My name is Gary Liu. I am a senior student at Ching Cheng High School in Changhua. My friends describe me as a lively and talkative person since l enjoy communicating with others. Besides, l am also fond of immersing in the tranquility with the companion of books in my private free time. To me, reading is not only a pastime but also a silent teacher whom I may learn a lesson from all the time.

At first glance, I was inquisitive about the book title "number the stars". Generally speaking, the stars symbolize dreams and hope intuitively. In one's inexhaustible imagination, they can also be synonymous with romance since extraordinary love stories are always written in the stars. In this book, comparatively, the stars represent not only the Star of David, a symbol of the Jews but also the commendable boldness.

The story began with two girls, the protagonist Annemarie Johansen along with her best friend Ellen Rosen. They were exultantly racing down the street for the sports day next week. However, two Nazi soldiers blocked them from interrogation because of their prohibited behavior in their country, Denmark. It’s hard to imagine the terrifying atmosphere they suffered as I turned the pages. Furthermore, since the Nazi occupation of Denmark, the Nazis began to keep an eye on Jews and persecute them. Due to their Jewish identity, the Rosens had to flee confidentially to Sweden, a safer and neutral country, to escape from the massacre. On the other hand, once the hazardous mission failed, all involved would face death. Fortunately, with help from a secret organization resisting the Nazis, the story ended satisfactorily.

The core value of the story revolves around the growth of Annemarie's mentality. Initially, Annemarie's family camouflaged Ellen's authentic identity to hide from the Nazi's investigation. But little Annemarie couldn't understand the reason for lying, so she argued with the adults indignantly. "It is much easier to be brave if you do not know everything," said Uncle Henrik. As the anxiety and gloomy atmosphere continued to accumulate in her mind, Annemarie, who was originally optimistic and cheerful, gradually realized the exigency of the current circumstances and began to fear. But from another point of view, the cruel truth also prompted her to become more mature and sensible. At the critical juncture, Annemarie volunteered to send a package containing a crucial handkerchief to the harbor. Despite the dangers lying in front and terror in her mind, she knew that nobody was competent for the task without drawing the Nazi's suspicion except herself and set off alone in the middle of the night. Under the silent dark sky, the cold wind made her tremble continuously. The more intimidated she was, the faster she scurried forward. Meanwhile, she calmly faced the Nazi soldier with wisdom. Eventually, she succeeded in saving Jews.

We are a lucky generation, living in a peaceful era and experiencing no starvation or war. Moreover, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Taiwan government recognized the crisis and counteracted it successfully in advance. This made foreigners regard Taiwan residents as the seemingly happiest and safest ones. Ironically, Taiwan was called the most dangerous place on earth recently. With tensions rising between the US and China, many international officials and experts are sounding the alarm on the possibility of military conflict in the Taiwan Strait. What's worse, there is a likelihood of evolving into World War III. Occasionally, scenes of wartime misery come to my mind. A large number of innocent individuals are sacrificed. Food and necessities are always in short supply as well. People are forced to be separated from their loved ones and displaced. It is foreseeable that in the worst case we will be under control by a dictatorship leader. Without freedom and human rights, cruelty, disturbance, and terror fill the air, just as the story describes. One day if I had the capability of reversing the situation, will I be courageous enough to risk my life and stand up for others just like Annemarie does?

The commendable boldness represented by the stars doesn't mean being unfearful of any dangers, but that you still insisting on what you should do while acknowledging the risks, which is truly the highest level of bravery. Even if in adversity, the external setbacks or ordeals shouldn't hinder you from moving forward. Instead, we must surmount them with a firm will and open-mindedness. Whenever I encounter frustration or depression, Annemarie's spirit encourages me to keep my belief intrepidly and make further contributions to the entire human society, I wish.