Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Number the Stars. Written by Lois Lowry. 1989. ISBN: 0-440-40327-8. Winner of the Newbery Medal. Ages 10+. Historical Fiction.

This book depicts Annemarie, a 10 year old Lutheran girl growing up in Nazi occupied Denmark. Her best friend and next door neighbor is Jewish, and things are starting to get worse and worse for the Jewish people in Denmark.

Annemarie's family takes under their wing her friend, Ellen, as Ellen's parents seek other shelter from the Nazi soldiers. From their it is a whirlwind of events to help Ellen and her family escape to freedom in Sweden. They stage a funeral and escape with the help of Annemarie's uncle and her would have been brother in law, Peter, a Resistance fighter.

This book is short, but gripping, and leaves the reader wanting more stories that seem to be similar to Annemarie's. This book would be a great book to introduce the war and how the Nazi's invaded much of Europe. It could also be a good discussion book about bravery and pride, and what they both mean, in today's time and back in the time of WW2.