But when Molly becomes seriously ill, Meg, no longer jealous, has to face up to something quite different: that Molly is not going to come home from the hospital, that Molly is going to die. Difficult to accept at the best of times, and when Meg has to cope with all the problems of growing up too, it’s the hardest thing she’s ever had to do.
Lois Lowry was born in Hawaii, the daughter of a US army officer. Her writing career began with articles and short stories for adults, but she switched to writing for children after an editor spotted her talent for writing for young teenagers. Number the Stars is based on the childhood experiences of a friend who had grown up in Europe at the time of the Second World War. The cover photo is of that friend.