Number the Stars
by Lois Lowry
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Book Reviews of Number the Stars
Book Review: It is a Newberry Award Winner, But...
Summary: 3 Stars
it pales in comparison to the likes of, say, Out of the Dust or Island of the Blue Dolphins.
Here's how I came across Number the Stars. While I was browsing in Barnes and Noble, I saw the Newberry section, and bought this, along with Linda Sue Park's A Single Shard, which I'm reading now, and like a lot better. Since I've set a goal for myself, to read all of the Newberry winners, I simply couldn''t resist picking this up.
The story follows ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen, a Danish girl growing up under the strict supervision and control of the Nazis during World War II. Annemarie lives a simple life with her mother, father, and younger sister, Kirsti. Her older sister, Lise, had previously died in a tragic accident.
Annemarie's best friend Ellen Rosen is a Jewish girl who, we find out, is to be detained, and sent to a Nazi death camp with her family. In a desperate effort to save Ellen, Annemarie and her family pretend that Ellen is Lise Johansen. But how long will it be before the German soldiers catch on to the Johansens' secret?
So, I read it, and was disappointed overall. I had heard of Lois Lowry's other Newberry winner, The Giver, and the mass critical aclaim it received. Maybe that'll be better.
The main problem I had with this book was that it failed to strike me on an emotional chord. I expected it to be a moving, realistic, but still kid-friendly drama about life in Denmark during World War II. Instead, I felt little or no emotional power emanate from the pages of Number the Stars. This is one of my favorite elements of a good story, absent. Because of this, I found myself putting it down a lot, to attend to other matters for a while.
The book could be about fifty pages longer. In my opinion, Lowry left out a lot of important details. The book focused more on the plot, and less on the causes of the plot. I would have liked a bit more backstory. 135 pages just wasn't quite enough.
On the other hand, the setting descriptions are very good. Midway through the novel, when the Johansens were visting Uncle Henrik, I could almost see and smell the pathways and surrounding areas of Henrik's town. That's probably most of the reason why it won the 1990 Newberry. In addition, there is some character development going on here. Here is how I rate the depth of some of the characters:
GOOD:
Annemarie Johansen: This is the main character of the book. Her feelings are described fairly well by the author, although I wish the book was done in first person; we could have gotten a more intimate look at Annemarie's thoughts that way.
Peter Neilsen: This is Lise's would-be-husband. The courage he shows to Denmark, and his relationship with the Johansens, are described and shown beautifully by Lowry.
Inge Johansen: This is Annemarie's mother. Her feelings throughout the book (worry, anxiety, love) are decidedly realistic.
BAD:
Kirsti Johansen: This is Annemarie's little sister. Her personality was nothing but a stereotype: the naive, stubborn little girl that the older sister must entertain.
Ellen Rosen: This is Annemarie's best friend. Her personality wasn't a stereotype, because she didn't really have a personality. At least, not a clear one. I was unable to tell exactly what kind of person she is. Probably the least-developed character in the book.
MY FINAL SCORES:
Plot: 3.5/5
Characters: 3.5/5
Readability: 3.5/5
Length: (Too Short, Too Long, or Just Right) Too Short
Overall: 3/5
CONCLUSION: This book has some redeeming qualities, but it's not particularly outstanding.
Book Review: Who's The Jew??
Summary: 5 Stars
Number The Stars was a excellent book. That had a lot of excitement. It made me want to keep reading. After I tried to place the book down it wouldn't let it leave my hand. It was an excellent 137 pages. If you have ever read the Anastasia series you would know that Lois Lowry is a great author. This author has also written Gathering Blue and my favorite, The Giver. This book was a Newberry Medal winner and made it onto the ALA book list. It is a Historical Fiction book which is one of my favorite genres.
A brief summary of the book would be that Ellen a 10-12 year old girl attends her Jewish mass only to find out that she is going to be kidnapped. She is told to go to their neighbors. They have her pretend that she is one of their daughters. Later German soldiers come looking for her. They can't find her in her own home so they come check the neighbors. They pull the three girls out of bed and stare and them. They don't believe that she is part of their family. So the soldiers leave the house. In the morning they decide that the girls shouldn't go to school. They think that it will be safest at their uncles so the girls and mother leave for Annemarie's uncles right away. Once there they think that Annemarie's aunt is dead in a coffin. The German soldiers come again but to the Uncle Henrick's house they raid the house searching for Jews but before they realize they are surrounded by tons of Jews they see a coffin and want to open it. Before they can open it the mother says that the aunt died from a very contagious decease that stays in the body even after it is dead. The German soldiers rush out of there as if their pants were on fire and the nearest water hole was 10 miles away plus they don't know how to stop drop and roll. Later that night they open the coffin but instead of there being a dead lady it is a bunch of clothes. They put them on and head out for the uncles boat. On the way there something terrible happens leaving Annemarie to save her friend or she might have a unfortunate event.
As you might guess Number The Stars is a adventurous book, but the author still manages to put humor into it. One thing I really thought was funny was that Kristi a little girl around 5 years old is talking back to these German soldiers without thinking and saying the oddest things. A good example is when soldiers are interrogating them about being Jewish when they aren't. Kristi says, "I'm going to my Uncle Hnricks and I'm wherein me brand new shiny black shoes," when they actually are fish skin shoes covered with black ink. Another thing I liked and thought was humorous was when Annemarie acted like Kristi to the soldiers. One other thing was how the soldiers were being cruel to the girl by taking the lunch and throwing it on the ground or at least they thought they thought they were.
This book is pretty scary and nerve racking in some parts. So as you might guess a nerve racking story line is going to need brave characters. Even when that means anything goes. For example the parents lied about who was there kids and who wasn't to the Germans. The little girl Kristi is brave and protective of herself and her family. Also Annemarie kept her cool in front of the soldiers even though she use to be dead frighten of them.
I believe this book is for those readers who like action mystery and humor. It is a outrageously great book. The author Lois Lowry put so many different genres and taste into this one book it is amassing that she didn't win more awards for this book. It was hilarious action book with the oddest things said. I also liked it because I felt as if the author was so deeply detailed. I recommend this book because I am sure that almost everybody will like it. I use to think that it was just for girls but it is a great book for boys too.
Book Review: Number The Stars
Summary: 5 Stars
Number The Stars
review made by marissa
Number The Stars is a book about a young girl named annemarie who lives in Denmark. Her Friend is jewish and she is danish. They were walking home from school and noticed all the soldiers standing on every street corner. The soldiers were there to start "relocating them" to as different place. So annemarie and her family of 3 used to be 4 called up her moms brother uncle henrik. Uncle henrik told them to come there and that he would think of something. Ellen come with annemarie to stay with her while her family was taken to a safe place for now cause they were jewish. so ellen stayed there and soldiers came that night looking for the rosens(ellens family).They came to annemaries house and asked annemaries parents if they had seen them. they said no. the soldiers asked to search the house; and they did.they searched through all the rooms looking for them they didnt find them anywhere. So then they asked to look in annemaries room where ellen and her were at sleeping. Then annemarie noticed ellen still had her star of david on. annemarie hurried to yank it off before the soldiers barged in. The soldiers came in demanding them to stand up. Annemarie put the necklace in her deceased sister's trunk. The soldiers noticed ellen had dark hair and the rest of them had blonde hair. Quickly, Annemaries dad grabbed the photo album and showed the soldiers the picture of lise (annemarie's deceased sister who "died in a car accident") who had dark hair as a baby. then the soldiers gave them an ok and left. Thats when annemaries mom decided to leave and go to uncle henriks home. They went there and cut up chunks of cheese and put apples and sandwiches in a bunch of bags. A bunch of people started to arrive and so did a big coffin. Annemarie and ellen with suprised looks looked around curiously. a noise came from outside it was uncle henrik and ellens parents. Ellen ran through the door and jumped into her fathers arms. Tehy went inside and the opened the coffin and got out warm clothes. uncle henrik was ganna bundle them up and put them under his boat. They ran (all the jews) to the boat 3 at a time. mr. rosen handed uncle henrik a packed that was supposed to be important. they were gone and safe when annemarie noticed they forgot the packed and had to run it to uncle henrik before he leaves. It was Dark and cold. Annemarie's mother couldnt run the packed cause she tripped over a root on the trail from the boat dock. So annmarie was walking to the boats and two soldiers and their dogs stopped her. they asked what she had in the packet she said idk. they took it from her and opened it and said that it a hanker cheif? how lame. then annemarie continued to the boat dock. Soldiers were checking all the boats. They checked unlce henriks boat after annmarie arrived with the hankerchief. The hankerchief had some king of drug on it and ruined the dogs smelling. When the soldiers stopped annemarie the dogs smelled the hankerchief and thier scenses got ruined. So uncle henrik had it and the same soldiers that stopped annemarie got on uncle henriks boat. So the dogs couldnt smell the jews underneath the boat. so uncle henrik took of like all the other jews hidden in boats did. Then the most unbeleivable thing happened.
Book Review: EDRD 303 group book review
Summary: 5 Stars
Number the Stars
Lois Lowry
Book review by:
Shaley Haney
and
Christine Wilson
Number the Stars is a wonderful and exciting book by the renowned children's book author Lois Lowry. It tells the story of two ten-year-old girls, Annemarie Johansen and her best friend Ellen Rosen, in Copenhagen, Denmark during the Holocaust in September, 1943. Ellen and her family are Jewish while the Johansen's are Danish.
In the beginning of the book, Annemarie, her younger sister Kirsti, and Ellen are racing home from school when they are encountered by the German soldiers. When the girls arrived home, they told their mothers about the incident and were advised to take a different route to school and home so as not to draw attention to themselves.
Throughout the book, several stores owned by Jewish people are being closed down. Annemarie is curious about the events and does not understand the severity of the war, nor why the Germans are taking over her country. The Rosen's are forced to flee the country for safety but Annemarie still does not understand why she has to say goodbye to her best friend.
A few years before the book begins, Annemarie's older sister, Lise, died in an accident. She was set to marry Peter Neilsen, a member of the Resistance. Peter is still a close friend of the family and comes by often to talk with Mr. and Mrs. Johansen. During one of his visits, the family sits down with Annemarie and explains to her what is going on between the Jewish people and the Germans.
While the Rosen's are hiding, Ellen remains with the Johansen's and pretends to be one of their daughters. When questioned by the Germans, seeing the Ellen has dark hair, Mr. Johansen is able to show a baby picture of Lise, who also had dark hair.
Ellen is eventually reunited with her family and they are taken safely on a boat to Sweden. The war ends in May and the streets of Denmark are crowded with people celebrating the end of the war. Annemarie knows that she will see her friend again someday. She finds a necklace with the Star of David pennant on it that Lise was keeping for Ellen. Annemarie puts it on and vows to wear it everyday until she can give it back to her best friend, Ellen.
Lois Lowry does a great job at keeping the book flowing. You feel like you are learning about the Holocaust right along with Annemarie and her family. You see things the way they appear to a ten-year-old Danish girl and feel like you have been taken back to 1943 with her. The book keeps you in suspense as you wonder what is going to happen to Ellen and her family.
We loved the book and enjoyed reading it. We were hooked from the very first page and could not put it down until we discovered what happened to the two families. As education majors, we highly recommend this book to be read to a classroom when studying World War II and the Holocaust. It explains the severity of the situation while catering to a young audience.
Book Review: Number the Stars earns 4 1/2 stars
Summary: 5 Stars
What a sad triumphant story. I've not read too much on the holocaust (something I intend to remedy) and to start out with this children's novel was probably the perfect introduction to the subject. Even though it is for a younger crowd, it does give a nice easy start to what essentially is a horrifying point in history. It helps prepare for the harder things to come.
Annemarie is a Danish girl who lives with her parents and her younger sister. It is several years into the war and the Nazis have occupied the city and are in control. They terrorize everyone, Jewish or not, and aren't above scaring young girls on the street. Annemarie learns this firsthand when she is reprimanded for practicing a footrace on the street and a soldier yells at her. With her, is her Jewish friend Ellen, who is also yelled at for racing.
When the Nazi's start clearing the Jewish out of the city, Annemarie's family takes Ellen in and disguises her as Lise, an older sister of Annemarie's that died a few years back. They have some close calls harboring Ellen but manage to keep her safe. However, life in the city becomes too dangerous for even this and they flee to the country where there are relatives near the coast. With the help of this relative and other brave heroes, they help Ellen and her family escape persecution.
The writing in this, is of course, juvenile. It is after all, a children's book. But despite this, it is very elegantly told and easy to get lost in the story. I would have liked to see a bit more description on events and people, but I can see where it should be left out in order to appeal to a younger crowd. Its written in the third person and mostly follows Annemarie as a character. Since it is a fairly short book, it moves quickly and not a lot of time is spent on developing the characters or storyline beyond the basic plot and this may account for the lack of description as well.
Such a sad story, even despite having happy moments. To think that such things were done in real life and all the atrocities committed is very depressing. I can only hope that human kind has learned from its mistakes and it will not be repeated. This is the perfect introduction to the horrors of the holocaust for the younger crowd. It has enough in it to be realistic but not enough to completely scare a younger reader. There are some violent aspects to the book, but really, in perspective it is no worse than some of the violence in cartoons.
I enjoyed the book for its information but it did make me want to go read something a little more positive. But sometimes that's a good balance, once you read something sad it gives you an excuse to read something happy as well (at least for me it does!). It is important to read though and I wish I would have had the opportunity to read it when younger.
Number the Stars
Copyright 1989
132 page