Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Title: Number the Stars

Author: Lois Lowry

Publisher: Laurel leaf

Release date: February 1998

Pages: 136

ISBN-13: 978-0440227533

Setting:

Amazon:

"The evacuation of Jews from Nazi-held Denmark is one of the great untold stories of World War II. On September 29, 1943, word got out in Denmark that Jews were to be detained and then sent to the death camps. Within hours the Danish resistance, population and police arranged a small flotilla to herd 7,000 Jews to Sweden. Lois Lowry fictionalizes a true-story account to bring this courageous tale to life. She brings the experience to life through the eyes of 10-year-old Annemarie Johannesen, whose family harbors her best friend, Ellen Rosen, on the eve of the round-up and helps smuggles Ellen's family out of the country.Number the Stars won the 1990 Newbery Medal."

http://www.amazon.com/Number-Stars-Lois-Lowry/dp/0440227534/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1288580959&sr=1-1

In the classroom:

This book allows for a lot of history background to be explored within the classroom.  It could be paired with Ellie Wiesel's Night in order to get another perspective on the horrors of the holocaust.  The subject matter of the novel also leads to exploration of morality and diversity.  It also shows how empowering and important friendship can be.  I think it would be a rewarding book to read with a class.