The Gift-Giver

by Joyce Hansen

The year she is in fifth grade, Doris meets a special friend in her Bronx neighborhood.

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult

128 pages, Paperback

First published August 25, 1980

About the author

Joyce Hansen has been writing books and stories for children and young adults for over twenty years. Joyce was born and raised in New York City, the setting of her early contemporary novels. She grew up with two younger brothers and her parents in an extended family that included aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents, all living nearby in the Morrisania section of the Bronx.

Attending Bronx public schools, she graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School in 1960. While working secretarial jobs during the day, Joyce attended Pace University in New York City at night, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree. She then began her teaching career in the New York City public schools and earned a Master of Arts degree from New York University. She also taught writing and literature at Empire State College (State University of New York).

Joyce’s first children’s book, The Gift-Giver, published in 1980, was inspired by her own Bronx childhood and by her students. She continued to teach and write until retiring from teaching in 1995. Joyce Hansen presently lives in South Carolina with her husband and writes full-time.

Reviews

[James Weakley]

Covering the span of a few spring and summer months, this novel captures the tone, voice, and experiences of our most vulnerable students. Doris' family is struggling to make it, her friends are in comparable shape. They are fifth graders in the moment of developing maturity. Some of this is naturally their inclination. However, a remarkable amount of it is thanks to their new friend, Amir. Students should read this to see themselves in literature. Teachers can read this to see their students. All benefit from this movel.

[Chanel]

i read dis book and i was so fasinated it opened my eyes to read books.

[Ari]

I thought this book was emotional in many ways because people talk about their adoption life. I enjoyed it because it was funny and people made jokes. This book had mixed emotions.

[Lucy Garcia]

End of 5th grade and summer, city kids growing up

[Imagine: Before there were screens. Before TV? ] The list of games these kids played, the activities they generated, the tension and rivalries and noise -- the teams and competitions and block parties!

Doris likes to do what her friends do. They throw out a dare, she takes it. They dunk on each other, she goes along, gets mad when they do. Ooo, but her

Amir is the new kid. He won't get mad at nothing. He watches, just cool, comes up with good input, it seems, for the 5th v 6th grade basketball playoff, for the runaway kid

[Andrew]

Empathy is the theme as we see a coming of age for Doris as she begins to see her world through the eyes of her new pensive friend, Amir. Even though he was nothing like the other friends on her block, Doris grew appreciative of the value he brought to all their lives: “How could somebody, who only smiled and looked like he was always seeing the inside of things, make a bunch like us feel so strange when he wasn’t there?”

[Ronald Glaser]

I really really liked this book; this story shows how we as humans have many different nature’s, but also that when we really think about it things do matter, but also they can change our lives for the better.
Aamir, and his friends can teach as many lessons in this book I highly highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a great wonderful exciting read.

[Erika Castro]

I loved this little novel. A perfect pick me upper. We meet Doris, a funky 5th grader with a lot to offer. Next up, Amir, who I immediately fell in love with. I definitely recommend this book to any child or almost teen looking for an easy read on friendship, family bonds, or even building empathy. Loved it!

[Gina]

Such a great book. I wish it'd have been a bit longer, but there was character development, which is always good.

[PRINCESS]

 Fiction
 African – American
 Friendship, Community


- “How come you so different from the other boys, Amir?
- He laughed. “I’m different”
- “You don’t know you different?”
- “Why everybody got to be alike, Doris?”
- “Well, people laugh at you when you different or strange…”
- “People are always talking and laughing at somebody. Talk can’t hurt you. If you can’t do what other people do, so what? Do something else.”
Doris is bored, unhappy, feeling miserable because no one understands her; they make fun of her because she doesn’t do a thing. She is in grade five. She felt she is in prison by her surroundings. She meets Amir who others feel he is different. A quiet, small, nice but different boy who teaches Doris being different is fine; not being like others is okay, being herself is normal, worrying about what people would say or laugh at should not be important,

We all need that little cute strange lonely Amir in our life to change our heart.

[Caryn]

Based on Hansen’s own Bronx childhood and her students she taught. It is a quick read and I enjoyed it, although it is definitely meant for younger readers. I wish I had read this as a child. It would have given me a great window into a world of kids very different from my own life and family. I like how simple the plot is—intense from the perspective of 10 year old Doris—but not overly dramatic for the reader. It is a sweet story about friendship, dealing with life changes, and growing up into responsibilities.

[Ms. Pierce]

Saul says: This book is about a girl and her everyday life. I recommend this book because it has small words and is easy to read.

[Mary L'hommedieu]

A MLK era story of 2 unlikely friendships

[Jiselle Mcgee]

I think it was a great story. The more I read this story, the more I felt like I was there on 163rd street!

[Erin Reedy]

I feel like if I had read this as a child, it would have had a larger impact. Easy short read.

[Trinity Chan]

A wholesome and warm book about a Ghetto Neighborhood. Doris is the main character, and meets Amir, a new student.

[Mike]

Fun but distrubing