Gossamer: Summary and book reviews of Gossamer by Lois Lowry, plus links to an excerpt from Gossamer and a biography of Lois Lowry.

Where do dreams come from? What stealthy nighttime messengers are the guardians of our most deeply hidden hopes and our half-forgotten fears? Drawing on her rich imagination, two-time Newbery winner Lois Lowry confronts these questions and explores the conflicts between the gentle bits and pieces of the past that come to life in dream, and the darker horrors that find their form in nightmare. In a haunting story that tiptoes between reality and imagination, two people—a lonely, sensitive woman and a damaged, angry boy—face their own histories and discover what they can be to one another, renewed by the strength that comes from a tiny, caring creature they will never see.

BookBrowse

In poetically simple words Lowry draws the reader into her story about Littlest One, a trainee dream-giver, assigned to the house of an elderly woman who agrees to foster an "angry boy". Lowry shows us that it's possible to take on big issues such as child abuse without having to resort to gritty detail; instead she paints her story, not with a sugar-coating, but with a gossamer touch so that young children can empathize with the central characters, including the boy and his mother, without being overwhelmed by harsh details.  (Reviewed by BookBrowse Review Team).

Full Review (422 words).

Media Reviews

Publisher's Weekly Lyrical, richly descriptive prose ushers readers into a fascinating parallel world.   Children's Literature - Joan Kindig The novel is elegantly and sparingly written. The pacing is taut and the characterization surprisingly full given the length of the book. (Ages 10-14).   Kirkus Reviews The prose is light as gossamer; the story as haunting as a dream.   Booklist Lowry's plain, poetic words speak directly to children   School Library Journal Starred Review. A beautiful novel with an intriguing premise.

Recent Reader Reviews

Rated of 5 by henry garner
the gossamer
Gossamer is a great book with love and hope.

Rated of 5 by bookworm
Wondeful
I just read this book at 28 and I loved it! It weaves Lowry's great imagination with innocence and worldliness. How she does it is absolutely amazing I teared up at the end.

Rated of 5 by Elizabeth An Boyd
Best book EVER!!!
Hello people of earth! You may think this is some weird book, but it's not! It is the best book ever! I myself read it in grade 4 and now I can't find the book anywhere! It's like it just disappeared into nowhere. I want to read it again but I...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Anonymous
Ingenious
I loved this book; it was so refreshing and relaxing, perfect for a quiet day, really. The story was ingenious, and Lois Lowry displayed certain emotions and scenes perfectly. I loved the book and it remains of my favorites of hers, alongside...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Ethan Salinas
AWESOMENESS!!!
I absolutely loved this book. Lois Lowry illustrates the book so gracefully and elegantly I totally recommend this book!!!

Rated of 5 by ellen
Amazing and inspiring
I loved this book! It was so refreshing and mysterious at the same time, along with the inspirational feelings it gave to me. Gossamer showed that love does have an impact. Author Lois Lowry has again created a perfect plot filled with suspense,...   Read More

...14 More Reader Reviews

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Books with similar themes

• Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Alternate History
  
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