Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- How does Annemarie find the courage to help protect her friend? Was she just born brave? Or did her upbringing encourage her to act a certain way?
- This is a story about a young girl. But what role do adults play in the novel? Is this a Roald Dahl-style kids vs. adults situation, or are adults and kids on the same side?
- How would the book be different if it were told from Ellen's perspective? What might we learn that we don't already know? What would we lose?
- In what ways is Number the Stars similar to other books about the Holocaust? In what way is it different? If you've read The Book Thief, that's an especially cool book to think about in regards to this question.
- How do you think the story would have been different if it were told from the first-person point of view? Which way would you prefer?
- Why is it important that Annemarie has a sister who has died (and more specifically, who has died as part of the Resistance)? What does that add to the story?
- Why do you think the book ends before Ellen and Annemarie are reunited? How does that affect the way you read the book?
- What's up with the afterword? How does it change the way you interpret the rest of the story? If you read the afterword before reading the rest of the novel, would you think differently about the characters and events?