Carmen Teresa receives a notebook for a holiday gift. Her guests suggest that she write down their childhood stories, but she has another idea. She loves to cook, so she writes down their recipes instead.
The story of a dystopian community ruled by the Committee of Elders, which tightly controls every aspect of society. When 12-year-old Jonas is granted the highest job in the society, Receiver of Memory, he learns from the Giver all that has been sacrificed in the name of order and sameness.