Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry
When I was younger, I was always really intrigued (and horrified) by the Holocaust. Since there are a lot of books on that subject, it was easy for me to feed my interest! I don't remember who introduced me to this book, but it stood out among the many Holocaust stories that I read and made a big impression on me as a middle school student.
Number the Stars is a book about the persecution of Jews during World War 2, and the impact that it had on every person, including the book's main character, Annemarie Johansen. She is a 10-year-old living in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1943 and is caught up in the events surrounding the rescue of Danish Jews. She and her family risk their lives to help Annemarie's best friend, Ellen Rosen, avoid Nazi persecution and eventually escape by pretending that she is Annemarie's older sister who died earlier in the war as part of the Resistance, and later smuggling her and her family into Sweden. The book ends with the Germans surrendering to the Allied Forces. Denmark celebrates as it is returned to a free country. At that point, Annemarie finally learns all that really happened during the War and the Resistance, and resolves to wear Ellen's necklace until Ellen can return.
To explore the front and back cover of Number the Stars click here.
Review by Megan
When I was younger, I was always really intrigued (and horrified) by the Holocaust. Since there are a lot of books on that subject, it was easy for me to feed my interest! I don't remember who introduced me to this book, but it stood out among the many Holocaust stories that I read and made a big impression on me as a middle school student.
Number the Stars is a book about the persecution of Jews during World War 2, and the impact that it had on every person, including the book's main character, Annemarie Johansen. She is a 10-year-old living in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1943 and is caught up in the events surrounding the rescue of Danish Jews. She and her family risk their lives to help Annemarie's best friend, Ellen Rosen, avoid Nazi persecution and eventually escape by pretending that she is Annemarie's older sister who died earlier in the war as part of the Resistance, and later smuggling her and her family into Sweden. The book ends with the Germans surrendering to the Allied Forces. Denmark celebrates as it is returned to a free country. At that point, Annemarie finally learns all that really happened during the War and the Resistance, and resolves to wear Ellen's necklace until Ellen can return.
To explore the front and back cover of Number the Stars click here.
Review by Megan
4 comments:
Wow - what a powerful book for middle age scholars. I agree that the literature themes of perseverance, friendship and loyalty, moral judgment, and life and death are intense, yet important concepts for adolescence reading. Our eighth grades students participate in a similar unit, with Holocaust reading and historical study. At the conclusion of the unit, a Holocaust survivor and World War II surgeon visit the students to give their personal accounts of the history. The entire unit is meaningful and memorable.
Have you ever read Daniel's Story? It is also a very moving book about the Holocaust. I recommend it if you haven't read it.
Nice post and this mail helped me alot in my college assignement. Thank you as your information.
Unless they happen to still have the Facebook treat spared right here in their machine store.
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