Book Review: "Number the Stars" by Lois Lowry

Lowry, Lois. Number the Stars. New York: Yearling, 1989.

This chapter book is the chilling story of one girl's life during the Holocaust and the Nazi's relocating of Jews. Annemarie is a young girl living in Copenhagen as the Nazis slowly take over the city and start to relocate Jews living in the city. To save her friend ,Ellen whose family is being hunted by the Nazis because they found their names on the list of families at the synagogue, Annemarie's family takes her in and pretends that she is their own daughter. Annemarie's family goes to their Uncle Henrik's house where a lot of Jewish families show up to a fake funeral, to fool the Nazis, so that they could be taken to safety in Sweden. Ellen's family, the Rosen's is one of these families and Annemarie, after the war is ended, is told they will return safely a bit later. Annemarie wears her friend's Star of David as a tribute to her.

I think this book is a great story and informs its readers of something that had happened in the past and is an important part of Jewish history. Lois Lowry is an insider author and with this book won the Newberry Medal Award. Not only does this book tell the struggles that Jewish families experienced through a fictional story, but still made sure to include a lot of historical facts within the text. For example, the handkerchief that Annemarie is delivering that was used to hide the scent from the German dogs was really used during the Holocaust. I think this is a great book for 5th and 6th graders to educate them on events that happened during the Holocaust. So not only do this story share the struggles Jewish people endured, but also provides an educational reading.