Common Sense Media Review
Stirring tale of girl who smuggles Jews to safety in WWII.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 9 parent reviews
Based on 102 kid reviews
Kids say the book provides a compelling and accessible introduction to the Holocaust, highlighting themes of friendship, bravery, and morality through the eyes of a young girl in Denmark. While many appreciate its educational value and emotional depth, some felt it may not fully capture the horror of the Holocaust and may be challenging for younger readers without adult guidance.
- educational value
- strong themes
- accessible for kids
- emotional depth
- friendship and bravery
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
NUMBER THE STARS is a stirring World War II novel that personalizes the story of Denmark's heroic rescue of its Jews from the Nazis. It follows a brave 10-year-old Danish girl who helps her family smuggle her Jewish friends to safety in Sweden.
Is It Any Good?
Author Lois Lowry doesn't waste a word in Number the Stars, starting with Annemarie and Ellen's frightening run-in with German soldiers in the opening chapter. In quick strokes, Lowry establishes the setting and characters and foreshadows Annemarie's subsequent encounters with soldiers, each of which increases the tension. The symbol of stars weaves in and out: When the crowd of escaping Jews gathers, they are comforted with the words of Psalm 147: "O praise the Lord ... he who numbers the stars one by one." "How can anyone number the stars?" Annemarie wonders.
But she is one of the brave Danes who save their Jewish neighbors, one by one. The moving Afterword is crafted as carefully as the novel, making the point that these fictional characters represent real people whose idealism was a gift to the world.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about lying in Number the Stars. What does Uncle Henrik mean when he says to Annemarie that it's easier for her to be brave if she doesn't know everything?
What did you learn about Denmark and World War II from this book?
What does the title of the book mean? (It's a bit hard to decipher, so look to the chapter titled "Let Us Open the Casket," and to Annmarie's reaction to the Bible passage there.)
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Historical Fiction
- Topics : Activism , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , History
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Houghton Mifflin Children's Books
- Publication date : January 1, 1989
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 9 - 12
- Number of pages : 137
- Award : Newbery Medal and Honors
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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