Reaction to The Giver by Louis Lowry

Over the weekend I read all of The Giver by Lois Lowry.  I couldn't put it down, but not because it was so good, just because it was so different from anything I had ever read before.  Honestly, I didn't like it at all.  The characters are developed and the plot is interesting, it is just too weird.  And once again, I don't really understand how this can be considered a children's book.  The pain Jonas has to endure just doesn't seem right.  Not only is he in intense pain so that everyone else can avoid all pain, he is intentionally given that pain.  The ideas in this book are very selfish of the community.  They pick a child to endure pain for them.  All of this, combined with not having the ability to love until after he becomes the Giver, is too weird for me.  I enjoy books with a happier tone!