Number the Stars is a novel about Annemarie Johanson, a ten-year-old girl living in Copenhagen, Denmark during 1943. The story revolves around Annmarie and her best friend Ellen who is Jewish and their experiences living in Copenhagen during the time of the third-year of the Nazi occupation. As things start to get worse in Copenhagen for the Jews Annmarie and Ellen get stopped by the Nazi soldiers on their way home from school and have a frightening encounter. As the story delves deeper we learn that Annmarie and Ellen are best friends that live in the same building and go to the same school, where they have started to noticed significant changes like shops closing down and a sparse supply of food.

As Annnamries’ reflects on the encounter with the soldiers and what her father taught her about Denmark, we learn about Lise’, Anmmarires sister who passed away some years before. In addition, we learn that Ellen’s parents have really started to worry about Elens’ safety since encountering the Nazi soldiers snd since their good friend’s shop was forced to close down. As the story continues we get introduced to Peter Neilson a member of the resistance and Lise’s ex-husband. Peter visits and explains to Ellen’s family about what the Nazis are doing to the Jews and how they must flee. As Ellens’s parents hear about this information they begin to understand and feel the safest option is to leave ellen with Annmarie’s family. Shortly after the nazi soldier visit and demands to know where Ellen’s family is, as Mr. Johansen refuses they search the place. Little do they know that Ellen is pretending to be Lise one of the Johhansens daughters.

I would recommend this book to anyone 9 and up as it is rich in information and incorporates some big ideas about the Holocaust. I personally love the book because I am Jewish and even at a young age, this book helped me understand how horrific the Holocaust was for individuals at that time and how overall it affected everyone.