Number the Stars: A Newbery Award Winner

By Lois Lowry

Book Overview

The unforgettable Newbery Medal-winning novel from Lois Lowry. As the German troops begin their campaign to "relocate" all the Jews of Denmark, Annemarie Johansen's family takes in Annemarie's best friend, Ellen Rosen, and conceals her as part of the family.

Through the eyes of ten-year-old Annemarie, we watch as the Danish Resistance smuggles almost the entire Jewish population of Denmark, nearly seven thousand people, across the sea to Sweden. The heroism of an entire nation reminds us that there was pride and human decency in the world even during a time of terror and war.

A modern classic of historical fiction, Number the Stars has won generations of fans and continues to speak to today's readers. Jessica Grose wrote in a November 2022 New York Times essay entitled "This Perfect Mother-Daughter Read Holds a Powerful Lesson for Fighting Antisemitism" "Number the Stars is particularly relevant to our family, and to this moment."

As School Library Journal put it: "Readers are taken to the very heart of Annemarie's experience, and, through her eyes, come to understand the true meaning of bravery."

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0395510600
• ISBN13: 9780395510605
• Release Date: April 1989
• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.71 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.8" x 8.1"
• Age Range: 10 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 7

Customer Reviews

Great book! Such an emotional story, I recommend!

Great book! This is one I’ve read over and over since middle school and highly recommend!

Beautifuly Written Story

Lowry does a wonderful job bringing you into the world of Annemarie. She writes in such a way that makes you feel how the character feels. A beautiful coming of age story about friendship, courage, and bravery.

A wonderful story

I truly enjoyed this book. The author did a wonderful job portraying the story that she had created from historical insight recorded from friends stories and other historical documents. As someone that’s usually more excited about strictly nonfiction it was nice to enjoy a little bit of story created by this author who wrote it so beautifully.

Number The Stars is an engaging read

Number The Stars is an engaging read with a glimpse into WWII from a child's perspective. Strong message of helping each other. Children and adults will enjoy this story with surprising intrigue and mystery.

These books are old and falling apart

I used these books in my English class. The pages regularly fall out, the books are old and torn, in barely usable condition.

favorite childhood book

the way I self-inserted so hard onto Annemarie when I read this in 5th grade!!! unparalleled!!!!

Read it again and again!

Short sweet and poignant

Touching Story

One of my favorite books as a child. My kids are still really young, so it'll be a while before they read it but I'm happy to add it to the family library.

I read Number The Stars as a kid.

I read Number the Stars as a kid in school, I barely remembered it but I was yes to reread it, I’m glad I did. It’s very good- descriptive, without dragging on or too longboard of chapters. I read a chapter a night to my daughter. She loves it.

Unimaginable

I have read this book many years ago, but I got this copy for a friend who had never heard of WWII after I had taken her to see, "The Diary of Anne Frank," I'm still trying to help her understand the despair of what had happened and how we can never let it happen again.

A WWII children's book about Danish resistance and the Nazis who occupied Denmark.

Nicely written. A warm ending, inspiring story, strong characters.

Read This Now!!

This book is incredible! It is one of my favorites of all time. It is a historical fiction.

An undeniable classic

Though I was a child when this book was first published, somehow I managed to avoid reading any Lois Lowry until 2003 (much to the shock of my friends). It was worth the wait. This story departs from the usual World War Two fiction genre by placing the story in a unique setting with a different perspective. Everything occurs in Denmark, and we see the story unfold through the eyes of young Annemarie Johansen. Though she is not directly threatened by the actions of the Nazis that have invaded her peaceful country, her best friend Ellen Rosen is. Annemarie must use her head to save her friend from the concentration camps while endangering herself. I was impressed with the fact that the threat presented by the Germans in this book was made real without relying on gory details. In this way, Lowry has created a book about the Holocaust that is appropriate for juvenile readers. Be warned: There is no perfectly happy ending at the end of this story (the reader is not absolutely certain that the Rosenbergs have escaped and are coming back) but it should satisfy most children. Well worth a read.

Zandel Motichka 10/28/03

I LOVED THIS FASANATING BOOK NUMBER THE STARS. WHY I LOVED THIS BOOK IS BECAUSE IT WAS HISTORICAL ON OUR BACKGROUND. ONOUTHER RESION IS BECAUSE PART OF IT WAS FICTION AND NON FICTION. IT TOLD ALOT OF HOW PEOPIE LIVED IN WOLD WOR TWO.I LOVED LOIS LOWY'S WORD CHOUCE.,AND HOW SHE LEFT YOU HANGING AT CHAPTERS,OR EVEN PAGES.I HOPE THERE IS ONOUTHER NUMBER THE STARS EXSPECELYBY LOIS LOWRY. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. ZANDEL MOTICHKA

a must read book

This story is set in Denmark in 1943, during World War II. During that time Denmark was under Nazi occupation. The story tells about the life of two very close friends, Annemarie Johansen and Ellen Rosen, and their families. Living in Denmark during that time was very difficult. Nazi soldiers were on every street corner. There were food shortages and they were required to darken their windows every evening. One day, the Jewish families received word that the Germans were going to relocate all the Jews in Denmark. Since the Rosens were Jewish, Mr. and Mrs. Rosen were takin into hinding. Ellen went to live with the Johansens and pretended to be a part of the Johansen family. A few days later, Mrs. Johansen took her two daughters and Ellen to visit Uncle Henrik. The rest of the story is about the tremendous courage of Annemarie, Mrs. Johansen, Uncle Henrik, and Peter Neilsen and the trouble they endured to help their friends. I really enjoyed this book. It was very moving, suspenseful, and sad. Once I started reading it, I could not put it down. I highly recommend reading this book.

Every kid I know that has read this book loves it.

This book is about a young girl named Annemarie, her family and their role in helping Jewish families escape the Germans during World War II. The Nazi soldiers invaded and took control of Denmark and its Danes. Ellen is Annemarie's best friend and is Jewish. Ellen and her family, the Rosens, must leave Denmark to go to Sweden where will be safe from the Nazi soldiers. There they will be safe because Sweden chose not to enter the war. Annemarie is sent on an important mission to deliver an important package to her Uncle Henrick. This package will determine if Ellen and her family will live to ever see their friends and homeland again. When the war finally ends after a devastating five years, Annemarie finds out about the real truth of her sister, Lise's death. Anna Marie is a bright, bold and brave girl. She is ten years old in the beginning of the book and twelve years at the end. She is a tall, thin and long legged girl with blond hair. Annemarie's best friend, Ellen, is a Jewish girl about her same age. Ellen is a very proper young lady. She is timid and quite fearful because of the Nazis and what she has heard they do to Jewish people. Ellen is also a short and stubby girl who wears her curly black hair in pigtails. Kirsti, who is Annemarie's young sister, is spoiled, self-centered, stubborn and very sociable. She is a typical seven year old! Annemarie's mom and Ellen's mom are great at worrying. Mr. Rosen, Ellen's dad, gets aggravated easily by the smallest things and is a teacher at the elementary school where the girls attend. Annemarie's dad is cautious and always acts so serious. Peter, Lise's fiance, is a brave and courageous man with red hair who works with the Resistance. My favorite part of Number the Stars is when Ellen pretends to be Annemarie's sister and the soldiers break into Annemarie's apartment. Annemarie tore the necklace, a "Star of David", from Ellen's neck so that the German soldiers wouldn't think that she is Jewish. I loved this book because it was always exciting and I never lost interest. Annemarie and her mom were incredibly brave. I could imagine how frightened Annemarie was when she had to carry the "special package" for her mother. She had to stay calm while German soldiers and their dogs questioned her on what she was doing and where she was going. She somehow knew that getting this "package" to her uncle would save many lives. I think that if I had to do what Annemarie did I would still be scared out of my wits. This book makes you appreciate your freedom even if you do have to clean up your room once in a while.