Number the Stars

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

The other night, while trying to encourage my daughter to read more, my son mentioned this book. I had never read it, and he told me I would probably like it. So, rather than immediately go back to A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, I read this. At only 130-ish pages, it was a quick read.

My son was right, I did like the book. 

It takes place in Copenhagen, in the mid 1940's. Annemarie's best friend is Jewish, and she and her family help Ellen to seek refuge in Sweden so that they won't be "relocated" by the Nazi's. I can't write more without revealing how this ends up, so I'll just say this: it was nice to read a Holocaust book written without all the violent imagery that usually is included, and from the point of view of those who helped the Jews.

I understand that the violent imagery helps to get the horror of the Holocaust across, and most times it is appropriate. In this book, it just would not have fit. The reader still feels the fear of the situation even without it. Plus, this is aimed at a younger audience.