The Yellow Star

The Yellow Star

Written by Carmen Agra Deedy

Grade Level: 3-5

Genre: Historical Fiction

Have you ever wondered what you would do if you were a leader of a European country during World War II? The Yellow Star by Carmen Agra Deedy depicts a clear picture of the legendary bravery of the King of Denmark during World War II.

The book takes place in the early 1940s when there were only Danes in Denmark. All of the Danes loved their King. He was so beloved he rode the streets daily without bodyguards because the people would always protect him. The war was spreading and Nazi soldiers soon entered the town creating problems. One problem was the Nazi flag that was hung on the palace. King Christian X had one of his soldiers take down the horrible flag. A Nazi soldier said that he would shoot the next soldier who took it down. Christian X told the Nazi that he would be the next soldier to take it down so they would have to shoot him. There was never a flag on the capital again because of his bravery. The Nazi soldiers then demanded that all Jews had to wear a yellow star on their clothing. The people of Denmark were afraid that the people who wore the stars would get killed, so they looked to their king for a solution. After much thought King Christian X embroidered his best clothing with a yellow star and rode through town. The Danes understood the bravery in his message and soon every single person in town wore a yellow star.

The genre of this book is historical fiction. The author’s note in the back clarifies the historical accuracy. Deedy states that there is no proof that this story has ever occurred and it has only been passed down orally however, many of the facts of the story can be backed up by historical evidence. The attitudes of the people of Denmark were portrayed accurately. In history no Jews in Denmark were forced to wear a yellow star. Denmark also rescued “the overwhelmingly majority of its Jews”. This shows that the time period is accurate to the story. The literary quality also meets the criteria for historical fiction. The setting is an essential part of the story and portrays geographical evidence. The dreary mood of the time period is understandable because of the intense emotion written and illustrated on each page. The plot is based off of the authentic facts of WW II and reflects the historical period. The theme depicts bravery and unity in a time of crisis. The illustrations enhance the story with realistic details. One page that is extremely moving is in sepia tones to connect the mood and illustrations. Each characters face paints a portrait that the reader can almost feel the emotions of.

This book can be used in a multitude of ways in a classroom. It can be used to introduce World War II so the students can get a feeling of what the people who lived in it felt. The topic is not too intense for young readers. The country of Denmark can be introduced its location and geography. This book can be used to show how authors and illustrators depict mood in the story line. The students can also learn how to use timelines for stories that move in chronological order. The students can also write how they would feel if they were in that time period and how they would feel about their king. They could also write about good characteristics of leaders and how bravery can unite people even in horrible conditions.

MA FRAMEWORKS:

3.2 Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.

3.3 Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.

3.7 Explain how specific aspects of a text’s illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting).

4.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

a.         Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer’s purpose.

b.         Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details.

c.          Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, in addition).

d.         Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.

4.3 Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).

5.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.