Saturday, February 28, 2009

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry


Yes, I'd never read this book before, and I find it as hard to believe as everyone else. All of my co-workers yesterday were all like "You haven't read it?" , "I can't believe you haven't read it."

There's a lot of those award-winning books that I've never gotten around to reading though.


That being said, I really wish I had read this sooner. It's such an amazing and special book. I can see why it won the Newbery Award. I'm reading it for my Children's Lit class, another reason I'm really enjoying this class. It's introduced me to some great books and ones that I might otherwise not have gotten around to.


If you don't know the story, here's the description, although I'm sure many of you have already read it:


Ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen and her best friend, Ellen Rosen, often think about life before the war. But it's now 1943, and their life in Copenhagen is filled with school , food shortages, and the Nazi soldiers marching in their town.


The Nazis won't stop. The Jews of Denmark are being "relocated," so Ellen moves in with the Johansens and pretends to be part of the family.


Then Annemarie is asked to go on a dangerous mission. Somehow she must find the strength and courage to save her best friend's life. There's no turning back now.


It's a really quick, wonderful read and a different look at the Holocaust than you might normally get. It was interesting to look inside the resistance movement and to read about the courage and will to survive of these people.


Great book!!

8 comments:

  1. I can't believe you haven't read it either. =) I love this book. It shows so many positive human traits. So much hope.

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  2. I haven't read this one yet but I love Lois Lowery. I don't know why I never read any of her books before but I hadn't heard of her until a few years ago. I read The Giver, Gathering Blue and The Messanger and I will be reading many more of her books now. Great review!

    You've also had a great contest. Congrats on an amazing response. Great for you, not so great for me! ;) More competition! Wish me luck. They sound like great books!

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  3. I read this so long ago I think I need a reread. Have you read Jane Yolen's The Devil's Arithmetic?

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  4. Goodness...this book was amazing. I read it in english and also the spanish translation! Amazing story.

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  5. I read this in 5th grade and it's still one of my faves....great plot, characters, etc...

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  6. Lenore, I have read The Devils Arithmetic. It's great. I really like Jane Yolen, although some of her books are hit and miss for me. Like I loved the White Jenna series, but I can't get into her current historical series. She is amazing though.

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  7. This is an excellent book (and in my opinion, much better than the Devil's Arithmetic). I actually think a better, and in some ways similar, book is Carol Matas's book Lisa's War, which last I checked was sadly out of print.

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  8. This is the first chapter book I ever read. I need to revisit it!

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