When I began moving to analysis through a rhetorical lense, I asked myself a question I always ask you all in class: can we do without this character? My first instinct was to look at Annemarie’s sister Kirsti since she is the typical whiney five yr old that I used to get stuck babysitting. I am not sure of the age range as my book does not list a reading level but I would say around fourth or fifth grade.

Outside the bedroom door, the harsh voices and heavy footsteps continued (45). Desperately she tried to unhook the tiny clasp. “Ellen,” she whispered urgently, “take your necklace off!”Įllen’s hands flew to her neck. This is a pretty simple book to read and I would say, pretty accurate on the audience awareness-sentences are clipped and short and the descriptions are vivid consider the passage concerning Ellen’s necklace: Though, my knowledge of Netherlands history is a bit weak compared to what I know about Eastern Europe so I am not surprised I had no idea about this amazing feat an entire nation managed, right under the noses of the Gestapo. I am certain that before I read Lowry (and was reminded by Rossel), I had no idea what the Danes had achieved. I believe many of you read this book in junior high so I think it might already be part of the canon.Īccording to Rossel, over 7,000 Danish Jews were saved during the war in the manner outlined in Lowry’s narrative (146). But I think it remains memorable because of the impact of the story-you cannot deny its power. Somehow, I remember reading this book when I was younger, yet I was already 22 yrs old when it was published so I must have read it in one of my Adol Lit Only phases (which seem to occur a few times a year).

Lois lowry counting stars