Number the Stars: Introduction & Chapter 1

Story Introduction

• The author, Lois Lowry, wrote Number the Stars over twenty years ago and received the 1990 Newbery Medal for it.
• The book is about readers matching themselves against the protagonists of books they love, asking "Would I have done that?".
• It highlights the importance of ethics that children develop around the age of ten.
• Readers rejoice when Annemarie faces danger and triumphs.
• The history of Denmark and the integrity of its small Scandinavian population teaches a great lesson.
• A Danish friend who was the prototype for Annemarie told the story of her childhood in Copenhagen in 1943.

Chapter 1: Why Are You Running?

• Annemarie and Ellen race on Østerbrogade in northeast Copenhagen, but are stopped by German soldiers
• The soldiers question Annemarie about her schoolbooks and her friend Ellen.
• Kirsti pushes a soldier's hand away, and the soldiers laugh, speaking in German
• "The Giraffe" is the nickname Annemarie and Ellen give to the taller soldier
• Mrs. Rosen advises the girls to blend in and not be remembered
• Kirsti says the soldier said she was pretty
• Mrs. Johansen wonders why the soldier doesn't return to Germany if he is so fond of his own little girl
• The mothers "have coffee," which is actually hot water with herbs, due to the Nazi occupation
• Mrs. Johansen refers to the "De Frie Danske" about bombings, an illegal newspaper brought by Peter Neilsen
• The Resistance are secret Danish people who sabotoge the nazis
• Mrs. Rosen is going to speak to Ellen and tells the girls to walk a different way to school

Chapter 2: Who Is the Man Who Rides Past?

• Kirsti asks Annemarie for a fairy tale, and wants one about a king and queen with a beautiful daughter
• Annemarie makes up a story about Princess Kirsten until Kirsti falls asleep
• King Christian X was a real human being and each morning he rides alone on his horse, Jubilee, through Copenhagen
• Lise had taken Annemarie to see the King as a child
• Danes would die to protect Kind Christian X
• When the Nazis invaded, King wasn't able to protect us because Denmark is a tiny country
• Lise had been killed two weeks before her wedding, and the blue trunk in the corner of Annemarie's bedroom held her things
• Annemarie touches Lise's things gently, remembering her soft-spoken nature
• Peter, Lise's fiance had not married in the years since
• "And they lived happily ever after"

Chapter 3: Where Is Mrs. Hirsch?

• Annemarie and Ellen avoid the tall soldier and his partner
• The mothers have "coffee" in the afternoons and knit mittens since there's no fuel
• Electricity is rationed. The Johansen's open the old chimney
• Ellen's father complains about the dim light
• There has been no real coffee since the Nazi occupation
• At the little shop where Mrs. Hirsch sells thread and buttons, they find it closed with a padlock and a German sign
• Samuel, the Hirsches' son, rode a bicycle to school with wooden wheels
• Annemarie thinks the Hirsches went on a vacation to the seashore
• There have been no pink-frosted cupcakes for months
• Mama was troubled that the sign was in German with a swastika
• Mrs. Johansen goes to talk to Mrs. Rosen
• Peter brings Annemarie and Kirsti seashells and beer for Mama and Papa
• German soldiers were closing stores run by Jews
• The Rosens are Jewish
• Peter says it's their way ok tormenting the Jews
• Annemarie thinks Denmark must be bodyguard for the Jews.

Chapter 4: It Will Be a Long Night

• Annemarie and Ellen play with paper dolls, cutting them from Mama's magazines
• The dolls had names from Mama's favorite book: Gone With the Wind
• Mama bought Kirsti new fish skin shoes
• Fish skin was used to make shoes because there is no leather
• Ellen offers to use her father's black ink to make them black for her
• They make the paper dolls go to Tivoli
• Kirsti's birthday was late in August.
• Kirsti says she woke up in the night from bombs and Mama said they were fireworks for her birthday
• The Danes had destroyed their own naval fleet as the Germans approached to take over
• Ellen has to go help Mama with the housecleaning because Thursday is their New Year
• Mrs. Rosen is invited to light the candles on the Jewish New Year
• Tonight Ellen will be staying overnight
• Mrs. Rosen is sending her chicken to the Johansens
• That morning, the Rabbi told his congregation that the Nazis have taken the synagogues' lists of all the Jews
• The Nazis plan to arrest them tonight
• Peter has helped Ellen's parents go elsewhere, they are safe
• The girls will pretend than Ellen is Lise

Chapter 5: Who Is the Dark-Haired One?

• Annemarie tells Ellen, if the Nazis came it'd be her "chance to practice acting"
• However, Ellen says Peter wants her to be a teacher like him
• They talk about how Lise died
• Ellen brushes hair away from gold chain holding star of david
• Annemarie and Ellen get into bed and pull covers over them
• Annemarie and Ellen were awoken abruptly by pounding at the door.
• Annemarie and Ellen pretend to be sleeping
• Annemarie eases bedroom door cracked to find Mama and Papa in their nightclothes, moving about.
• Mama is holding a lighted candle.
• Papa opens door to 3 Nazi officers.
• Soldiers search the apartment and closet.
• Officer asks their names. Ellen says hers is Lise.
• Officer grabs handful of Ellen's hair. He asks where the dark-haired one came from.
• He asks Papa if they got her from the Rosens.
• Papa moves swiftly, producing family album which is searched for photos of the girls as babies.
• He pulls out photos and hands them to the officer.
• Officer reads baby names on photo: Kirsten Elisabeth, Annemarie, Lise Margrete.
• He tears the photo in half, throws it to the floor and grinds it under boot.

Chapter 6: Is the Weather Good for Fishing?

• Papa said, "They (Nazis) suspect us"
• Mama said, "You have beautiful hair, Ellen."
• Papa said, "We were lucky Papa thought so quickly to locate the pictures."
• Ellen says "It is your fault I have darkhair."
• Mama and Papa say there are not sending the girls to school today
• Papa said, "it is possible that they will look for the Jewish children in the schools."
• Ellen says her Parents always have told her that "education is the most important thing."
• Papa thinks The girls must go to Henrik's.
• Mama will take the girls to Henrik's so the Nazis won’t suspect her
• Papa said "Henrik will still be there he leaves around five,"
• On the phone Papa asked "Is the weather good for fishing."
• When Mama asked "What is Mama actually taking to Uncle Henrik?," Annemarie realized “It was Ellen!”
• A the end of the train journey toward Gilleleje, the soldier turned back saying “Are you visiting for the New Year?
• But Kirsti chimed into say they were visiting Uncle Henrik (saving Ellen and Annemarie from the soldier's suspision

Chapter 7: The House by the Sea

• Annemarie and Ellen, upon seeing the meadow and the house, deem it as beautiful.
• She had never been this close to the sea before, or to the Danish country side
• Ellen's mom has a fear of oceans.
• “Maybe,” ahe says “standing over there ‟ are two girls and Ellen, her eyes shielded above her hand gazing over the water, said "It's not that far."
• “ I am surprised" - They were then beckone with the girls to come to Henrik's.
• Mother asks the girl if they had say anyone, and said they were to say away people if they see someone.
• A storm set in, and in Henrik's the other said nothing and no sound is heard.
• Mama and the children reach Henrik's house

Chapter 8: There Has Been a Death

• Annemarie dreams and hears Henrik leaving early for the harbor.
• Waking again she hears Mama and Kirsti and sees Ellen still asleep in the dim morning.
• Kirsti is trying to get the new kitten to drink water and says he is Thor God of Thunder..
• Mama mentions now and then cheese has been coming into Copenhagen.
• Mom said, the doctor was relocating butter into his stomach.
• Kirsti then joins them in laughter
• Mother explains the Dr and his people are stealing the fats for the German soliders
• Ellen smiles sheepishly, the girls eat, there oatmeal and the spectral of bombs seems a world away
• The girls spend time in a field, and collect flowers
• Mother says the farm needs a wife
• Now the storm hit. Annemarie goes outside.
• "Henriks your laying to me says Annemarie!"
• Uncle Henrik said that Annemarie is brave, like me and your mom, and to be quite certain. _ It is then Annemarie realises that the casket has never been told at the storm.

Chapter 9: Why Are You Lying?

• Out in the barn, Annemarie confronts Henrik about Great-aunt Birte, as he was milking Blossom
• Annemarie says "You’re lying to Me!"
• Annemarie knew there was know Great Aunt Birte, and that they had lied, to protect them.
• It is then Annemarie realises that the casket has never been told at the storm.
• Uncle Henrik said that Anermarie is brave, like me and your mom, and to be quite certain.
• Ellen says" I’m so sorry if my mother was lying" - She was quite scared to say that

Chapter 10: Let Us Open the Casket

• Uncle Henrik left the house and Mama sent the girls to bed
• "What is the explination said a Nazi?" - It was there - he announced that they'd seen the number of people coming to their house tonight.
• Ellen was told to look after her mother.
• Uncle Henrik said "God keep you safe." to mama.
• The officer asks harshly," Who died !"- The woman says that has always been their custom to gather people when they were ready for there respects
• The man said open the coffin and looked at her and she asked to make herself known to it.
• He is then was able to make her known,

Chapter 11: Will We See You Again Soon, Peter?

• Annemarie blinked and saw Ellen peering through the window.
• When they opened at there was the light of a storm through it the sound of sirens and Peter
• Peter then helped the rest and Ellen's and the babies go through it!
• The people told one another "Carry this there."
• Ellen and the baby with her where not able to speak one way.
• Annemarie cried because she realised she may never see them again if she did not know then that they
• Were then protected,

Chapter 12: Where Was Mama?

• They stood outside with blankes
• They said "We where safe soon in those boat" that where coming over here. but no birds of call where they can
• And she says," They would get her though that"
• And would look after here , _ She was alone, Ellen, and Annemarie, And the rosen, who was it ? - what where here names?
• It would give her a hard time ,
• She feel asleep after and she head nodded and nodded,
• Then all over the boat the could go now
• After she was awaken and she was with those whom told her the stories
• Now what would she do with it?

Chapter 13: Run! As Fast As You Can!

• Annemarie sped down the stairs as to no wake her sister.
• With her foot then caught to give help, was to wash the away those grass!
• Where here was a mom said and done!
• With that a storm then came of in a distance to follow her that she must not waste no time and that she have been gone no less now

Chapter 14: On the Dark Path

• Annemarie leaves for Henrik's boat on a dark path through the woods, recalling the story of Little Red Riding-Hood and worrying about soldiers.
• She makes her way to the meadow, then returns back into the woods. _ She is forced to think about the story more
• And she does not like to think about that

Chapter 15: My Dogs Smell Meat!

• Annemarie comes upon four soldiers who are armed in the woods with two dogs she is forced to use quick wit and tells the soldiers that she is taking Henrik has lunch, and also that he's going away with the day.
• Annemarie continued with this idea before
• After they had passed to her it is because the had know from the basket..

Chapter 16: I Will Tell You Just a Little

• Uncle Henrik and the people come back and said that this has been the end and so to put their
• Into the other boats to take them into the sea.. it has to be the end to it all.
• To the end of the other ones!
• Annemnarrie asked, “what all now comes?" And the man gave her a look!
• "Did they have any does in their head? said the girl!"

Chapter 17: All This Long Time

• The war ends 2 years later and churchbells rang and Danish flags were raised
• Annemarie has changed a great deal is no longer an ordinary child.
• There was news that Peter Neilsen had been captured and executed by the Germans..
• But even with the sadness of their loss Anermarie still said was the last and their was nothing she ever did to hear
• She comes in and then makes a end,
• In her place was now the all time darkness
• The story says "And the great time when we shall again - shall we be great"

Afterword

• The story is a mix of fact in fiction, inspired by Annelise Platt's experiences in Copenhagen during the Nazi occupation.
• The Danes surrendered swiftly, with the King staying with his people as leader and Christian X.
• Danes sank their own navy to keep it out of Nazi hands.
• The Jewish High Holidays in 1943 saw warnings of "relocation" thanks to G. F. Duckwitz, a compassionate German official
• Almost 7,000 Jews were smuggled to Sweden with help from Danes.
• The story features Peter Neilsen, representing the young and brave members of the Danish Resistance, also there is secret operations that orchestrated that where
• It all began with Kim Matle-Bruun, one of the Young Resistance

About the Author

• Sandpiper is an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
• Lois Lowry was born in Hawaii and grew up in New York, Pennsylvania and Japan.
• Number the Stars earned a Newbery Medal and many countelss awards, and it now that where she has earned her place.