Number the Stars

The protagonist of the novel, ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen is an outgoing and ambitious young girl who maintains a cheerful outlook even as her Nazi-occupied hometown of Copenhagen becomes a dangerous place for her and her… read analysis of Annemarie Johansen

Ellen is Annemarie’s best friend and neighbor. The two girls live in the same apartment building and attend the same school, and though Ellen is Jewish and Annemarie is not, neither of them ever… read analysis of Ellen Rosen

Kirsti is Annemarie’s five-year-old sister. A sassy, petulant, and fanciful child, Kirsti has never known life outside wartime—yet she dreams of the comforts of peace and plenty, fantasizing daily about decadent cupcakes and fancy… read analysis of Kirsti Johansen

Annemarie’s mother is a kind, gentle, and yet fiercely brave woman committed to resisting the fascist regime which has occupied her city and threatened her closest friends. Mama is a nurturer to her core… read analysis of Mrs. Johansen/Mama

The stoic, rebellious, and generous Peter Neilsen is a dedicated member of the Resistance—a group of Danish people determined to undermine the Nazi occupation of their country no matter the cost. Peter was betrothed to… read analysis of Peter Neilsen

Though Lise is not physically present as a character in the novel, her emotional presence lingers on every page. Her loss in a seemingly random hit-and-run accident has dealt a severe blow to her family’s… read analysis of Lise Johansen

The King of Denmark. Christian is a leader beloved by all his people, and rather than shutting himself away in his palace in trying times, he shows that he is as devoted to his subjects… read analysis of King Christian