Annemarie enjoys running, fairy tales, and spending time with her best friend, Ellen Rosen. Although her younger sister Kirsti sometimes bothers her, Annemarie does her best to be a good older sister. When Ellen, who is Jewish, finds herself in danger from the Nazis, Annemarie must help her escape to safety. Ellen is Annemarie's best friend. She is talented great actress and dedicated student - she has to be, because her father is a teacher. Ellen is kind to everybody and is like a sister to Annemarie and Kirsti.
However, her life changes after the Germans occupy Denmark because Ellen and her family are Jewish. They must escape to Sweden to avoid persecution, and are able to do so with the help of their longterm friends, the Johansens. Kirsti short for Kirsten is Annemarie's five-year-old sister. Kirsti does not always understand the severity of the events going on around her. However, her childlike innocence and tendency to chatter endear her to everyone--even some German soldiers.
A young, tall, German soldier who patrols the street corner near Annemarie's school. He is stern but not violent. Rosen is Ellen's mother. She is good friends with Mrs. Johansen and they have coffee together almost every day. Johansen, or "Mama", is Annemarie and Kirsti's mother. Ellen must have grown-up during her years in Sweden.
How might the girls respond to one another as adults? The Danish people made many sacrifices during the time that the Nazi occupied their country. For example, they made shoes from fish skin rather than leather.
Discuss other sacrifices they made. What was their ultimate sacrifice? How do the citizens of Denmark offer hope to their Jewish friends and neighbors? Define patriotism. The Danish people seemed especially patriotic during the Nazi occupation of their country. Discuss how they demonstrate patriotism. How does Mr. Johansen instill patriotism in his children? Why can't they bear to look at the things she left behind?
Well, if you've ever lost a loved one, you know that it takes time to heal. And the Johansens aren't given that time. After her death, they are faced with another source of loss and heartache—the war. Only at the end of the novel—after the war has ended—are the Johansens able to open up about their daughter. And we hope that they will able to heal from her death just as they begin to heal from the war, too.
Close to the end of the book, we find out along with Annemarie that Lise and the war are more intertwined than we'd originally thought. It turns out the Nazis killed Lise because she was a Resistance fighter like Peter, Henrik, and the Johansens: "'She was part of the Resistance, too,' Papa had explained.
Parents Home Homeschool College Resources. Study Guide. By Lois Lowry. Previous Next.
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