What is the falling action in Number the Stars?

The falling action begins in the latter half of chapter fifteen and continues through the rest of the book. The climax occurs when Annemarie is delivering the handkerchief to her uncle at the dock but is stopped by soldiers before she can reach him. This moment is crucial: she holds the key to allowing the boat to reach Sweden in safety, yet is so close to being discovered; all their plans almost fall through. The highest moment of tension is when the soldier discovers the handkerchief underneath the food, yet a reader can breathe a sigh of relief when he fails to recognize its significance. The rest of Annemarie's journey is relatively smooth, and because of her actions, the plan goes through as expected, her friends escape with no interference, and she returns to the house to care for her mother's twisted ankle. The tone of this latter part is much lighter and more jovial than the rest of the book.