And, having read it out loud to my class, I’m even more aware of some of the awkwardness of expression that is more apparent when verbalizing the sentences. The one thing holding me back from outright absorption and enjoyment of the book is that I’m really not a fan of Lowry’s writing style here. All of it exactly conveys the hush-hush nature of the entire operation the Danes were carrying out, and conveys it in such a way that children will be able to grasp the seriousness of the situation. Finally, the mystery package that Annemarie must deliver to her uncle. Then, the mysterious death of Great-Aunt Birte and the empty coffin. And Lowry does a great job of ramping up the tension: first, the undercurrent of danger as the Rosens leave and Ellen hides with the Johansens. They may not completely understand everything about the time period, but the story has just enough suspense and mystery for them to really enjoy it.
From their reactions, I know that a majority of my students love the book. Number the Stars is an assigned reader in my fourth-grade English class. Thanks to Danish efforts, 99% of the Danish Jews survived the Holocaust. However, I knew nothing about the amazing story of the Danish Jews and their escape from the Nazis due to their fellow Danes smuggling them across to Sweden. I’ve always considered myself pretty cognizant of World War II, and a majority of historical fiction I’ve read and enjoyed have taken place in that time period. Rating: 4/5 Number the Stars is yet another historical fiction book that told me a story I didn’t know. Somehow she must find the strength and courage to save her best friend’s life. Then Annemarie is asked to go on a dangerous mission. The Jews of Denmark are being “relocated,” so Ellen moves in with the Johansens and pretends to be part of the family. But it’s now 1943, and their life in Copenhagen is filled with school, food shortages, and Nazi soldiers marching in their town. Ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen and her best friend, Ellen Rosen, often think about the way life was before the war. Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry, was published in 1989 by Houghton.
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