The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Brief Summary:
It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

By her brother's graveside, Liesel Meminger's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow.  It is The Grave Digger's Handbook, left there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery.  So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordion-playing foster father, learns to read.  Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found.

But these are dangerous times.  When Liesel's foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up and closed down.

In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.

Positive Content:
Hans Hubermann, Liesel's foster father, is exceedingly kind and generous.  Regardless of the danger it could cause to their family, he takes in Max, the Jew, because he made a promise to one of his relatives.  When the Jews are being marched by the Nazis through their town, he tries to give one of them a loaf of bread, and is severely punished and called a "Jew-lover."  But he doesn't care.  He shows grace and kindness to everyone, even in the worst of circumstances. Although Rosa Hubermann, Liesel's foster mother, often yells and curses at the girl, she truly cares for her.  Her true nature is shown by her actions, instead of her fierce words.  She cares for Liesel and Max, and accepts them into her home, even though food is scarce.  Although she hides it, she is a kind and generous person as well. 

Liesel prays to God to protect Max.  The two connect; she reads him books, and later on, he writes a story for her.  The bond between the two is strong and prevails over all the other horror of the time.  Max is extremely grateful to the family, and makes a sacrifice to protect them.


Possible Objectionable Content:
Liesel's foster mother uses a lot of foul language, including several German profanities.  Naturally, Liesel begins to pick up the habit of swearing.  Cursing isn't shined upon - yet there is a lot of it throughout the story.  Also, a boy often teases Liesel by asking for a kiss.

The story is told from the point of view of Death, and he often mentions "taking souls." However, he is not a heartless, cruel narrator as one might expect.  But nonetheless, there are many different descriptions of violence.  People are whipped.  There are air raids, and bombs fall on the town.  A man commits suicide by hanging himself.  


Conclusion:
This is a heartbreaking book about World War II, from a different perspective.  The narrator, Death, took some getting used to, but once I got into the book, it was impossible to put down.  This truly is a tragic period in history, and it's important that we all learn from it.  This book shares several good messages, such as "you can't just stand by and let evil happen" and "it's important to keep your promises, no matter what the cost."  Despite the abundant bad language, it really is a great story about the horrors of this time period time, and the love that often prevailed.


Rating: 10/10
Recommended Age: 15+
Genre: Historical
Part of a series?: no