#BookReview :: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

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I read this book between The Diary of Lena Mukhina by Lena Mukhina and my re-read of The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. I also read all the three books in a span of seven to ten days. Needless to say, things got really depressing for me for a while. Each of these books is tough to read and they make you think and feel. Reading all three within that short span of time wasn’t a good idea at all.

In Number the Stars, Lois Lowery tells us the stories of a ten year old girl, Annemarie and her best friend Ellen set during the World War II.  Annamarie lived in Copenhagen and Nazi soldiers marching through town was a common thing. The story continues to tell how Annamarie and her family help Ellen escape to Sweden in order to avoid the concentration camps. 

The book is written for a younger audience and it is very evident in the author’s narrative style. The book is basically a look into the Second World War through the eyes of a ten year old. As the voice of Annemarie is clear and vibrant, it just makes it a tad bit more difficult for the readers when they realize the enormity of the situation that no ten year old should have to face. It is sad and hopeful at the same time because the combination of Annemarie’s bravery and innocence wins over the readers. It is so inspiring at places.

“Outside, she knew, the sky was speckled with stars. How could anyone number them one by one, as the psalm said? There were too many. The sky was too big.”

Unlike The Diary of a Young Girl, this book offers a happily ever after partly. So, the outlook of the book is more hopeful than anything else. Lois Lowry has painted pictures with her words as always. It was a complete pleasure to read this book.

I cannot stop wishing that I had read this book as a kid. I wonder what I would have taken away from the book if I had. Would I have caught on to the nuances of the story? Would I have been as horrified or would I be only curious about how the smell of cocaine numbs the dogs’ sense of smell? I recommend this book very highly – to both kids and adults.

If you have read this book both as a kid and as an adult, tell me the difference in your reception of the book.

This post is a part of A to Z Challenge and BlogchatterA2Z