Number the Stars: Chapters 9–13

by Lois Lowry
During World War II, ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen and her family take part in a courageous effort to protect the Jewish citizens of Denmark from the Nazis.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–4, Chapters 5–8, Chapters 9–13, Chapters 14–17, Introduction and Afterword
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. poised
    marked by balance or equilibrium and readiness for action
    The God of Thunder sat alertly poised nearby, watching.
    "The God of Thunder" is an epithet ("descriptive phrase") for Thor. A part of Denmark's Norse heritage, "Thor" here is Kirsti's name for a kitten. Annemarie finds that funny because the kitten looks like it'd run from thunder. There could also be a symbolic meaning since Thor is seen as the protector of humanity, and the kitten appears in scenes leading up to Peter and Uncle Henrik helping Jews to escape the Nazis.
  2. fleck
    a small fragment of something broken off from the whole
    Flecks of dust and straw floated there, in the light.
  3. deftly
    in an agile manner
    His strong hands continued, deftly pressing like a pulse against the cow.
  4. wryly
    in a humorously sarcastic or mocking manner
    “It is Great-aunt Birte, who never was.” He smiled wryly.
  5. gleaming
    bright with a steady but subdued shining
    The gleaming wooden casket rested on supports in the center of the living room and was surrounded by the fragile, papery flowers that Annemarie and Ellen had picked that afternoon.
  6. hearse
    a vehicle for carrying a coffin to a church or a cemetery
    The hearse had gone, and the solemn-faced men who had carried the casket indoors had gone with it, after speaking quietly to Uncle Henrik.
  7. recurring
    coming back
    She heard — as if in a recurring nightmare — the pounding on the door, and then the heavy, frighteningly familiar staccato of boots on the kitchen floor.
  8. staccato
    a series of sharp, distinct sounds
    She heard—as if in a recurring nightmare—the pounding on the door, and then the heavy, frighteningly familiar staccato of boots on the kitchen floor.
  9. condescending
    characteristic of those who treat others with arrogance
    He placed one gloved hand on its lid. “Poor Great-aunt Birte,” he said, in a condescending voice.
    "Condescension" means "showing arrogance by patronizing those considered inferior" or "a communication that indicates lack of respect" — both fit the action and attitude of the officer (whose higher rank would make more people seem inferior to him), who believes he can barge into a funeral, who is being disrespectful with his hand on the lid, and who is expressing fake sadness for a woman he never knew and suspects does not exist.
  10. shabby
    showing signs of wear and tear
    Never had Ellen worn anything so shabby and old.
  11. commotion
    a disorderly outburst or tumult
    There was a slight commotion outside the door, and Mama went quickly to look out.
  12. misshapen
    so badly formed or distorted as to be ugly
    Annemarie looked at the Rosens, sitting there, wearing the misshapen, ill-fitting clothing, holding ragged blankets folded in their arms, their faces drawn and tired.
  13. falter
    move hesitatingly, as if about to give way
    Her foot caught the loose step and she faltered for a moment, righting herself, then dashed across the ground to the place where her mother lay.
  14. hobble
    walk unevenly due to pain, injury, or weakness
    She hobbled, leaning heavily on her daughter, pausing again and again, toward the house.
  15. stricken
    affected by something overwhelming
    Her face was stricken.
    Mama's ankle is grievously affected by a swelling, and her stricken face could be partly due to physical pain, but it is mostly because of her realization that the fallen packet means that the escape could be doomed.
Created on Sat Sep 14 22:07:42 EDT 2013 (updated Fri Jun 13 15:34:59 EDT 2025)

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