The Book Thief

1. Bibliography

Zusak, Markus. 2007. The Book Thief. New York: Alfred An. Knopf. ISBN 0375842209

2. Plot Summary

            Narrated by Death, The Book Thief tells the story of Liesel, a foster girl who lives in Nazi Germany. She must learn to face life in a new family in a new town with the world changing around her. She soon discovers that books and words have a power over her. While stealing books from various people and locations, she will share her new treasure with the neighbors and the man living in her basement.

3. Critical Analysis

            While The Book Thief is set in a real place, it is narrated by Death. This narration from death makes this story a low fantasy book. The setting remains in a real place in a real time, but with characters developed from the authors mind. The style is very definitive in this book with the narrator continually skipping ahead in the story and moving around to different parts of the story. The plot of the story is not linear, as it is with most stories, but instead jumps ahead only to go back again and tell us more about how they get there. Through this method Markus Zusak is able to tell the reader that what is going to happen isn’t necessarily important, but why it happens is. Each step in Liesel’s life and the events which take place build upon one another to present the universal truth of the story. That truth is that words have power. In this story they have the power to enslave a whole group of people, the power to save people, and the power to connect us all. This power takes place in a setting that is very realistic, Nazi Germany. The setting is well developed and clearly defined. It is easy to picture the basement which Liesel learns to read in or the Mayor’s library. By defining the setting so deeply, we are able to connect further to Liesel. We see where she is and what she is doing. Liesel and the other characters in the book are multidimensional. A great example of this is when Liesel tells Papa that she hates Hitler. This kind loving man slaps her and forces her to ‘Heil Hitler’ in the street (Zusak, 115-116). This is a different side of Papa that we hadn’t yet seen. There is several different times when the characters in this story do things which seem out of character, but are just adding a mew layer. People are not all good or all bad, and this story reflects this fact by having such strongly defined characters that do things out of the character we had previously seen.

4. Reviews

2006 - Daniel Elliott Peace Award

2007- Boeke Prize

2007- ALA Best Books for Young Adults

2007- Michael L. Printz Honor Book

Kirkus Review; “…This big, expansive novel is a leisurely working out of fate, of seemingly chance encounters and events that ultimately touch, like dominoes as they collide. The writing is elegant, philosophical and moving. Even at its length, it's a work to read slowly and savor. Beautiful and important.”

From School Library Journal; “…Reading books and writing down her experiences save Liesel, but this novel clearly depicts the devastating effects of war. Narrator Allan Corduner defines each character with perfect timing. He's deliberate as the voice of Death, softly strong as Liesel, and impatient, but not unkind, as Rosa. With richly evocative imagery and compelling characters, Zusak explores behind-the-lines life in World War II Germany, showing the day-to-day heroism of ordinary people. Relevant for class discussions on wars both past and present.”

5. Connections

* Create a title page for the book that Max wrote in the basement and left for Liesel.

* Look into the history of Munich during Nazi Germany.

* Turn a chapter of the book into a reader’s theater script

* As a group collect items similar to the gifts that Liesel leaves for max while he is sick.

* Name the motif that is present throughout the book.

* Similar books:

            Riordan, Rick. The Lightening Thief. ISBN 0786856297

Collins, Suzanne. Hunger Games. ISBN 0439023521

De Rosnay, Tatiana. Sarah’s Key. ISBN 0312370849