I actually read this a week or so ago, all in one day. Apparently it was first published as a children's book, though the edition I purchased makes no mention of that. When I was reading it I felt like it harkened back to some of her earliest novels, particularly the Earthsea books, which were also aimed at children.

I hope that no one is dissuaded from reading it because of this, since children's novels can be as good as adult fiction. Gifts uses simple language to tell its story, but Le Guin is a very eloquent writer, and the story, while not entirely original, is compelling.