How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"I'll race you to the corner, Ellen!" Annemarie adjusted the thick leather pack on her back so that her schoolbooks balanced evenly. "Ready?" She looked at her best friend. (1.1)
These are the very first words of the book, and they set a rather ordinary tone, don't you think? Life is totally normal for these best friends. Little do we know (at this point) that they're going to school in the middle of World War II. Instead of bullies, they have to worry about Nazi soldiers.
Quote #2
Then Annemarie thought of something else. "If they can't sell their buttons, how will they earn a living?"
"Friends will take care of them," Mama said gently. "That's what friends do." (3.43-44)
What Annemarie's mother is talking about here is much stronger than ordinary friendship. The friends who will help the shop owners are putting their lives in danger, not just loaning them a few bucks. It's pretty powerful stuff.