The Beachly

Over Winter Break I read Numbering the Stars. I give this book thumbs up. I give this book two thumbs up because I felt that Lois Lowry doesn't waste a word, starting with Annemarie and Ellen's frightening run-in with German soldiers in the opening chapter. In few words, Lowry establishes the settings, characters, and difficulties in Annemarie’s brief encounters with the German soldiers, each of which increases the tension with in the book. Lowry also has a knack of surprising. Such as an older sister, whose death has affected the Johansens greatly, was revealed to have been a Resistance fighter. Another example is the important packet that Annemarrie delivered to Uncle Henrik turned out not only to be a handkerchief but also the key to the success of the rescue mission.

The symbol of stars comes and goes with in the story. Like when the crowd of escaping Jews gather at Uncle Henrik’s house the were comforted with words of Psalm 147: “O praise the Lord he who numbers the stars one by one.” Once this is said Annemarie wonders, “How can any one number the stars?’ although she has a lot of question she is one of the brave girls in the story that saves all the Jewish people in the neighborhood one by one.

I really enjoyed this story and I recommend it to anyone that loves any other books by Lois Lowry and with that I bid you a fare due.

• Story
• Review