However, when Nazi, Germany took control, fear settled into Denmark, so King Christian decided to show his people that they were strong. In Denmark, King Christian rode his horse through town without a bodyguard because he was so revered by his people. The Yellow Star is a book based on the legend of King Christian X of Denmark and his simply, but smart way to defy Nazi, Germany. This is a picture book length version of this story so it’s very brief and certainly not in depth, but the way it’s told and the illustrations make this an outstanding book. In addition to detailing what the Danes did for their fellow citizens in the early 1940s, the author’s note at the end expresses her opinion about why this legend persists and also expresses her hopes that people (her readers) will act in ways to prevent human rights violations. It’s basically about a group of people and their king who tried to do the right thing, which is always a good lesson. It’s suitable for primary school children because there’s no violence and only vague mentions of what the Nazis were doing and the danger faced by the Jewish people. It would be wonderful to include in a Holocaust studies curriculum because it’s an uplifting and inspiring story. This is a excellent version of this tale.
In the story, she paints a loving portrait of King Christian X and of the Danish people too.
A short but informative author’s note at the end of the book tells of her disappointment when she first learned this tale is a legend, and she also lists the actual heroic things the Danish people did during the Nazi era. However, there is no disputing how the Danish people came to the aid of the Jewish population and saved most of them from being murdered by the Nazis. Years ago, I remember being so disappointed to learn that this story, of the Danish King wearing the yellow star in solidarity with Denmark’s Jewish citizens, was probably not a true tale. The illustrations are beautiful, with a cinematic look about them. I so appreciated that a Danish illustrator did the illustrations for this book.
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