It is a time when war is raging through europe and parts of asia. Number the stars is told from the point of view of tenyearold annemarie johansen. The story is set in the city of copenhagen, denmark in september 1943, the. See a complete list of the characters in number the stars and indepth analyses of annemarie johansen, mrs. Other nonfiction books which may extend the novel are. Set in nazioccupied copenhagen, denmark, the book number the stars is a historical childrens novel written by lois lowry and first published in 1989. It is the most hearttouching book that i can think of. I also chose this book because it was a newberry award winner.
Annemaries best friend ellen and her family are jewish and are being hunted by the nazis. This book of photographs and memories of childvictims of the holocaust will haunt anyone who opens it. The book, number the stars written by lois lowry is very interesting yet enjoying to read. She first appears at the beginning of the book racing. Although he picks a page from the bible at random, he happens upon a very relevant passagepsalm 147. It describes how god helped the israelitesthat is, the jewsrebuild after they had been persecuted. Number the stars is historical fiction set during wwii in nazi occupied denmark. Meet the authorbiographical information lois lowry was born in1937.
Author lois lowry is incredibly adept at handling difficult and complex subject matters with a special. When the book was newly published, it found its way into the. My students need 25 copies of a holocaust awareness book, entitled number the stars. It takes a look at the large networks of people that worked to evacuate jewish people out of denmark to sweden and the immense danger this presented along the way. Pdf number the stars book by lois lowry free download 7. During world war ii, adolf hitler and the nazis attempted to exterminate european jews by forcing them into concentration camps, where both children and adults were sent to their deaths in gas chambers. The story begins with an introduction to the cruelty of german soldiers who are occupying denmark, the storys heroine, annemarie, her younger and more bratty, and her best friend ellen rosen. Though the book takes place in 1940s denmark, where protagonist annemarie helps the danish resistance hide and smuggle danish jews to safety in sweden, it started in bermuda. If youve read the book thief, thats an especially cool book to think about in regards to this.
Annemarie and ellen decide to race, but two german soldiers stop them. Number the stars denmark in world war ii gradesaver. Label characters from the book according to the word that best describes them. Author lois lowry is incredibly adept at handling difficult and complex subject matters. It talks about a girl, annemarie, in denmark living in the time period where the nazis had taken over. Jan 21, 20 a book trailer my friend and i made for our ela project on the holocaust. Number the stars by lois lowry is a realistic historical fiction that portrays a young danish girl, annemarie, during the nazi occupation. Number the stars takes place at the height of world war ii, though it only ever obliquely references the machinations of the holocaust the genocide which systematically murdered over six million european jews between 1941 and 1945. Apr 28, 2014 number the stars by lois lowry childrens book stalwart lois lowry earned the 1990 newbury medal for this memorable tale about a 10yearold girl whose jewish best friend is threatened by the.
What is tivoli gardens in the story number the stars answers. I have a group of highly intelligent children who are looking to experience more in school, but this is difficult when there is no money for classroom spending. The author of the anastasia books as well as more serious fiction rabbi starkey, 1987 offers her first historical fictiona story about the escape of the jews from denmark in 1943. Commonlit book pairings number the stars free reading. Parents need to know that number the stars, by lois lowry, is a poignant read about the nazi occupation of denmark that won the newbery medal, the highest honor in childrens literature, in 1990. After a close call with the german soldiers, peter reads a psalm out loud just in case the soldiers are still eavesdropping. However, what many people dont know is that lowry has written more than thirty books for children and young teens. Set in denmark in 1943, it tells the story of tenyearold annemarie, a christian girl who doesnt see herself as brave and how she becomes brave to help save her jewish friend ellen and her family. For lowry, it was important to communicate how war affects children, and how they, too, are participants in history. In this student activity from a teachers guide to the holocaust students read number the stars and recognize the courage and heroism of the danish and swedish. In this student activity from a teachers guide to the holocaust students read number the stars and recognize the courage and heroism of the danish and swedish people and all others who resisted the nazis. The families live in the same apartment block in coppenhagen and are very good. In what ways is number the stars similar to other books about the holocaust. Author lois lowry is best known for the giver, her dark, thoughtprovoking, and controversial fantasy, which is a young adult novel, and for number the stars, a childrens novel about the holocaust.
Number the stars doesnt have to ask or answer those questionsafter all, its protagonist is just ten years old. Holocaust for younger readers book list scholastic. Nazi germany has occupied their country for the past three years. Pdf number the stars book by lois lowry free download. Number the stars argues that, during wartime, honoring your own moral code is way more important than obeying the laws of a foreign government. German forces, commanded by adolf hitler, have invaded the lands around germany, and. Number the starsa book about danish life during world war ii. Lois lowry received the prestigious newbery medal for each of these books. See more ideas about number the stars, teaching reading and 4th grade reading.
The holocaust was the statesponsored mass murder of some 6 million european jews and millions of others by the german nazis during world war ii. Number the stars is a story about annemarie johansen, a ten year old girl living in denmark in 1943. Lois lowrys 1989 novel number the stars, didnt just win a prestigious newbery medal and make you cry as you wrote your book reportit was also based on a true story, as lowry told the reading teacher in 1990. Many books have chronicled the courage and suffering of the holocaust victims, from fictional stories to firstperson accounts by survivors to. If your students find this book a riveting read, this lesson will give. The work has had over 250 productions, including opening two holocaust museums and. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. The story uses these and other fictitious characters to explain the real life events and struggles of life in denmark during the german occupation. A book trailer my friend and i made for our ela project on the holocaust.
Watch a video or read the book on anne frank and compare the two stories of the same time period. Identify a theme or most important message of the book number the stars and explain why that theme was chosen. Free download or read online number the stars pdf epub book. Be prepared to read the sections to your teacher or group. How would the book be different if it were told from ellens perspective. Young readers rejoice when annemarie takes a deep breath, enters the woods, faces the danger, stands up to the enemy, and triumphs. This novel tells the story of the yohansen and rosen families, particularly the close friendship between the storys heroine, 10yearold annemarie yohansen and ellen rosen. The reallife story behind number the stars jstor daily. The story centers on tenyearold annemarie johansen, who lives with her mom, papa, and kirsti, her sister in copenhagen in 1943. Number the stars is about nazioccupied denmark and the treatment of jews during world war ii, so it would be both helpful and appropriate to provide historical background on world war ii and the holocaust. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 7 pages and is available in mass market paperback format. The johansens are danish and christian and the rosens are danish and jewish. The factuallybased story is set in denmark during world war ii and tells of that countrys efforts to save their jewish citizens. My book was about a jewish girl named ellen that stays with her best friends family the johansens to avoid being caught by the nazis and relocated along with her family.
Number the stars holocaust awareness donorschoose project. Oct 11, 2019 number the stars is an excellent book for students to read when learning about the holocaust. Number the stars is set mainly in copenhagen, denmark, in 1943. Annemarie and her best friend ellen, who is jewish, are stopped by soldiers on their way home from school. Number the stars 1989 is a work of historical fiction by american author lois lowry, about the escape of a jewish family the rosens from copenhagen, denmark, during world war ii.
She was a child in a military family, born in territory of hawaii. Oct 18, 2017 the adults in lowrys book did act to help save jews, but could they have done more sooner. Thirty years after its publication, number the stars by lois lowry remains one of the best literary introductions to the holocaust for children. Asked in holocaust, number the stars book does annemarie feel that she is brave in number the stars. The story is set in the city of copenhagen, denmark in september 1943, the third year of the nazi occupation of denmark. The story is set in the city of copenhagen, denmark in september. The main characters of this historical, historical fiction story are annemarie johansen, ellen rosen.
The first edition of the novel was published in 1989, and was written by lois lowry. Lois lowrys 1989 novel number the stars, didnt just win a. Number the stars is a novel by lois lowry that was first published in 1989. Annemaries friend ellen is jewish, and she and her family come under threat of being relocated by the nazi officers stationed all throughout copenhagen. This moving, wellwritten book, helps children to see the effects of courage and caring. Why did mama tell the girls to walk another way to school. Number the stars 499 words the holocaust the title of my book is number the stars by lois lowry and it is a historical fiction. Denmarks geographic proximity to sweden is also significant to the story, so students should have access to maps of this area of europe. Have students read through the list of chapter titles and make inferences about the story. Adlers we remember the holocaust holt, 1989 isbn 0805037152 paperback in which survivors tell their tales of this tragic period of time in this amply illustrated book. It is set in occupied denmark during wwii and tells the story of two families, the johansens and the rosens. Number the stars is a wonderful story about bravery and friendship.
Number the stars, a holocaust novel for children published in 1989, focuses on annemarie, a 10 year old in denmark, whose family pretends her jewish best friend is actually her older sister who had earlier been killed for her work with the danish resistance. Annemaries entire family works tirelessly and at their own peril to save ellens family, as well as many others unknown to them. Number the stars, by lois lowry, won the newbery award in 1990. Overview of the text number the stars is told from the point of view of tenyearold annemarie johansen. Annemarie johansen is the main character in the story, she is a ten year old girl that lives with her parents and sister at their home. Read aloud the book s title, number the stars, and ask students to speculate on its meaning.
Book study c number the stars discussion questions find the section of the book that answers these questions. Houghton mifflin books for children, an imprint of houghton. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. You are going to explore vocabulary used in the novel, the various places in europe where the book takes place, information on the holocaust and world war ii, and even the star of david and what it means to judaism. Annemarie does feel brave in number the stars she also feels freindly. Expect some tense moments between kids and nazi soldiers, once on the street, other times in their homes, and another time a girl is alone in the country with soldiers who have two large dogs. But this doesnt even begin to describe the gruesome atrocities actually committed by the nazis during the holocaust. See more ideas about number the stars, stars and reading is thinking. Annemarie is not a jew but her best friend is, this story focuses on how annemarie and the resistance are trying to smuggle them to sweden without. How do you feel about the fact that lois lowry shies away from some of these more brutal topics.
One day, annemarie, ellen, and annemaries fiveyearold sister kirsti walk home from school. Number the stars 1989 is a work of historical fiction by american author lois lowry, about the. Number the stars is a comingofage novel set against the backdrop of world war ii and the german occupation of denmark. In 1943, annemarie johansen and her best friend ellen rosen are ten years old, growing up in copenhagen, denmark. Below are some reading passages that we have hand picked to supplement this book. Jun, 2018 number the stars is about a jewish girl in denmark who assumes the identity of a german familys daughter and hides with them. In this mission, you will be asked to follow a series of web links and complete a series of projects. The holocaust the title of my book is number the stars by lois lowry and it is a historical fiction.
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