Number the Stars
Ratings214
Average rating4.1
This morning we finally finished reading Number the Stars. We've been working on this one for a while but took a hiatus when I was coughing so much. Now my voice is back and I've been reading all day with glee.
There are still scenes that stayed with me from when I was young and read it.
A quick read about the little known Danish heroes that did what they could to help their Jewish neighbors during the holocaust. Good book.
I read this book in 6th grade and it was one of the first books that opened my eyes to the terrible things that happened during WWII.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I really like this book . It's a very enjoyable story, but just short of epic. Certain areas may not be as fulfilling as they could have been. I'm not quite as captivated or blown away, but still had a great experience. I'd recommend this book to others and continue reading from this author. I would probably re-read it.
Annemarie is living in dangerous times, Denmark, 1943, during the Nazi occupation. Soldiers line the streets and harass the citizens daily. One day, Annemarie's family learns that the Nazis have decided to relocate the Jews living in Denmark. Annemarie's best friend and her parents are suddenly forced to find a way to get out of Denmark. It is Annemarie and her family who are able to help.
This was an exciting adventure story with scary Nazis popping up on every page. I listened anxiously to find out whether Annemarie's friends would manage to flee Copenhagen and sail across to safety in Sweden.
I want to take my time with a review for this one. I'll start with this. I didn't really know what I was going to read. I only picked this up on a recommendation from PlanWithIlysse. This is a book I am very glad that I picked up to read. I would love to read more books similar to this one.
appropriate for younger kids. My 9 year old read it and enjoyed it and it opened the door for a nice introductory conversation about the Shoah.
When it comes to WWII historical fiction, few books have managed to maintain the constant dominance that Number the Stars has. It was first published in 1989, and it has since become a classic among middle grade educators everywhere, and it is not hard to see why, as the story is engaging, and the characters have meaningful relationships. This is about the third time I have read this novel, and I can see that this will be one I will be reading for years to come.
This is primarily because of how the characters are portrayed. Both Annemarie and Ellen are done well, with each of them showing their concern for each other in this trying time, as they face occupation by Germany in their country. This is in contrast to other books on WWII historical fiction that I have read, where I did not connect with any characters. Here, they are all written well, and have a purpose, even if they do not seem like it at the beginning of the book.
I also like the situations that they get into. While I will not spoil it, I will just say that this is not only an excellent way to show the resistance during this time period, but is also a good gateway into thriller books for young readers. I felt an excellent amount of tension in these scenes and much of that is through Lowry's writing, which is as excellent as it was in The Giver, which I also enjoyed.
Overall, I would say that this book still hold up all these years later and is one that I recommend to those students who want to know more about the resistance efforts during WWII. I give it a four out of five.