Key Facts
full title ·
Number the Stars
author · Lois Lowry
type of work · Young adult novel
genre · Historical fiction; war novel; coming-of-age novel
language · English
time and place written · 1989, U.S.
date of first publication · 1989
publisher · Houghton Mifflin Company
narrator · Third person omniscient
point of view · The story is told from Annemarie Johansen's point of view
tone · Introspective; serious; matter-of-fact
tense · Immediate past tense
setting (time) · World War II, from September 1943 to May 1945
setting (place) · Copenhagen, Denmark, and Gilleleje, Denmark
protagonist · Annemarie Johansen
climax · Ellen and the others escape as Annemarie races against time and bad odds to her uncle's boat to deliver the crucial important packet
falling action · Uncle Henrik delivers his passengers to Sweden safely; Mrs. Johansen and her daughters return home; the war ends; Annemarie anticipates Ellen's return
themes · The difficulty of growing up; voyage and transformation; fairy tales
motifs · Truth-seeking versus self protection; the deceit of appearances; acting in wartime
symbols · The seashell, the Star of David, the woods
foreshadowing · Often, whatever Annemarie hopes will not happen is what occurs. Little Red Riding-Hood foreshadows Annemarie's own trip through the forest
