Number the Stars

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Finished April 23rd, 2008

Rating: 9/10

Book Awards Reading Challenge Book #10




Barnes & Noble Synopsis
Ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen and her best friend Ellen Rosen often think of life before the war. It's now 1943 and their life in Copenhagen is filled with school, food shortages, and the Nazi soldiers marching through town. When the Jews of Denmark are "relocated," Ellen moves in with the Johansens and pretends to be one of the family. Soon Annemarie is asked to go on a dangerous mission to save Ellen's life.


I read "The Giver" by Lowry last year for the Dystopian Challenge and loved it, so thought I would give this book a try for the Book Awards Challenge.

This is the 3rd book in the last 2 months that I have read that is set during World War II and was my favourite that I read. Lowry manages to take a very complex subject and write it in an elegant and simplistic nature which makes the message she is trying to convery all the more powerful. I really enjoy Lowry's writing style and am looking forward to reading more.

The Giver

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Finished April 28th, 2007

Rating: 9/10

Dystopian Challenge Book #1




This is the first book I read for the Dystopian Challenge and I am so glad I signed up for this Challenge or I probably would never have come across this book.

I won't go into too many details as there are a number of people who will be reading this book for this challenge. The book is about a utopian society but as the book progesses the reader quickly learns that although there is no hunger, pain or war the matter of choice is missing. Every aspect of these people's lives are planned, from what jobs they will be assigned to who their spouses will be to the number of children they will be given.

It was a very easy read and I think the author did a good job of explaining the good and the bad of the utopian society in this book, such as the climate is controlled so one does not need to worry about getting too cold or too hot or have to deal with the rain. However at the same time they miss out on the good things that come with the weather such as the ability to make a snowman, the warmth of the sunshine on our faces or the pleasure of curling up inside a house and listening to the pitter patter of the rain.

This book makes a great choice for a book club as there are so many topics within it to explore and discuss. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.