THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak

Bibliography

Zusak, Markus. 2006. The Book Thief. New York: Random House Children's Books. ISBN 0375931007

Summary

Death narrates this haunting tale about a young girl, Liesl, whom he follows on his journeys to collect the many souls in Nazi occupied Germany. He follows as she loses her brother, is taken to live with a foster family, makes a new friend or two, learns to read and begins stealing books as her only way to fight back.     

Critical Analysis

Death shows us just how special some people are as he describes the experiences that change a frightened, helpless Liesl into a strong, convicted young lady who handles incredible hardship with power and poise. Set in Nazi Germany, Liesl decides that while she doesn’t have much control over her circumstances, she can fight back in her own way – stealing books. Reading, and eventually writing, her own book gives Liesl peace and the strength to help others. She can fight the injustice by taking care of a Jew in hiding and telling stories to calm others as air raids threaten their safety. By the end, you understand why Death couldn’t help but follow Liesl’s story, a story of the living.

Review Excerpts

2006 Kathleen Mitchell Award winner

2006 School Library Journal Best Books of the Year award winner

Horn Book Guide – “Zusak's poignant tribute to words, survival, and their inevitable entwinement is a tour de force to be not just read but inhabited.”

Booklist – “. . . the astonishing characters, drawn without sentimentality, will grab readers.“

Connections

This would be a great piece to read in connection with studying World War II.

I would read this book and compare it with the story of Anne Frank and have the students compare the strong female leads..