Number the Stars: Characters and Plot

Plot Overview

• In 1943, in German-occupied Denmark, ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen learns how to be brave and courageous in order to help her Jewish friend, Ellen Rosen, evade the Nazis.

Characters

• Annemarie Johansen: A courageous 10-year-old Danish girl who helps her Jewish friend escape the Nazis.
• Ellen Rosen: Annemarie's best friend, is a 10-year-old Jewish girl who is fleeing from the Nazis.
• Kirsti Johansen: Annemarie's five-year-old younger sister, is a headstrong and somewhat oblivious little girl who is unafraid of the soldiers.
• Mrs. Johansen (Mama): Annemarie and Kirsti's mother, is a brave and resourceful woman who is willing to risk her life to help others.
• Mr. Johansen (Papa): Annemarie and Kirsti's father, is a kind and gentle man who is involved in the Danish Resistance.
• Lise Johansen: Annemarie's older sister, was killed in an accident several years before the events of the novel. She was engaged to Peter Nielsen.
• Peter Nielsen: Lise's fiance, is a member of the Danish Resistance.
• Uncle Henrik: Mrs. Johansen's brother, is a fisherman who lives in a small village on the coast of Denmark.
• Mrs. Rosen: Ellen's mother, is a kind and gentle woman.
• Mr. Rosen: Ellen's father, is a teacher.

Setting

• The story takes place in Copenhagen, Denmark, and the nearby coastal village of Gilleleje in 1943, during the German occupation of Denmark.

Why Are You Running?

• Annemarie and Ellen are stopped by German soldiers while racing home from school.
• The soldiers are suspicious of their behavior, and question them harshly.
• The shopkeeper watches from the doorway.
• Kirsti has no fear of the German Soldiers who frighten Annemarie and Ellen.
• The soldiers are part of the German occupation, and they are a constant reminder of the war.

Who Is the Man Who Rides Past?

• King Christian X is a real human king and a symbol of Danish independence.
• King Christian X used to ride alone through the streets of Copenhagen, greeting his people.
• Denmark is Christian's bodyguard.
• Norway was crushed by the Nazis, while Sweden remained free.
• Lise died in an accident two weeks before her wedding.
• Peter has significantly changed after Lise's death. The whole world has changed.

Where Is Mrs. Hirsch?

• Mrs. Hirsch's shop is closed, and there is a German sign on the door.
• Peter tells the Johansens that the Germans are closing many stores run by Jews.
• Annemarie learns that the Rosens are also Jewish.
• Peter Nielsen visits the Johansens and tells them that the Germans have the synagogue lists of all the Jews.
• Copenhagen has a curfew, and no citizens are allowed out after eight o'clock.
• Peter has helped Ellen's parents go elsewhere, and they are safe.

It Will Be a Long Night

• Ellen will stay with Annemarie for a few days because her parents will away to visit relatives.
• The Rosens' were supposed to have a celebration because Ellen's mother had been able to get a chicken.
• Mrs. Rosen had sent the chicken to the Johansens.
• The rabbi told his congregation that the Nazis have taken the synagogue lists of all the Jews.

Who Is the Dark-Haired One?

• The girls practice acting so that they can pretend to be sisters if the soldiers come.
• Ellen wears the Star of David around her neck.
• Lise had died from a car accident.
• Annemarie is awakened by the pounding on the apartment door and the apartment will be searched, and they will pretend to be normal sisters.

Is the Weather Good for Fishing?

• Germans have issued orders closing many stories run by Jews.
• Hirsch is Jewish, and that is the reason why the button shop is closed.
• Mrs. Rosen knows what's happening, but she doesn't think that it will affect them.
• People must be in the crowd and never have reason to remember your face.
• Ellen's father is a teacher, and they can't close a whole school!

The House by the Sea

• Mrs. Johansen, Annemarie, Ellen, and Kirsti take the train to Henrik's, Gilleleje, and are going to visit him. Now has brought two bottles of beer.
• The girls are to stay away from the soldiers and keep an eye on friend Ellen.
• She is to keep an eye on friend ellen.
• "The weather is code for its time for the Jews to escape to sweden.

There Has Been a Death

• Mama is taking the children to Uncle Henrik’s.
• Denmark is the king’s bodyguard. Now all of Denmark are bodyguard for the jews
• Germany closing many stores run by jews

Why Are You Lying

• Papa says all the danes body guard for ellens parents and all of denmarks Jews

Let Us Open the Casket

• Mama lied about the great aunt

Will We See You Again Soon, Peter?

• Peter says must go and hugs Anne Marie. He calls her “long legs”
• Peter tells her it's long legs bedtime
• Ann marie remembers how her farther said to die for the king

Where Was Mama?

• What is mama really taking to uncle Henrik

Run! As Fast As You Can!

• People think the world should be treated

On the Dark Path

• Annelise said that to shape her the idea of how

My Dogs Smell Meat!

• The Danish friend in copenhagen

I Will Tell You Just a Little

• People originally told me this store about the little girl from Copenhagen.

All This Long Time

• Lois Lowry wrote this book
• The book won 199 Newbery Medal

Afterword

• Lois Lowry’s story, Annemarie, is true and fact and sections.
• Annelise was a child in Copenhagen during the German

A summary of the plot and main characters in the book Number the Stars. The book is set in 1943, in German-occupied Denmark, where Annemarie Johansen helps her Jewish friend, Ellen Rosen, evade the Nazis.