Ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen is the protagonist of Number the Stars; all the action of the book is seen through her eyes. Annemarie can remember a time when Nazis in shiny boots were not standing on every street corner; she remembers "the music and the brightly colored lights, the carousel and ice cream" at the Tivoli Gardens. Throughout the book, Annemarie worries that she will not have the courage to stand up to the Nazis. When she is tested, however, she instinctively acts bravely.

The Johansens are a close-knit, loving family. Mr. and Mrs. Johansen have lost one daughter to the Nazis, yet they continue to fight for the Resistance. Like the parents in many of Lowry's books, they are loving and wise, and the reader can see their influence on Annemarie's actions. Annemarie's five-year-old sister Kirsti is too young to comprehend the political situation, and is...