Number the Stars
by Lois Lowry
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Book Reviews of Number the Stars
Book Review: Number the Stars by Peter from Cutchogue
Summary: 5 Stars
Imagine that it is the 1940s. You are a young Jewish girl in Denmark and the Nazi soldiers are all over the place! Now your parents are being taken away! The only way that you can live is to pretend to be a part of your best friends family. How do you think young Ellen sill live? Annemarie and Ellen are best friends and now they have to be sisters! What could be better? Actually what could be worse? Having to protect a true friend and a family from breaking up? Read Number The Stars a Newbery award-winning novel by Lois Lowry, a true thriller.
German Jews gained knowledge and created a culture of pride and success. They became so involved with the culture of Germany that when the Holocaust came they could not understand how it happened because they considered themselves first and foremost. The Nazis soldiers are collecting up all if the Jews now and putting them in concentration camps. Ellen is one of the Jews. She has no one to protect her from being taken into a concentration camp but the Johansson family.
Young Ellen and her best friend Annemarie are living together. One night a couple of the Nazi soldiers came into Annemarie's house bursting in without anyone caring. It was around 4:00 A.M. Mother was screaming, "please don't wake my children!" But he didn't care one bit! He marched up the stairs to the girls' bedroom. The girls were all now awake and saw him coming. Ellen had her necklace of the Star of David on. She has never taken it off before and now she doesn't know how too. Quickly Annemarie ripped that necklace off her neck. The soldiers had now entered the room... The big disgusted soldier immediately went to Ellen saying, "who is the dark haired one" grabbing her hair. Annemarie had an older sister and she has now passed away. Her parents quickly gave her the name Lise. They even had pictures of Lise when she was a baby and luckily she had dark hair at the time. They left the room after hitting the mother in the face... Annemarie was so nervous that she had squeezed Ellen's necklace so hard that the Star of David was imprinted into the palm of her hand.
I LOVED Number the Stars. It was one of the best books that I have ever read in my whole life! Find out more about the life of young Ellen and Annemarie and more exciting, unbelievable moments of pain by reading Number the Stars. If you are a person that loves a true thriller and historical fiction then Number the Stars is definitely a book for you.
Book Review: A moving, memorable book
Summary: 5 Stars
Title: Number the Stars
Publisher: Laurel-Leaf
Author: Lois Lowry
Date: 1989
Reading Level: 4.9
Pages: 137
Genre: Historical Fiction
This poignant book tells the story of Annemarie Johansen, who is 10 years old and her friend Ellen Rosen in Copenhagen in 1943 (near the beginning of World War II). The story shares the perspective of Annemarie, a young girl who is not Jewish, who begins to experience how Jews are treated in Denmark during the German occupation through Ellen's experience as a Jew. While Annemarie and all the people of Denmark are experiencing food shortages, rationing, and a pervasive soldier presence, Ellen's experience becomes vastly different. After a raid at their synagogue, Ellen's parents must leave immediately. Ellen moves in with Annemarie and her family, and pretends to be a part of their family. Things continue to become more dangerous, however, and both of the young girls are asked to be brave beyond their years.
While the book has an amazing story to tell, there are a few things about the book that might not appeal to some readers. One is that, for history buffs, there isn't a lot of information about the Holocaust, and very little about its politics. Because the book takes place in Denmark, the incredible violence and inhumanity of the Holocaust is not addressed. To some, this may be a positive aspect of the book (especially for younger readers), but it should be paired with some historical information for older readers. Keeping a computer nearby for internet searches would be a great idea.
Number the Stars was a favorite of mine through middle school, and a book I loved revisiting, I would not hesitate to recommend it to people of any age. Very little young adult fiction about World War II is written from a perspective like this, an innocent bystander rather than a direct victim. It is easy to relate to Annemarie as she wrestled with the normal problems of being a 10-year-old, an older sister, and a daughter in school and at home. In addition, Annemarie's questions and thoughts about what was happening to her friend are the same questions I have looking back. Why did this happen? What can I do? What is the right thing to do? These questions not only are a good reflection on what happened during World War II, but can also help as a guide to thinking about current issues in the world.
Book Review: The Daily Critic
Summary: 4 Stars
Number the Stars was a well thought out book, with an interesting plot. In the year 1943, during World War II, a little girl named Annemarie lived in Copenhagen, Denmark. Copenhagen was a very nice town in Denmark until the Nazi soldiers invaded it. Soon Annemarie found soldiers everywhere and she began to notice that many Jewish people were being taken away. Then she realized that her Jewish friend Ellen could be taken away as well, so Annemarie's family let Ellen live with them for awhile. As time passed, Annemarie's mother, Inge, thought that the Germans would find Ellen if they stayed in Copenhagen, so Inge took Annemarie, Annemarie's little sister Kirsti, and Ellen to Gilleleje to stay with Annemarie's uncle. Worried and frightened about what might happen to Ellen, Annemarie had trouble showing bravery in the her current situation. One day when Annemarie found out that Ellen and some other Jewish families were in trouble and in need of help, Annemarie had to think about whether or not she had the courage to save Ellen and some of the other Jewish families! I believe that this story is trying to tell us, that we all have courage inside of us.
The author, Lois Lowry used many interesting words to describe Annemarie's feelings and the places she has been. Lois Lowry also knows how to keep you involved in the book, until you have finished it. While I was reading the book, I felt like I could never put the book down. Every time I read a new chapter, it felt so suspenseful, that I had to keep reading. This book really made me want to learn more about World War II and understand what many people went through at that time. I liked how she described Annemarie's feelings. I felt like I understood Annemarie and the current situation she was in.
Although some parts of the book were hard to understand, overall it was really satisfying. I would give this book 4 stars because of the intense scenes. This book is for ages ten and up because there are some words that may be incomprehensible for younger kids. I also recommend this book to people who love adventure and historical fiction. I happen to love historical fiction because, I like to learn about the past, with some fiction added into it. This book was well written and it had a great storyline! - Josh
Book Review: As I turn the pages...
Summary: 5 Stars
As I turn the pages of this very relative book, I started feeling the intense suffering of the Jewish people. This heartbreaking book made me think back to our history. The characters are really helpful, for they helped me recognize the real meaning of World War II.
AnneMarie Johansen: is a very loyal friend; she helped Ellen Rosen till the very end. She didn't let go of hope and faith. Her incorrigible traits helped her realize that love and freedom is a very important thing in a time like World War II.
It touched my heart when I found out that Germany had once been conquered by the Nazi Party. (Except for France which for some reason is free, while the World War II was happening)
Ellen Rosen: an endangered Jewish girl, who have a loyal friend who helped her escape the Nazi soldiers. Hitler, a greedy man commanded his troops to put all Jewish people in prison. (That includes people with black eyes and a colored hair, except for blonde.) Ellen's family was separated for a while, but after waiting for so long, Ellen's parents came back to get their family out of the whole madness.
The Rosen's and the Johansen's are close to each other. The Johansen's helped the Rosen's escape to go to France. There they will be safe.
Peter, Lise's fiancé also helped the Jews. Unfortunately, at the end of the story, he had gotten shot because the Nazi party had discovered about the "Jew helping."
Lise is AnneMarie's older sister that also died, from a car crash, but it turned out that she got vandalized because she was helping the Jews when a group of soldiers barge in, everyone tried to run for their lives... but when Lise was running in the street a car accidently hit her. Now, Peter has change from playful to serious.
This is an inspiring story for they showed me a lot about true sacrifice, and discovering that having your own family is important. I myself had always thought that life is so unfair. My family is for some reason not as I wanted it to be. This story inspired me a lot. It will always stay on my mind for it is a realistic matter of friendship, tragedy and depending on each other. After I read this book I realize that having a strict family isn't really that bad, because there is something a lot worse than that.
Book Review: Should be required reading for all!
Summary: 5 Stars
Lois Lowry is the well known author of childrens and young adult books which include titles such as The Giver and the Anastasia series. In the book, Number the Stars, winner of the prestigious Newberry Award, the author presents her readers with a thought provoking tale filled with memorable characters and plot which readers can think about long after they've closed the book.This story begins in Amsterdam as the Nazis begin to occupy Holland. Life as it once was for this city will never be the same again especially for the two families portrayed here.
Ww first meet two young girls of separate families as they walk home from school. One girl is Christian, the other Jewish and they have always been the very best of friends. When they are questioned by two Nazi soldiers they are reluctant to tell their parents for fear they will worry. But also fearing what might happen to all of them, they eventually describe the incident to them. The parents, fully realizing that the situation is getting worse and worse for Jews and other minority groups, begin to make plans to insure the the safety of the Jewish family. Not only will these plans and decisions test their friendships but will alter the course of their lives.
Written primarily for children, this is a wonderful book which succeeds in presenting primarily school age children with some of thr ramifications of World War II and the plight of those persectuted by the Nazis. It also describes to readers at any age the role of courage and acts of extraordinary kindness during these dark days of the Nazi Occupation and World War II. By describing the plight of two families from Amsterdam, the reader is caught up in these tumultuous times and feels as though they are living next door to these people. While many books, both fiction and non-fiction have been written about this period in history and for all age groups, Lowry first presents the subject matter in a calm manner but one where emotions mount as one turns the pages. And certainly the book allows us a glimpse of how ordinary people risked their own lives to save others. As I closed the book I prayed for the safety of both families as if this was happening today. I do hope that they were reunited and finally the Jewish star could be returned to its rightful owner.