What does real courage look like in dangerous times?
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Author Spotlight
Meet Lois Lowry
Lois Lowry is an American author who writes powerful stories for young readers. Her books often explore historical events and ask tough questions about right and wrong, growing up, and making difficult choices.
Lowry has written many award-winning novels that help readers think deeply about the world. She creates characters who face real problems and must decide what kind of person they want to be.
Other Famous Books by Lois Lowry
The Giver — a dystopian classic
Gathering Blue — survival and community
Messenger — sacrifice and change
Son — a mother's journey
Anastasia Krupnik — humorous coming-of-age
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Historical Context: World War II
During World War II, Germany invaded and occupied many European countries. Millions of people lived under military control, with soldiers patrolling streets and enforcing strict rules. Daily life became dangerous for anyone who opposed the Nazi government or belonged to groups the Nazis targeted.
Families had to make impossible choices about safety, loyalty, and survival. Ordinary people faced extraordinary pressure as their countries were taken over and freedoms disappeared. Understanding this historical background helps us appreciate the courage shown in Number the Stars.
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Denmark During the War
Living Under Occupation
Danish citizens had to follow German military rules. Soldiers walked the streets, questioned people, and searched homes. Speaking out or resisting could lead to arrest or worse.
The Resistance Movement
Many Danes secretly worked against the occupation. They helped Jewish families escape, spread information, and quietly resisted Nazi orders. These brave acts came with enormous risk.
Danger for Jewish Citizens
Jewish people in Denmark faced the greatest danger. The Nazis planned to arrest and deport Jewish families. Danish citizens had to decide whether to stay silent or risk their own safety to help their neighbors.
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Setting: Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen is the capital city of Denmark, filled with apartment buildings, shops, and neighborhoods where families know each other. In Number the Stars, the city becomes a place where ordinary life mixes with constant danger.
Children play in the streets, but soldiers patrol the same sidewalks. Families eat dinner together, but they whisper about who might be listening. The setting shows how war invades even the safest, most familiar places.
Homes and neighborhoods become especially important in the story. They represent both safety and risk — places where families hide secrets, make plans, and protect each other from the soldiers outside.
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Main Characters Overview
Annemarie Johansen
Ten-year-old protagonist who learns what real courage means
Ellen Rosen
Annemarie's Jewish best friend who must go into hiding
Mrs. Johansen
Annemarie's mother, calm and brave under pressure
Uncle Henrik
Fisherman and secret resistance member
These characters face impossible situations where they must choose between safety and doing what's right. The Nazi soldiers serve as the antagonistic force, creating constant threat and danger throughout the story.
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Protagonist
Annemarie Johansen
Who She Is
Annemarie is ten years old and lives with her family in Copenhagen. She loves her best friend Ellen and enjoys running races, even though the war has made everything harder.
Personality at the Beginning
At the start of the story, Annemarie is a typical child — playful, curious, and sometimes scared of the soldiers she sees. She doesn't yet understand the full danger around her or what it means to be truly brave.
What She Values
Annemarie values her friendship with Ellen above almost everything. She also respects her parents and wants to protect her younger sister, Kirsti. Family and friendship drive many of her decisions as the story unfolds.
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Ellen Rosen
Annemarie's Best Friend
Ellen lives in the same apartment building as Annemarie. The two girls have been friends their whole lives, sharing secrets, playing together, and treating each other like sisters. Their friendship is one of the most important relationships in the book.
Why Ellen Is in Danger
Ellen and her family are Jewish. When the Nazis plan to arrest Jewish families in Copenhagen, Ellen's life is suddenly at terrible risk. Her parents must make the heartbreaking decision to send her away for her own safety.
How Ellen's Situation Drives the Plot
The need to protect Ellen sets the entire story in motion. Annemarie's family takes Ellen in and pretends she is part of their family. This act of courage puts everyone at risk and forces Annemarie to grow up fast.
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Mrs. Johansen
Protector and Decision-Maker
Mrs. Johansen makes quick, brave choices to keep her family and Ellen safe. She doesn't hesitate when danger arrives.
Calm Under Pressure
Even when soldiers search her apartment, Mrs. Johansen stays calm. She answers questions carefully and never shows her fear.
Willingness to Risk Everything
Mrs. Johansen knows that hiding Ellen could get her whole family arrested or worse. She does it anyway because it's the right thing to do.
Mrs. Johansen represents the quiet strength of adults who protect children even when they're terrified. She shows Annemarie what true bravery looks like — not the absence of fear, but action despite fear.
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Uncle Henrik
Calm Fisherman
Public persona
Respected Neighbor
Ordinary and friendly
Resistance Courier
Secret missions
Risk-Taker
Transports refugees
A Fisherman by Trade
Uncle Henrik lives in a small coastal village and makes his living catching fish. He seems like an ordinary, friendly uncle who tells stories and jokes with his nieces.
Calm Confidence
Henrik never seems worried, even when soldiers question him or when dangerous situations develop. His steady, relaxed manner helps others stay calm too. He teaches Annemarie that courage doesn't mean shouting or fighting — sometimes it means staying quiet and smart.
Hidden Role in the Resistance
Uncle Henrik is secretly part of the Danish resistance movement. He uses his fishing boat to transport Jewish refugees across the sea to safety in Sweden. This work is incredibly dangerous, but Henrik risks his life again and again to save others.
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Opening Conflict
The novel opens with Annemarie and Ellen being stopped by German soldiers on their way home from school. The soldiers demand to know who they are and where they're going. Though the girls aren't hurt, the encounter is frightening and confusing.
This scene establishes the atmosphere of fear without showing direct violence. It teaches readers that occupation means loss of freedom and constant fear. Even simple activities like walking home become dangerous when soldiers can stop and question you for no reason.
The opening conflict also shows how control affects daily life. Children can't run freely anymore. Parents warn them to take different routes and avoid attention. The presence of soldiers changes everything, turning familiar streets into places of danger and uncertainty.
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Rising Danger for Jewish Families
Why Ellen Must Leave Her Home
The Rosens learn that the Nazis plan to "relocate" all Jewish families in Copenhagen. "Relocation" is a lie — the families will be arrested and sent to concentration camps. Ellen's parents know their daughter will not survive if she's caught.
The Importance of Secrecy
No one can know where Ellen really is or that the Johansens are hiding her. Even neighbors who seem friendly might report them to the soldiers. One careless word could mean death for everyone involved.
Families Helping Each Other
The Johansens don't hesitate to take Ellen in, even though they know the terrible risk. They treat Ellen like family and are willing to sacrifice their own safety. This act of courage shows the power of ordinary people choosing to help their neighbors, even when it's dangerous.
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Turning Point
The Apartment Visit
In one of the novel's most tense scenes, Nazi soldiers bang on the Johansens' apartment door in the middle of the night. They're searching for the Rosens and for any Jewish families who haven't reported for "relocation."
The Johansens must pretend that Ellen is actually Annemarie's sister, Lise, who died earlier. Ellen quickly removes her Star of David necklace and gets into bed with Annemarie. The girls hold hands under the covers, both terrified but staying silent.
When the soldiers demand proof that Ellen belongs to the family, Mr. Johansen shows them baby pictures. The soldiers are suspicious but can't prove anything. This close call shows how adults protect children by lying to dangerous people and how children must trust adults even when they don't understand everything.
Why This Scene Matters
This moment reveals the stakes clearly: one mistake means death. It also shows different kinds of courage working together — the parents' quick thinking, Ellen's discipline in staying quiet, and Annemarie's fierce protectiveness of her friend.
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The Necklace
Ellen wears a Star of David necklace — a symbol of her Jewish faith and heritage. It's a beautiful piece of jewelry that her family gave her, and she treasures it. But during the war, wearing this symbol becomes deadly dangerous.
Why It Is Dangerous
The Star of David immediately identifies Ellen as Jewish. If the soldiers see it, they'll know the Johansens are lying about her being part of their family. Annemarie's mother yanks the necklace off Ellen's neck just before the soldiers enter the bedroom, hiding it in her hand.
What Removing It Represents
Taking off the necklace symbolizes Ellen giving up part of her identity to survive. She can't openly be herself — she must hide who she is. It's a painful sacrifice that many Jewish people had to make during the Holocaust. Later, when Annemarie keeps the necklace safe, it represents her promise to protect Ellen's true identity and return it when the danger passes.
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The Funeral Lie
Path 1: Tell the Truth
Refugees discovered, arrests follow
Families arrested, lives lost
Path 2: Tell a Lie
Hide refugees, create funeral
Escape possible, lives saved
Creating Great-Aunt Birte
To hide the Jewish refugees gathering at Uncle Henrik's house, the adults create a fake funeral for a made-up relative named Great-Aunt Birte. They fill a closed casket with blankets and pillows, not a body. The funeral gives them a reason to have many people in the house without suspicion.
Using Lies to Protect Life
Normally, lying is wrong. But in this situation, lying becomes an act of resistance and protection. The adults lie to the soldiers to save innocent lives. This teaches an important lesson: sometimes rules must be broken when following them would cause greater harm.
Literary Note: The fake funeral scene shows how ordinary objects (a casket, flowers, mourning clothes) can be tools of resistance. Lowry uses irony here — a symbol of death becomes a tool for saving lives.
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Journey to the Countryside
The Johansens and Ellen leave Copenhagen and travel to Uncle Henrik's house in the countryside, near the coast. They tell people they're visiting family, but the real purpose is to hide Ellen and help her escape to Sweden.
The journey represents a major shift in the story. The city, though dangerous, is familiar. The countryside is unknown territory with new risks. Annemarie must leave behind everything she knows and trust that the adults have a plan.
The change in setting also increases the tension. In the countryside, they're more isolated — if something goes wrong, there's no one to help. But they're also closer to the sea, which represents both danger (German patrol boats) and hope (the path to freedom). The coastal setting becomes central to the rescue plan that will unfold.
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Uncle Henrik and the Soldiers
Soldiers Questioning Him
German soldiers stop Uncle Henrik multiple times, asking about his fishing trips, who visits his house, and what he's carrying. These interrogations are designed to intimidate and catch people in lies.
His Calm Responses
Uncle Henrik answers every question simply and directly. He doesn't volunteer extra information or act nervous. He jokes and smiles, appearing completely relaxed. His calm makes it hard for the soldiers to suspect him of anything.
Annemarie's Confusion
Annemarie doesn't understand how Uncle Henrik can be so calm when the situation is so dangerous. She watches him carefully, trying to figure out his secret. This confusion leads to one of the story's most important lessons about courage.
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Theme
Courage Can Look Calm
Annemarie's Old Understanding
She thought bravery meant not being afraid, like soldiers in stories or heroes who fight battles.
What She Observes
Uncle Henrik and her mother are terrified inside, but they act calm and normal. They do dangerous things without shouting or dramatic gestures.
New Understanding
Courage means doing what's right even when you're afraid. It often looks quiet, ordinary, and calm.
This realization transforms Annemarie's view of courage. She stops looking for dramatic heroism and starts recognizing the quiet, everyday bravery of ordinary people. This understanding prepares her for her own moment of courage later in the story.
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The Boat and the Sea
Fishing Boat as Escape Tool
Uncle Henrik's fishing boat looks completely ordinary — just a working boat that goes out every day to catch fish. But it has a hidden purpose: transporting Jewish refugees across the water to Sweden, where they'll be safe from the Nazis.
The Sea as a Path to Safety
Sweden remained neutral during World War II, meaning it didn't take sides and refused to hand over Jewish refugees to Germany. The sea separating Denmark from Sweden is only a few miles wide in some places. For refugees, crossing that water meant the difference between life and death.
Danger of the Crossing
German patrol boats watch the water constantly, searching for escape attempts. The refugees must hide below deck in complete silence. If they're discovered, everyone on the boat — including Uncle Henrik — will be arrested or killed. The journey requires perfect timing, luck, and tremendous courage from everyone involved.
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Helping Jewish Refugees
Refugees Hide
Jewish families hide in safe houses, waiting for their chance to escape
Helpers Transport
Brave Danes guide refugees to coastal meeting points
Boats Carry
Fishermen smuggle refugees across the sea to Sweden
Safety Reached
Refugees arrive in Sweden and begin rebuilding their lives
This rescue network saved nearly all of Denmark's Jewish population — about 7,200 people. It required thousands of ordinary Danes making the moral choice to risk their own lives. The Johansens and Uncle Henrik are part of this larger movement of resistance and rescue.
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The Handkerchief
After the refugees leave Uncle Henrik's house and head to the boat, Mrs. Johansen discovers a small package left behind — a handkerchief that Uncle Henrik needs for the escape plan. Without it, the German dogs patrolling the boat will smell the hidden refugees and everyone will be caught.
The handkerchief doesn't look important. It's just a piece of cloth. But it's been specially treated with a mixture that temporarily destroys the dogs' sense of smell. When the dogs sniff it, they can't detect the people hiding below deck.
Why Annemarie Isn't Told Everything
The adults deliberately don't explain what the handkerchief does or how important it is. If Annemarie knew the truth and soldiers questioned her, her fear might give everything away. Ignorance protects her — she can't accidentally reveal what she doesn't know.
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Climax
Annemarie's Mission
Given the Package
Mother hands basket, no explanation
Runs Through Woods
Alone, scared, determined
Encounters Soldiers
Must stay calm, must succeed
Being Trusted with the Package
Mrs. Johansen gives Annemarie the package containing the handkerchief and tells her she must bring it to Uncle Henrik immediately. She emphasizes that it's urgent but doesn't explain why. Annemarie can tell from her mother's voice that this task is life-or-death important.
Running Alone Through the Woods
Annemarie must run through the dark woods by herself, following a path she barely knows. Every shadow could be a soldier. Every sound could mean danger. But she keeps running because she understands that people's lives depend on her succeeding.
Facing Soldiers Directly
When soldiers stop Annemarie and demand to see what's in her basket, she has her most terrifying moment yet. Now she must use everything she's learned about courage — staying calm, telling believable lies, and not showing her fear.
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A Test of Maturity
Pretending Ignorance
When the soldiers ask Annemarie what's in the basket, she doesn't lie — she truly doesn't know. She tells them it's lunch for her uncle and acts like a confused child who doesn't understand why they're bothering her. Her genuine innocence makes her believable.
Acting Despite Fear
Annemarie is absolutely terrified. Her heart pounds and her hands shake. But she doesn't run away or cry or give up. She stands there, answers the soldiers' questions, and waits while they search the basket. This is real courage — doing what's necessary even when you're scared.
Transition from Child to Responsible Helper
Before this moment, adults protected Annemarie. Now she's protecting others. She's no longer just a child who obeys — she's an active participant in saving lives. This mission marks her transformation into someone who can be trusted with dangerous, important work.
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The Dogs and the Threat
Trained Dogs
German soldiers use specially trained dogs to search boats and buildings. These dogs can detect hidden people by smell.
Why Smell Matters
People hiding below deck or in secret compartments can stay silent and still, but they can't hide their scent. Dogs can smell them even through walls and doors.
Heightened Danger
The handkerchief that Annemarie delivers contains a special mixture that ruins the dogs' sense of smell temporarily. Without it, the dogs would definitely find the hidden refugees.
The dogs represent how technology and training make escape even harder. The resistance must constantly invent new solutions to overcome new threats. The handkerchief is a clever scientific solution to a deadly problem — showing that courage sometimes means using intelligence and planning, not just bravery.
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Truth Revealed
Uncle Henrik Explains the Handkerchief
After the refugees safely escape, Uncle Henrik tells Annemarie what was really in the basket she delivered. He explains how the handkerchief saved everyone by fooling the German dogs. Annemarie realizes she carried out a crucial part of the rescue without even knowing it.
Why Adults Waited to Tell Her
Henrik explains that adults often keep children ignorant of dangerous plans — not because they don't trust them, but because knowing too much makes it harder to act naturally. Annemarie's genuine confusion when the soldiers questioned her made her more convincing. Fear of the truth might have shown on her face.
The Cost of Courage
Henrik also shares the harsh reality: not every rescue succeeds, and many helpers have been caught and killed. Courage doesn't guarantee safety. The Johansens and Henrik chose to help knowing they might die. Annemarie understands now that bravery means accepting terrible risks because the cause is right.
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Ellen Reaches Safety
Ellen and the other refugees successfully cross the sea and arrive in Sweden. They're safe from the Nazis now, protected by Sweden's neutrality. For Ellen, this means survival — she won't be arrested or sent to a concentration camp. Her life is saved because of the courage of many people: her parents who sent her away, the Johansens who hid her, Uncle Henrik who transported her, and Annemarie who delivered the vital handkerchief.
The success of the plan brings enormous relief, but also deep sadness. Ellen is separated from her parents, who had to stay behind. She doesn't know when she'll see them again or if they'll survive the war. The Johansens miss Ellen terribly — she was like a daughter and sister to them.
This bittersweet ending is realistic. Rescue means survival, but it also means loss, separation, and uncertainty. The characters pay an emotional price for doing the right thing, but they never regret their choices. Saving Ellen's life matters more than their own comfort or safety.
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Life After the Rescue
War Continues
Soldiers still patrol; danger persists.
Daily Routine
Johansens resume normal tasks cautiously.
Fear Lingers
Memories and worry remain close by.
After Ellen escapes to Sweden, the war doesn't end for the Johansens. German soldiers still occupy Denmark. The family must continue living under that control, always careful about what they say and do.
Annemarie and her family return to their everyday routines — school, work, meals, sleep. But everything feels different now. They've crossed a line and can never go back to simple innocence. They know what they're capable of. They know what courage really means.
Fear doesn't disappear just because one mission succeeded. The Johansens still worry: Will someone report them? Will the Rosens survive? Will there be more people who need help? The lingering effects of danger and stress stay with them long after Ellen is safe. This shows that courage isn't a one-time event — it's a choice people make again and again.
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Themes as Patterns
Courage Through Action
Bravery isn't about being fearless — it's about acting despite fear. This theme repeats when Mrs. Johansen hides Ellen, when Uncle Henrik transports refugees, and when Annemarie delivers the handkerchief.
Protection of Others
Characters repeatedly risk their own safety to protect people they care about. Parents protect children, friends protect friends, and neighbors protect neighbors. This pattern shows the power of human compassion.
Ordinary People Making Hard Choices
The Johansens aren't soldiers or spies — they're a regular family. Uncle Henrik is a fisherman. Yet they make heroic choices. Lowry shows that regular people can do extraordinary things when faced with injustice.
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Annemarie's Growth
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Beginning
Playful child who doesn't understand the war's full danger. Thinks bravery means not being scared.
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Middle
Watches adults make difficult choices. Begins to question what courage really means. Protects Ellen instinctively.
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End
Takes independent action to save lives. Understands that bravery means acting despite fear. Sees adults as complex people, not just authority figures.
New Understanding of Bravery
By the end of the novel, Annemarie knows that courage is quiet, often invisible, and doesn't feel heroic in the moment. She understands that her mother, her uncle, and countless other Danes showed tremendous bravery through small, careful actions.
What She Learns About Adults and Responsibility
Annemarie discovers that adults don't have all the answers and are often terrified themselves. They make difficult choices, sometimes wrong ones, and carry heavy burdens. She also learns that even young people can contribute meaningfully to important causes. Age doesn't determine worthiness — character does.
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Final Reflection
What does the story show about courage?
Number the Stars teaches us that courage isn't about being fearless or performing dramatic heroic acts. Real courage is ordinary people doing the right thing even when they're terrified. It's staying calm when soldiers knock on your door. It's running through the woods with a package you don't understand because someone needs you to. It's sacrificing your comfort and safety for another person's life.
How can quiet actions matter in dangerous times?
The Johansens never fought soldiers or gave speeches. They simply hid one girl, delivered one package, and helped refugees escape one night. But those quiet actions saved lives. The story shows that we don't need to wait for big moments to make a difference. Small, brave choices — especially when repeated by many people — can change the world.
Exit Prompt: Think of a time when you or someone you know showed courage in a quiet way. How does that compare to Annemarie's journey in Number the Stars?