Number the Stars

Bibliographic information: 

Lowry, Lois.  Number the Stars.  Yearling Book, 1989,  p. 137.

Brief plot description:

Number the Stars takes place during the Holocaust in Denmark in the village of Copenhagen.  In the story there is the Johansen family that includes Lise, Annemarie, and Kristi.  The town of Copenhagen has a curfew of eight o’clock since the Germans have been there for the past three years.  Peter brings news that many Jewish shops are being closed down by the Germans.  The Rosen family is Jewish, and Ellen comes to live with the Johansen’s to be safe.  Peter takes her parents somewhere else to be safe.  The families then meet at Uncle Henrik’s house.  What happens while they are at Uncle Henrik’s house?  Will the families survive the war?

Brief review:

I really enjoyed this story because it shows how a family overcomes a war to help a family in trouble.  I believe that this book could be used in a fourth through eighth grade class.  In these grades it could be used when discussing World War II or the Jewish culture.  The book illustrates the sacrifices some people are willing to make in order to overcome injustice and evil.  I believe that the main idea of Number the Stars is that one should never discriminate against another and that if someone is discriminating against others that you should step up and help them fight.  I really enjoyed this book because I enjoy reading things about war and the way the Jews were treated during the Holocaust.

Genre label:

Historical Fiction

Reading level/interest level:

4^th- 8^th grade

Character names/descriptions:

Lise Johansen– eldest, not Jewish

Annemarie Johansen- 10 years old, middle child, not Jewish

Kristi Johansen- youngest who is in kindergarten, not Jewish

Uncle Henrik – lives on water overlooking Sweden

Ellen Rosen- Annemarie’s friend; Jewish

Peter Neilse - Lise’s finance

Similar materials in style content, theme or characters:

Jacob’s Rescue: A Holocaust Story by Malka Drucker

The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen

Behind the Bedroom Wall by Laura Williams

Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli

Subjects/themes:

World War II, Jewish culture

  

Awards:

Newbery Award

School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

ALA Notable Children’s Book

Maine Student Book Award

Kentucky Bluegrass Master List

Kansas William White Master List

Sydney Taylor Book Award, Association of Jewish Libraries

Arkansas Charlie May Simon Master List