Before I talk about the wonder of Lois Lowry’s Gathering Blue, let’s talk about the wonder of my daughter’s teacher-librarian…

My daughter read my copy of The Giver a while ago. When I told her there were other books in the series, she headed off to the school library in search of them. They’re not exactly new books, though. Gathering Blue was published in 2000. So it’s not too surprising that the library had lost its copy. Books three and four were on the shelves, but not book two.

We didn’t worry much about it — just put it on the mental list for our next Kidsbooks trip. But then, on Tuesday morning last week, what appeared on my daughter’s desk at school? A brand new copy of Gathering Blue. Not only had the librarian gone out and purchased a new copy, she’d already checked it out and left it waiting, like a perfect little Lois Lowry gift pack.

We have both since read the book, and spent the weekend debating which we like better. I’m still slightly on the side of The Giver; it wraps such power in a simple package. My daughter votes for Gathering Blue, for its details, it’s brave protagonist, and for descriptions of weaving. I think if she could, she’d start drying herbs and boiling up batches of dye in the backyard.

Book three is next on the reading agenda… maybe that will prompt new debate.