Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
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[Post was updated October 2019]
Number the Stars by Louis Lowry Book Cover via Amazon
Summary
“As the German troops begin their campaign to “relocate” all the Jews of Denmark, Annemarie Johansen’s family takes in Annemarie’s best friend, Ellen Rosen, and conceals her as part of the family.
Through the eyes of ten-year-old Annemarie, we watch as the Danish Resistance smuggles almost the entire Jewish population of Denmark, nearly seven thousand people, across the sea to Sweden. The heroism of an entire nation reminds us that there was pride and human decency in the world even during a time of terror and war.”
-From Amazon.com
Review
Lois Lowery’s book, Number the Stars, is very moving and something that really grips your soul. I read this book when I was younger and honestly it’s a book that has stuck with me, or at least scenes have stuck with me. Families being taken away from each other, people being killed or captured and all from the eyes of a child. It’s harrowing honestly.
But that was life when the Nazi’s were around and it was a reality. While the book itself is fictional, it was written to represent what life was like with the Nazi’s in power. People hid the Jews so that they could stay alive. Even as an adult, this still blows my mind and this book clearly displays that life in 1943 was not easy. Many books have epilogues with people choose to read sometimes or sometimes actually just skip it (not sure why) and this book is like every other but you have to read it in this. It is a part of the story and if you are mature enough to understand what is going on, is extremely moving.
I only read this book once but even so I remember so many parts of it and actually have been looking for my copy for while now because it passes through my mind now and then. Sometimes you read a book that really sticks with you and this is one of them honestly.
With the fact that schools now are not teaching about the Holocaust and concentration camps, openly preaching that this was a lie and not a true part of history, this book is important to keep alive and to read. It’s perfectly written for children to address the situation in a context that they can understand without it being too much – of course this will depend on the child. The writing is simple and when I read it in 2010…I would have been about 12 or so which is the perfect time to read this book. Any younger and a lot of it probably won’t be understood or at least some of the nuances wouldn’t be.
It’s absolutely incredible and I highly recommend it to all.
Enjoy!
