Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. Print. 9780375831003; hardcover; $17.99 USD.
Set in Germany during World War II, The Book Thief tells the story of Liesel, a young girl sent to live with a foster family in a suburb of Munich. The story of Liesel's young life is narrated by Death, as he travels around Europe collecting souls lost to the war. Death encounters Liesel on several occasions as those close to her are carried off, and becomes fascinated by her tale. Before she can even read, Liesel steals her first book, The Gravedigger's Handbook, unofficially making her the book thief. When her foster father teaches her to read, her desire to steal books only increases. Liesel slowly begins to understand the power of words, both in her personal life, and in Nazi era Germany.
Although the book is lengthy, Markus Zusak draws the reader in with his poetic style of writing. Zusak weaves the story around historical events, without going into full detail about the events as they happen. Background knowledge of war era Germany is helpful in understanding some events as they impact Liesel and her close knit neighborhood. The book is best for grades 10 and up. Despite the wealth of novels set during WWII, this one sets itself apart in its subject matter. Unlike other works, it does not focus on the plight of the Jews or the American version of the story. It instead focuses on a lower class German family. They do not believe in the rhetoric of Hitler, but do try to blend in with those who do in order to survive. This book is recommended for both school and public libraries, as it presents a fresh point of view and can be appreciated by both young adult and adult readers.
The Teen Book Video Awards are open to student filmmakers who create book trailers for new YA novels. In 2006, Jon Haller won with this entry for The Book Thief.
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