Number the Stars

This Newberry Award winning book is set in Denmark during World War II. Ten-year-old Annemarie is surrounded by Nazis but thinks of them as merely an annoyance, until her friend Ellen’s family is threatened. Denmark already has an active resistance movement, but when the Nazis begin to arrest the Jews, Annemarie’s family steps in to help not only Ellen’s family but other Jewish families, too.

Annemarie learns about friendship, helping others, being brave, and making right choices even when life is difficult and you’re filled with fear. She struggles to understand how the Nazis can be so mean and cruel, even though she grew up in a kind, caring family and environment. She watches her parents stand up to prejudice and evil and learns to do the same. Later, she learns that her older sister had also stood up to hatred and evil, and had been killed for it.

Annemarie’s uncle explains to her that sometimes it’s better not to know everything; it can be safer that way. She has to trust that she’s been told just what she needs to know. As several Jewish families are leaving Denmark for the safety of Sweden, she must take a critical item to her uncle. She must run through the woods at night, face down the Nazis, and make it to the boat before it leaves. She finds an inner strength based on the trust and knowledge of her family to help her accomplish her task.

WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
-What did Annemarie’s family teach her about how to treat other people?
-What do you think Annemarie felt like when she was running to her uncle’s boat? How do you think she felt after she delivered the basked?

DISCUSSION TOPICS
-Can you think of a time when it was hard for you to make a good choice because you were so scared?
-Think about all the things Annemarie had to do to help Ellen’s family. What do you think are some of the emotions she felt?

BIBLE ACTIVITY
In the funeral scene, Anneamrie’s uncle reads part of a psalm from the Bible. Use the index or a Bible concordance and look up that psalm, and copy it down. Read it out loud. Why do you think that psalm was read as they got ready to help families escape from the Nazis?

BOOK INFORMATION
Grades 3-6. You can find this book in your local library or buy it here, Number the Stars.