Number the Stars
By: Lois Lowry
Newbery Medal
Historical Fiction

            Annemarie Johansen is a little girl who is living in Copenhagen, Denmark during World War II. She hangs with her friend Ellen, and takes care of her younger sister. Copenhagen is filled with tons of enemy soldiers; Nazis have come, and are slowly forcing Danish people to do as they say. Annemarie is a sweet, innocent girl who reflects on how much life has changed since the Nazis came into her life. Annemarie’s sister, Lise died around the same time the war began. She misses her sister a ton, but is grateful that she still get to see Lise’s fiancé, Peter.
            Things in Denmark start to get more serious. Nazis are gathering Jews and taking them away from their homes. Brave families, such as the Johansen’s help their Jewish friends no matter how dangerous it may be. Ellen, Annemarie’s friend comes to live with Annemarie’s family. Ellen pretends to be Annemarie’s sister to stay safe from the Nazis.
            They have scary interrogations by Nazi soldiers in Copenhagen, and even on the train on the way to visit Annemarie’s Uncle, Henrik. They finally make it to Henrik’s house after a big scare, and are finally able to relax; but not for very long. The Johansen’s start to prepare for a fake funeral for a not existing aunt to give a reason for having so many Jews staying at the Johansen’s house.
            When Annemarie’s mother gets back home, injured, Annemarie finds a very important package that was supposed to get to Henrik from Ellen’s father never made it. Her mom can’t take it, so Annemarie must go. Annemarie has so much courage. She hides the package, has another encounter with Nazi soldiers, but makes it all the way to deliver the package.
            Annemarie later realizes that her taking the package ended up saving all of the Jews on the boat traveling to Sweden to save the Jews from the Nazis. Annemarie helped Ellen and her family get to safety. The book concludes two years later when the war is ending. Peter was killed by Nazis, but Annemarie knows Ellen and her family are safe from harm.


This book touched me so deeply the first time I read it. For some reason, I find great interest in the holocaust and I love to learn more about the time, and how courageous people were to save Jews during that time. This book brought me to tears. I would give this book to an older child of about 5th-8th grade. I think it has very mature language, and topics in it that aren’t necessarily for younger children.

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