Number the Stars
Thursday, August 16, 2007 by Amy
My first book for this challenge was Number the Stars. I chose several Newbery winners for my challenge because I missed out on a lot of them when I was younger. Plus, I have an 11-year-old who is reading through them and it helps us discuss if I have read them. I chose this one because I love tales of World War II.
This was a very fast and engaging read. I zipped through it in approximately two hours last night. It is the story of Annemarie Johansen and her best friend Ellen Rosen. They live in Copenhagen, Denmark , and the story begins in 1943, three years after the Germans have come to occupy Denmark.
The citizens get by alright, living to blend in. Ellen’s mother tells her often “Never do anything to make them remember your face.” However, things begin to rapidly deteriorate once the Danes begin to understand that the Jews are being singled out.
As I read through this book, I confess, that I believed a lot of the events to be fictitious. However at the end of the book there is an afterword from the author. She describes item by item which events were true. I was amazed at the courage and heroism displayed by the Danish people.
This is a Newbery winner that my 11-year-old will not be missing. (5/5)
I've been thinking of reading this book...I recently read another book by this same author, The Giver, and I was impressed.