Number the Stars
Number the Stars, a Newbery Award winning novel written by Lois Lowry, revolves around a ten year old girl named Annemarie Johansen living in Denmark during the time of the Holocaust. The story starts off in the midst of Copenhagen's occupation by German forces, with Annemarie and her Jewish friend Ellen Rosen racing to school. On their way there, the reader gets a brief sense of their childhood whimsy before being dragged into the harsh reality of World War II, by two patrolling officers. Though nothing terrible happens at this point, the feeling of constant fear is injected into the story like a dark menacing cloud that threatens to storm at any moment. As the story progresses, the reader in swept back and forth between Annemarie's fun loving childhood and the grim reality of the world she currently resides in ,with the constant fear that her best friend Ellen will be taken away by Nazi soldiers at any moment. The tension and overall reality in the story mounts slowing and in waves, first with the closing of a Jewish button shop and then the midnight raid on the Rosen's home. Each passing scenario becomes a little more frightening than the last, until little Annemarie is making a mad dash through the woods with an unknown package in her arms.
I'm typically not a big fan of historical fiction, finding it to be a little dull at time, however this book was a real page turner! As each new wave of anxiety rises in the story you can't help but be sucked into it, and there you are right next to Annemarie knowing that even the smallest mistake could cost everyone their lives. Will they believe she's your sister? Will your youngest sister spill the beans? Are soldiers really waiting outside your window ready to snatch everything away from you? I honestly couldn't put it down!
Though this story delves into dark topics, it does so in a way that causes you to really think about them instead of shy away. Because of this, parents and teachers should be prepared to answer tough questions and address difficult issues involving war, humanity, and friendship. The story itself briefly hints about the brutality of war, but mainly focuses on it from a child's perspective, which makes it a good read for upper elementary students. Many students in this age range will be able to connect with Annemarie and really understand her point of view as the story progresses.
Aside from the plot and darker topics addressed in the story, I loved how seamlessly it flowed through the main character, and how you could almost see the dawning realization taking place in Annemarie. Watching her grow up with such a positive and resolute attitude was mesmerizing, and caused me to wonder if I'd ever be able to cope with all of those things at once. I've had my fair share of life experiences, but could I really handle the pressure and situations with the same kind of quick thinking as the characters in this book? I'd like to think that if I were tested in that way, I'd be brave enough to run the gauntlet with the same determination, but I hope to never find out.
________________________________________________________
Lowis Lowry has written many other noteworthy books, including A Summer to Die, and The Giver (another Newbery medal winner), and seems to have a very open repoire with her reading audience. At her website she even offers to sign copies of her book, so long as they are sent with return postage. How cool is that!
I had gone onto Lois Lowry's website not too long ago and saw that she would sign books. How cool is that? I might have to go out and buy a nice hard copy of Number the Stars and The Giver. Just like The Giver, this book is just a classic in children's literature. I love the title and that cover is one of the cover's that I remember from my childhood. Now that we are learning about how to teach reading and how a child processes reading in their head, I think back to the books I read as a child. I remember reading this book in fifth grade. I have a clear memory of reading it on the bus on the way to school. My fifth grade teacher was a woman who's mother was German and was living in Germany during World War II. My teacher would tell me stories about her mom, like how her mom was in Hitler's Youth, and she even brought in a picture for me to see of her mom in the uniform. I think it is amazing that I still remember all these things about one book. I agree with you Kerry that it is a good read for elementary school children because of the perspective from a child. I also like the fact that it is set in Denmark. I wrote my blog about Lily's Crossing, and it is amazing how to girls living during the same time could lead such incredibly different lives. Like I said about Albert being from Hungary in Lily's Crossing, I like that Lois Lowry tells this story about a girl living in Denmark. It is good for children to read stories about World War II not just from the perspective of children from Germany, Poland, France, or the United States, but from other countries as well. In case you can't tell from this very long post, I utterly love Number the Stars and I am very glad you blogged about it.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a neat story Savannah. I read this book in elementary school and it did not have the lasting memory that you speak of. It is awesome when a book has such an impact, and it speaks to the importance of introducing a book and the teacher's role in guiding the student's reading and providing them with the additional stories or information like you experienced.
ReplyDeleteI think this book also sparked my love of Judaism. I've always been interested in learning about the Holocaust. It started when I was younger, when I read things like Number the Stars, The Upstairs Room, and The Devil's Arithematic. Then it progressed into a religious studies degree :)
ReplyDelete@ Savannah, I love how passionate you are about reading!
ReplyDelete@Colleen, You're totally right about the teacher needing to guide students in reading stories like these, and providing more enriching experiences with them or lasting memories.
On another note, I remember doing a large unit in history class during high school about the Holocaust, and was amazed at how cruel and compassionate the human spirit can be. I was relieved to find that this story was able to emphasize both of those aspects without delving into the painful details .