Number the Stars

Number the Stars
Written by Lois Lowry
Published at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

About the book

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.

My Thoughts

We have a few novels based on the Second World War at home.  But I was always curious to read Number the Stars.  When I received it I immediately set myself to read it.   While reading it, I could see it would make a great book to study for my oldest son.  I purchased a literature study for the book and plan to do it with him in the new year.

The novel tells the story of two friends living during the Denmark occupation.   The Danish Resistance is trying to help the Jew population to save them.  The book is easy to read and brings life in the resistance more realistic.   Though it is an history novel, the book is based on what a friend of the author has experienced during the long years of the German occupation in Copenhagen.  In the afterword, you will get more information at what happened during the occupation of Denmark in 1940.

I find this book to be a good fit when studying the Second World War period in history.   It will give the reader a better understand of the risk taken by the Resistance throughout Europe to protect people in need.

Number the Stars is available at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca and amazon.com.

  

The book is also available on Kindle.

  

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Allen for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.