Number the Stars

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**Title** **Number the Stars**
Number the Stars book cover
Author	Lois Lowry
Illustrator	None
Cover artist	Lois Lowry
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	None
Genre(s)	Children's novel
Publisher	Houghton Mifflin
Released	1989
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback)

Number the Stars is a novel about the Holocaust of the second world war by Lois Lowry. It focuses around ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen, who is living in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1943 and is caught up in the events surrounding the Rescue of the Danish Jews. She and her family risk their lives to help Annemarie's best friend, Ellen Rosen, by pretending that she is Annemarie's older sister who died earlier in the war as part of the Resistance.

The title is taken from Psalm 147, in which the writer of the psalm relates that God has numbered all the stars in the universe. It is meant to tie into the Star of David, specifically to the character Ellen's necklace (Ellen is Jewish) which is symbolic to the story.

[edit] Plot summary

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Annemarie Johansen and her best friend Ellen Rosen, who is Jewish, are growing up in Copenhagen, Denmark during 1943. Nazi forces have occupied the country for over three years. Both girls try to live their normal everyday lives under this oppression. They however begin to notice the increasing number of German soldiers, and are even stopped and questioned by them on their way home from school. The situation escalates one day as Annemarie goes to Mrs. Hirsch's corner shop to buy a button for her sister Kirsti. She finds it closed with a swastika on the store.

Soon after, Peter Neilsen, a young red-headed man working in the Danish Resistance visits Annemarie and her family and tells them that the Germans have started closing Jewish stores, such as Mrs. Hirsch's, as well as arresting Jews. The Nazis have been looking in synagogues for the names of all local Jewish families. They find the Rosens listed, and have begun to hunt them. The next day Peter takes Mr. and Mrs. Rosen with him into hiding and Ellen Rosen goes with the Johansens.

Later that night, Nazi soldiers arrive at the Johansen's building and ask Mr. Johansen if the Rosens had been in their apartment. The soldiers demand that he give up their whereabouts. Ellen pretends to be Lise Johansen, Annemarie's older sister who died in an accident years ago. One of the Nazi soldiers recognizes that two of Mr. Johansen's daughters are blond and have straight hair. However, Ellen has dark and curly hair. Mr. Johansen retrieves an early photo, showing all three sisters with their names listed. Lise had hair similar to Ellen's. They get away with the deception.

Days later, Mr. Johansen calls his brother-in-law, Henrik, and asks "if the weather is good for fishing." This was a code for "is it okay to bring the Jews over?" Mrs. Johansen, Kirsti, Ellen, and Annemarie leave for Uncle Henrik's home in Gilleleje.

A peaceful day goes by at Henrik's until Mrs. Johansen tells the girls that Great-aunt Birte has died and they will be having a funeral. However, Annemarie knows that Great-aunt Birte doesn't exist. She asks Uncle Henrik why she is being lied to. He explains to her that it is easier to be brave when you don't know the full truth.

Great-aunt Birte's coffin arrives and the funeral begins. Several unknown people arrive, as well as Ellen's parents and Peter. During the procession, German soldiers come, attracted by the house's late-night lights. They demand that the casket be opened. At this point, Mrs. Johansen quickly replies that Great-aunt Birte died of typhus, a contagious disease and if the casket is opened it could spread. The German solders, not knowing that Mrs. Johansen is lying, immediately leave.

The mourners open the casket to find clothing, which is handed out to the people who have attended. They put on the clothing and walk out on a trail at night, splitting up to be less conspicuous to the Germans guards. Uncle Henrik leads one group, while Annemarie's mother leaves with another. Annemarie says goodbye to Ellen and returns home to sleep.

In the morning she finds that her mother has still not returned. Annemarie looks out the window to see her lying on the grass below. She frantically runs outside and finds, to her relief, that her mother has only broken her ankle. She helps her mother into their home. There they find an important packet which was given to Mr. Rosen, that he had mistakenly left behind. Mrs. Johansen, knowing the importance of the package, gives Annemarie a basket and puts the package inside. She places cheese and apples on top to hide it. Annemarie runs off, onto a dark path towards her uncle's boat.

When she gets near the harbor, she is stopped by German soldiers on patrol. She lies that she is delivering breakfast to her uncle. The soldiers toss the food piece-by-piece to their dogs. Eventually they reach the packet, which they tear open to find only a handkerchief. The German soldiers laugh and walk away. Annemarie continues onward to Uncle Henrik and gives him the packet. He boards his fishing boat, and leaves to Sweden.

Uncle Henrik returns to Denmark later that evening, and after having dinner teaches Annemarie how to milk a cow. While doing so he explains the happenings of the day to her, telling her that the Rosens along with others were hiding in his boat and that the handkerchief was used to mask their smell from the German dogs.

The book ends as the war comes to a close and the defeated Germans have fled. Denmark is a free country again and Annemarie along with her family watch from their balcony as Danes parade below on the streets. She finally learns the true circumstance of her sister's death. Lise had been a member of the resistance and was executed by German soldiers. After helping the Rosens escape, Peter was arrested and shared the same fate. Annemarie still had Ellen's necklace, which she decides to continue wearing until her friend returns.