SuitabookNumber the Stars
Lois Lowry
- Reading
- Consider reading together if the wartime danger feels intense; pause to distinguish the characters’ immediate experiences from the wider history, which the story’s afterward also addresses.
- Themes
- Courage and helping others: Annemarie initially does not see herself as brave, but uses her wits in a selfless act to help save others. The book presents this favourably.
- Wartime life in Denmark: The story includes occupation-era Copenhagen, food and fuel rationing, and the danger facing Jewish neighbours. It offers a snapshot of daily life and historical events, with an afterward identifying what is based in fact.
- Worth knowing
- There are tense encounters with soldiers, a slap, a broken ankle, and references to deaths and disappearances. The story also mentions a baby being drugged to keep her quiet during a dangerous night.