry. Littlest One is learning to bestow dreams on the dreamers or (us). She and Fastidious work with an older lady and her dog. This woman is nurturing and patient, as you will see when she brings in a wounded foster child. However, it is time for Fastidious to move on, and a new teacher to finish instructing Littlest One or "Gossamer's Touch" before starting off on her own.

In fact, it is a story within a story. These night workers are simply part of the dream, and the adventure which you will learn when you read and follow Littlelest One on her adventure. Although there is sadness, there is happiness. Like the season's, change happens. And with dreams, we may learn something, or know that things come to an end. And do expect a challenge within for the bestowers within the dreams to keep harm away from the dreamers.

Without a doubt, Lois Lowry's books stand out when compared with some of the other fare on contemporary bookshelves --- and thankfully Lowry has been recognized for it. In 1990, she won her first Newbery Medal for NUMBER THE STARS, a fictionalized account based on the true story of how a group of Christians in Denmark saved their Jewish neighbors from persecution during World War II. She received her second Newbery Medal in 1994 for THE GIVER, probably her most well-known book to date. Now comes another book that is so beautifully written and so poignant in message that its sure-to-be glowing reception just might give new meaning to the expression "three time's the charm."

GOSSAMER tells the story of a group of mythical creatures (for lack of a better expression to describe them) who are responsible for the creation and distribution of dreams. After being assigned to various households by their leader, Most Ancient, the creatures settle into their roles as dreamweavers by acquainting themselves with objects in the house (photographs, articles of clothing, trinkets on a bureau) that contain significance and memories of the owners. After they have gathered enough meaningful fragments, the dream-givers combine them to create a story, or dream, to bestow onto the sleeping inhabitants. This process is, in fact, how dreams are born.

So, too, are nightmares created by the evil Hordes, who attempt to undo all the good that the dream-givers impart by banding together to flood their victims' subconscious with dark and stormy thoughts. If enough insidious nightmares are inflicted upon these sleeping individuals, their waking hours can become increasingly negative and damaging until they no longer can remember how to be happy and at peace. In this agitated state, they are a great risk to those around them and to society as a whole.

In addition to providing a unique and imaginative explanation as to where dreams and nightmares come from, GOSSAMER also tells the moving story of an angry boy and a lonely old woman who are brought together under unfortunate circumstances. The boy has been taken away from his parents because his father beats him and his mother, and the woman is lonely because her husband died, leaving her alone and without many friends. As a way to find companionship and to give back to the world, the old woman agrees to take the little boy in for a summer until his mother can get back on her feet. The bond that forms between the two is so subtle yet so ripe with feeling that by the book's conclusion, you wonder how the two ever could have been apart.

Lowry's latest offering is simply magical. It is clear that she has taken great care to write a narrative that will both teach and touch its readers. A book full of gentle spirit and pure beauty, GOSSAMER is definitely award-winning material.

--- Reviewed by Alexis Burling

Lois Lowry is my comfort blanket. When you pick up a Lois Lowry book (and it really doesn't matter if it was "Anastasia Krupnik" or the book I will discuss with you now) you are blessed with the knowledge that this book will fufill the following requirements: It will be good. It will be interesting. It will be wholly original. Lowry has never tapped into our subconscious oddities quite like other authors (like Diana Wynne Jones) have. She doesn't need to. Her books are perfectly thought out little worlds. If you are lucky, they may have some fantastical elements to them, but rather than stand out from the text these elements are as natural as can be. Lowry makes you believe in a kind of real-world magic. And no book better illustrates that idea than the remarkable little, "Gossamer". A comfortable amalgamation of the fantastical and the all-too real, it's one of those rare stories that can claim to have both grit and charm.

An old woman lives with her dog, all by herself, in a two-story house. Unbeknownst to her, she is visited nightly (as are we all) by creatures that make us their business. In this particular case, two such creatures have visited the old woman. One is an old hand at the work they are going to do. The other is known simply as Littlest One. She is sprightly and curious and filled to brimming with questions. By night, these creatures gather the memories they find attached to objects around the home and create dreams out of them. These they bestow to the residents of the home. Only now, the old woman is taking in a foster child for a time. An angry eight-year-old boy with an abusive past and who's dark thoughts prove irresistible to the Sinisteeds. Sinisteeds are creatures that provoke dark nightmares in their dreamers, causing damage to their psyche and a whole lotta pain. Now Littlest must find a way to strengthen the boy who has attracted these creatures so that he can be strong enough to face up to his own ugly memories.

Of course, for all the fantastical dream-creature-like storylines, the real heart of this tale is in the story of the old woman, the boy, and the boy's mother. It's a very real tale too. The boy's mother has gotten out of an abusive relationship and is trying to piece her life together enough to take custody of her son again. And leave it Lowry to get me to tear up when the woman finally gets a good job in an elementary school. I don't tear up over children's books unless the writing is particularly phenomenal.

Good fantasy speaks beyond the magic and fantastical elements of any given tale. Because she has tied in a story of abuse to one of the healing power of dreams, Lowry's story plays out rather beautifully. No mention is made of the fact that, medically speaking, if a person does not dream they go insane. The proof is before your eyes instead. Lowry also takes a rather nice poke at those adults that live in homes that look like they've come out of a magazine (all chrome and glass) but haven't a single homey or personal object in the joint. Pity the poor dream creatures that have to deal with THOSE people.

Even when Lowry is off her game (some might make that argument with "Messenger"), she still has her finger firmly on the pulse of her plot, characters, and setting. There's a straightforward intelligence to her books that children and adults everywhere have come to trust. I don't suppose I could call, "Gossamer" her finest work, but it's a lovely example of the patient storytelling and excellent plotting that we've come to expect of her. It is undoubtedly one of the best books for children in 2006. A wonderful metaphorical tale.

Gossamer contains both a delightful story about learning to use one's gifts to ease human suffering and a rich metaphor of the workings of the human psyche. Mysterious creatures of the night, more like angels than faeries, flutter and flicker through the objects of our lives finding fragments from which to form dreams to bestow on us. In this gentle story, a young apprentice dream-giver discovers how to use her gossamer touch to find the right fragments to give healing dreams to an abused and angry eight-year-old boy. Lowry has deftly interwoven the story of the young boy and his elderly foster mother with the story of the young dream-giver and her elderly mentor. While kids will identify with the struggles of the youngsters, grown-ups who work with kids will find inspiration in the work of the dream-givers. "We do such important work," says Thin Elderly. "Sometimes we forget that." Thanks, Ms. Lowry, for a wonderful story that will entertain, enlighten and give new strength to readers of all ages.
Janet Gingold
author of Danger, Long Division

I read this book because I really enjoyed reading The Giver and Number the Stars. These are two books I've considered re-reading since I am now young professional age.

Gossamer is a cute story about a new dream-giver that shows curiosity and excitement over everything that is new to her--which is everything! She is young and full of innocence but at the same time a wise young..thing..

John is a troubled boy who is inflicted with nightmares and is Littlest One's first assignment.

These 2 stories are pulled together through the chapters of the book that are actively about him, and through Littlest and what she sees when she touches his belongings to gather information and memories to incorporate in the dreams she gives John.

I really enjoyed this book and read it really fast(it's short), however felt a little bit of a hanger at the end leaving me wanting to know more. I'll leave it at that so I don't spoil anything.

Like gossamer (or a spider web), this book is lightweight, particularly in comparison to Lowry's other works. It is a quick read, not too deep, and probably not going to be a kids' classic, unlike Lowry's THE GIVER or NUMBER THE STARS.

However, like gossamer, it also shows enormous strength and craftsmanship. Though not her best work, Lowry clearly knows how to tell a story and lace it with some beautiful prose. The creativity is apparent, but that still takes a backseat to the most note-worthy aspect of this book: GOSSAMER is an excellent tool for teachers to use for classroom lessons in writing. When Littlest learns of the importance and develops the quality of her delicate touch of objects, Lowry give language arts teachers an incredibly valuable lessons in writing for the senses and the poetic nature of language overall. If for no other reason than that, teachers should introduce this book to their students. I will.

I know that this is classified as children's literature, or at least literature for young folks, and sort of feel that this a shame as the story is more that suitable for adults. Where do dreams come from? Why do we have bad dreams and why do we have good. This is the hook the author hangs her story upon. This is a touching story of a young, troubled boy, two ladies and a dog with some very strange little creatures thrown in. Lois Lowry is a natural story teller and her style, while at first glance is simple, is indeed, rather complex. Her story here is told with sensitivity, is touching and is just loaded with imagination. As one reviewer has pointed out, there is an aspect of violence to the story but this has been well done and is far from gratuitous, something you too often see now days. This aspect of the story is necessary. I have read this one to several classes of 4th and 5th graders and they have universally loved it (well, almost I suppose). When I first started reading this one, I must admit to having taken it home and finished it on my own the first evening as I simply could not put it down. This is one of those books you might want to think about adding to your library as it is one you will most likely want to give a reread. Recommend this work highly.

This month I read the fantastic book Gossamer by Lois Lowry. It is about imaginary creatures called dreamgivers. Each dreamgiver has a house; there they gather happy memories from items and give humans and pets dreams. The main character in this story is named Littlest One. Each night she and her teacher Thin Elderly set dreams upon the humans. In the house to which Littlest One and Thin Elderly were assigned lives a lady and an eight year old boy named Jon. The evil sinisteeds have targeted Jon because of his troubled past. Sinisteeds are evil horse- like creatures that can sense weakness in people and work against the dreamgivers. It's up to Littlest One to save Jon before he is stuck with horrible nightmares forever. Will Littlest One succeed as a dreamgiver or will the sinisteeds take over Jon's dreams?

This book is a small, beautiful treat. Only 140 pages, Lowry's "Gossamer" is about a young creature called "Littlest" who is learning how to bestow dreams on humans like the rest of her kind. She is assigned to an older woman who lives in a small house alone with her dog. The woman is lonely, and a young boy comes into her life, changing the life of Littlest and the woman.

The story is simple, sweet and incredibly touching. It would be the perfect book to read aloud to children before bed. It is a new take on dreaming and one that is quite beautiful and fun to read. I read it in a little over an hour and I think it is definitely worth remembering and recommending to others!

Like a warm, comfy blanket you snuggle in, Lois Lowry delivers. I have read The Giver quartet and have now savored Gossamer. I can only liken this book to comfort food. Or an incredibly warm pair of slippers on a cold winter's night. It's a bit brutal in places, but it's a lovely book. Sweet and touching. My only complaint is that no matter how slowly I try to read and stretch out Lois Lowry's books, they always end too soon!! :) Highly, highly recommended. Why? Read and find out.

Very sweet. Short, but has tension, mystery, character development, all the good things that a story needs to be complete. Was recommended to me by someone on one of the narcolepsy boards, since we have such a horrible time with dreams. Next time I have one of the horrific narcoleptic nightmares, I'll remind myself that it was just the Horde of Sinisteeds visiting, and they can be banished.

Gossamer by Lois Lowry is a wonderful fantasy book. At the un-named lady's house, fairy world, and a school, Fastidious, Littlest One, John, and his mom each have their own problems, but Fastidious, Littlest One and John all must face the sinisteeds and try to make it through the horrible nightmares given. When the sinisteeds come to invade John's dreams, Littlest One must save him from that dreadful fate. Littlest One has a job that requires facing the sinisteeds and winning. Will Littlest One complete or fail training, and receive her new name? With a theme of dreams and nightmares any Lois Lowry fan who likes serious books will love Gossamer.

Gossamer is highly original! The protagonists - ephemeral dream-givers - are like no other creatures I've encountered. Their engagement with humans and the rules of their world are fascinating and enchanting.

The story itself is delightful, filled with mystery, compassion and delight. This book is very short, barely even a novella, but engaging and enriching to read.

I listened to Gossamer unabridged on audio CD narrated by Anne Twomey. She is wonderful, with a soft gossamer-like voice that is both gentle and edgy when it needs to be. She is a narrator to look for when selecting audio books.

At first, the book tells a light hearted tale about a creature trying to learn what her new talents are while bugging the heck out of her mentor. She's inquisitive, thinks outside the box and playful. She's the cute little creature that helps create the stuff of our dreams. It was so beautifully rendered, that I found myself believing that this is how our dreams (and nightmares) are truly created. But then, if you're a fan of Lois Lowry, you'll know she doesn't shy away from the tough topics- euthanasia, infanticide, discrimination because of physical "defects," immigration, and genocide. The second part of the story deals with a "troubled" boy and his unlikely friendship and healing from a retired schoolteacher. The troubled boy suffers from child abuse and not your garden variety, "My dad hits me."

Not that kids should be sheltered because certainly by the time children are 8, like the boy in the book, they've been exposed to swordfights, shootings, explosions, etc- and that's just in your standard fare PG-13 movie. But it's harder- or should be harder- to stomach child abuse at the hands of an adult. Most of the violence children experience in seeing a typical action-adventure movie involve adults like police officers, spies, mob bosses, FBI agents, pirates, etc. and who have accepted that violence or the risk of violence is a part of their chosen profession. But no child is deserving of abuse. Don't worry- the book ends well and doesn't leave a cliffhanger ending like so many of her books where you have to fill in the blanks.

The simplicity and brevity of the book could lend itself to being a read-a-long to younger children but the content can possibly disturb sensitive children. And for other children who are largely desensitized to violence, the reaction to an especially scary character in the book might lead some children to feel like that character should be dispatched with further violence. The hope is that this book will maybe encourage some lonely heart senior citizens to be a foster parent, or for a school aged child to maybe empathize with their schoolmate who seems weird, angry or a bully, or for an employee or employer to recognizes when their employee may need help for problems outside the job.

After reading THE GIVER--which I thought unbeatable--I've avoided Lois Lowry books believing, There's no way she could ever outdo THE GIVER. No way!

Glad I stumbled upon GOSSAMER at the library, the CD. Marvelous. Simply MARVELOUS!

And what a book to introduce young readers to shifts in perspective. Unbeatable.

So if you've not read it yet (or are looking for a great gift for a young person), try GOSSAMER!

As for me, having listening to the audio version (gorgeously read) I'm purchasing the book to-re-read!

An enchanting story of creatures that bring dreams to humans (and sometimes their pets too). In the book, we follow these creatures as they bestow dreams on a lonely elderly woman, an angry 8 year old boy whom she is fostering, and the boy's mother. The creatures that are tending to the boy and the elderly woman have to work extra hard and clever to protect them from the evil creatures that inflict nightmares. The young boy, with his turbulent past, is especially vulnerable.

I really liked this book because of the dream givers and how the author imagined and created a world where there were things that have dreams. The only thing I felt like the author could improve is the ending, because the book kind of cases forward the ending. But overall, I felt like this book was a great kids book that incudes imagination, humor, and some life lessons.

This is a story by Lois Lowry about three different people living, changing, and their dreams. They experience relationships, hardships, and find ways to understand themselves and do better. In the beginning, they all are facing difficult problems without seeing any solution. In the middle everyone started to help each other and understand the other person's feelings and situation. The power of dreams, through Dream givers and Sinisteeds, start to affect the people. In the end, after much struggle, they all find ways to begin to solve their problems.
Gossamer was a fantastic book for a fifth grade class. This book makes you continue to think a lot, even when you are not reading it. It is well written and lets you understand and feel the emotion of each character. Great descriptions help you visualize the detail. Our discussions were filled with emotions and understanding our own selves. It made you think about your problems and how to solve them more easily. We realized that we get much hope from the power of our dreams and our minds. You cannot put down the book until you are finished. People who are into fantasy, realistic fiction, and basically people in the real world, can have the same feelings. The book that Lois Lowry wrote is heartwarming and everyone will love it.

Lowry has crafted a tender story on the healing power of dreams and has given the reader a glimpse of the fantasy beings who bestow them. Littlest, inquisitive and enthusiastic, is training to become a dream giver. Littlest is mentored by Thin Elderly and together they work their magic on an abused foster child and his caretaker, a lonely old woman. They gently touch objects belonging to the woman and the boy, gathering the memories they contain and bestowing them in dreams. Despite the best efforts of Littlest and Thin Elderly, both the boy and the his caretaker are beset by nightmares that are the work of the Sinisteeds, the counterparts of the dreamgivers. Littlest and Thin Elderly persevere, fighting the bad memories of abuse and love lost with tenderness and the knowledge that good memories carry the dreamers through rough patches. Readers will empathize with John as he flashbacks to episodes with his abusive father and battered mother and will cheer on Littlest, renamed Gossamer for her light touch, as she searches for the precise memory that will rescue John.

This book is wonderful. Lois has a way of capturing our attention and teaching us wonderful lessons even while listening to children's stories. I didn't say love it because this is a library copy and the case is a bit big and worn. But the story is 5 all the way.

As an English teacher, I often read literature written for adolescents. I love Lois Lowry but had never come across this gem. This story has a sweet, gentle tone that appeals to all ages. Yes, the subject matter deals with physical abuse, but the contrast between the jarring descriptions of the abuse and the caring gentleness of the characters is perfect. Even before I had finished the story I had my eleven year old daughter start it. I recommend it to any and all.

Once again Lowry uses her gentle touch on a story. As in The Giver, she impresses upons us the importance of memories, both good and bad, and the rewards of being brave enough to make a change. Watching Littlest One grow into something a little more solid, and watching John and his mother work at becoming a family more solid, and the Old Woman and Toby being so generous in their giving, is like watching the sun rise. Miraculous and wonderous and oh so hopeful. Lowry makes believers out of us all,but then, isn't that what a storyteller is suppose to do?

This is an excellent read. Be careful with younger readers as the sad memories are just that, sad, and somewhat graphic. But the message is loud and clear. Compassion and Courage and Peace.

Such a lovely imagination, bringing the reader into new undiscovered worlds. Even though her stories are complete, they do tend to leave the reader wanting more. An excellent trait in a very good author.

This was an entertaining story. It portrays these creatures that give dreams and their struggles to help people through their dreams and to help them fight off creatures that bring nightmares. It also tells the story of an 8 year old boy abused by his father who also abused her mother and has now gone off to live with an elderly lady. It was a very short book. Very easy to read and pretty interesting. It starts out a little slow for the 1st couple of chapters before you figure out what's going on. Then it's very interesting.

This was an entertaining story. It portrays these creatures that give dreams and their struggles to help people through their dreams and to help them fight off creatures that bring nightmares. It also tells the story of an 8 year old boy abused by his father who also abused her mother and has now gone off to live with an elderly lady. It was a very short book. Very easy to read and pretty interesting. It starts out a little slow for the 1st couple of chapters before you figure out what's going on. Then it's very interesting.

I read this with my 5th grade remedial reading group. They loved it!!! The vocabulary was a little challenging for them but because the story line was so strong they were more that happy to learn how to and use the dictionary (paper copy) to help with their comprehension. Strongly recommend this book.

This is another well-written book by Lois Lowry. Her book reads like a kid is telling it, with a child's innocence. Although well-written, I do not think that it was particularly interesting for many people who are fourteen or older. Considering that books should be graded as a whole and not just by my age, I still give this book five stars. For anyone, though, this book is interesting and thought-provoking.

This book was very entertaining and somewhat mysterious to me. I enjoyed it more when I understood more about the plot, though in the beginning I was slightly confused. I would recommend this book to anyone who love to read Lois lowry's vivid imagination, or who has a creative mind themselves.

Totally love the idea of dreams. The telling of two stories at once how what the boy his mother and gossamer are going through. This is my second time reading it(iwas like 8 the first time) and now it has so much more depth and meaning that i didnt understand before

I truly enjoyed every minute of this novel. As only Lois Lowry can, she creates a world that beckons you to enter with each word she writes. Her characters drive the action with such ease that when I reached the end of the book I wanted to know more. This would be a great way to encorporate new vocabulary with students. It would also make a wonderful read aloud. I would recommend this book to fifth and sixth graders.

Twas a very good book. I would recommend this book to all age groups. The writing seems simple, but if you look deeper, you can find other things, that are more mature. Once again, this book was very good.

This book was an easy read yet thought provoking. I didn't want to put it down! I loved the Giver so much I was hesitant to believe another book could touch me that way.. this does. I'd recommend this for all ages.