As the play opens, we learn that the Johansens have endured many hardships during the war - most importantly, the death of Annemarie’s older sister, Lise.īut when the Nazis begin targeting Denmark’s Jewish population - including Annemarie’s best friend Ellen - the family realizes it can no longer sit by and watch history unfold. Larche, “Number the Stars” follows the adventures of 10-year-old Annemarie Johansen, who lives in Nazi-occupied Copenhagen during World War II. And with her Newbery Award-winning novel “Number the Stars” - now on stage at Nashville Children’s Theatre - she confronts the terror and chaos of the Holocaust.Īdapted to the stage by Douglas W. I highly recommend this novel.Children’s author Lois Lowry has never been one to shy away from difficult subjects, tackling everything from racism and violence to terminal illness in her celebrated books. I was impressed with the courage of the Danish people who risked their lives to save others. I feel that the interest level is geared to girls rather than boys, though I know many schools do it as a class project. The reader learns of the fear caused by the Nazi military, but is shielded from the extent of the horrors of WWII. This is a book that is fully appropriate for a young audience. The reader does not directly witness the deaths of any of the characters, but later discovers that Annemarie’s sister and almost brother-in-law were killed because of their actions in the Danish Resistance. The Danish Resistance risked their lives to smuggle out the Danish Jewish population to Sweden. The Danish monarch, Christian X, choose not to fight occupation because he knew his country did not have the military strength to resist. The characters are not real people though they are a realistic composite of real people. I wanted to find out was if Number the Stars was appropriate for a young audience and to determine if the information is accurate. I also think such a serious subject needs to be handled carefully in elementary school. I believe it is important to know the history of the world. Our sixth grade has been assigned to read a book about WWII. Soon Annemarie is asked to go on a dangerous mission to save Ellen’s life. When the Jews of Denmark are “relocated,” Ellen moves in with the Johansens and pretends to be one of the family. It’s now 1943 and their life in Copenhagen is filled with school, food shortages, and the Nazi soldiers marching through town. Ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen and her best friend Ellen Rosen often think of life before the war.
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