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The Book Thief
- By Markus Zusak
- Genre: Historical Fiction
Common Sense Media says
Powerful testament to humanity in Nazi Germany.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this book is a tremendously powerful portrayal of life under the Nazis, especially as it was experienced by German youth. Characters suffer cruel fates but also are great examples of the power of personal sacrifice, heroism, friendship, and courage. This is a tough story told about a horrendous time, so there's plenty of grief and sadness, as well as violence and cruelty. But ultimately the book is a portrait of the triumph of spirit and humanity.
What's the story?
Death himself narrates the story of Liesel, a German girl left with foster parents just before the outbreak of World War II. Along the way to her new home with her younger brother, he dies; after the funeral, Liesel steals The Gravedigger's Handbook, though she cannot yet read. It's only the first of what will become a series of book thefts. As she settles in with her harsh but caring foster mother, Rosa, and kind foster father, Hans, Liesel gets to know her poor neighborhood and learns to read. Her obsession with books grows as the war closes in, rationing is put in place, air raids begin, and Hans hides a Jewish man in the basement. Through it all, Death travels the Earth, taking in more and more souls every day.
Is it any good?
This book has won many awards, including the ALA Best Books for Young Adults, Michael L. Printz Honor Book, and the School Library Journal and Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book of the Year. And it deserves every one of them. This book will educate readers about living under Nazi rule, and it will inspire them to think about human nature and why some heroic people are able to put their lives on the line to do what they know is right.
The participation of Death as narrator is first seamless and then essential, as his care for the humans haunting him comes shining through. And there's a powerful payoff in the Shakespearean ending, when Zusak wallops you again and again with the fates of these people, good and bad, whom you've come to care about. This is a devastatingly powerful book that bears several rereadings, and it should become a staple of literature discussion groups for sophisticated teen and adult readers.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about what makes this book a Young Adult title, even though it's also very popular with adult readers. What separates young adult literature from being either a children's book or an adult novel?
Liesel steals books that the Nazis have banned or tried to burn. Why were the Nazis concerned about book content? Is it ever appropriate to ban a book?
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AGE
A breathtaking, one of a kind novel
This is a stunningly beautiful novel of a girl living in Germany during the holocaust, suitable for both teenagers and adults to read. Zusak left me breathless with his descriptions and I always felt connected to the characters in some way or another. It is educational but does not lack strong characters with which you can connect with emotionally. You are taken on a heartbreaking journey through the lives of several characters, many of which you grow to love and feel for. Several times in the book I was bawling my eyes out or crying for pure joy, it really gets to you on an emotional level. It has holocaust themes (obviously) but I would say that they are quite mild. People who are sensitive to these themes can quite easily skip over the details and continue reading on as the book will still make total sense. The way in which Zusak writes is quite inspiring and just reading the descriptions with no storyline or plot would be enough for me! This is one of my favourite books.
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AGE
Beautiful and sad
Markus Zusak has a way with words, and it shines in The Book Thief. At once hopeful and devastating, it's an observation of humanity from an outsider who sees it all; Death says things bluntly, and at one point spoils a bit of the plot early, because he doesn't see the point in keeping anything a secret. A real tear-jerker, The Book Thief keeps a steady pace to the end, if not with plot, then with words. I've read it many times, and each time I notice something new and amazing.
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AGE
A bit intense for preteens
I read this when I was eleven on a cruiseship, and it was seriously awesome. I loved it. Still do. In fact, I have the book next to me right now. It's one of my favorite books of all time, and even though there's a lot of things that I shouldn't know about, well, most people these days are more mature than they used to be. I did flinch at a few words, however.
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Kid, 12 years old
June 4, 2010
AGE
Loved it!
This book was hard to get into I admit, but once I started reading it, I could not stop! I would recommend this book to people who know that something like this wouldn't happen to them.
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AGE
I bought this book as an ebook after both my 13 year old daughter and I got Nook ereaders. Finding books that are appropriate for her to read that I will also enjoy has been a challenge. This book met all my expectations. It is a bit odd in the beginning, but the characters are unforgettable. The story line is dark but not totally depressing. It is excellent historic fiction. Even the language that I would object to adds to the book.
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AGE
Amazing. Absolutely Amazing.
This book is so amazing. I thought this was the best book i've ever read in my entire life, and I've read a lot of books. It's dark, cruel, powerful messages changed my life.
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AGE
An awesome book...up to Harry Potter standards.
I seriously loved this book. I first read this book as summer reading for my frosh year lit class, and I fell in love with it. Nazi Germany and the Holocaust is one of my favorite topics of literature, and I feel that Markus Zusak does a fantastic job creating a story. Although it is about a dark theme, choosing tired and sarcastic Death to be the narrator adds a whole new dimension to the book by making it darkly humorous. All the characters stand out, and for me, my favorites, by far, were Hans Hubermann and Rudy Steiner. (SPOILER) I cry EVERY time I read when Rudy and Hans are found dead after the bombing, and I have read this book about 5 times now. It contains some language, but teens like me would think that it adds to the dark humor of the book. A must read, should be classic.
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Kid, 12 years old
December 27, 2010
AGE
Great for kids wanting to read a great book.
Love it! I read it when I was 9. Language is a problem in this book.This book is about the Holocaust so of course it is violent. Everything fro death camps to airplane crashing.The end is so sad you will need tissues
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AGE
Beautiful writing
A wonderful book, content/theme/characters, etc. As a writer,
Markus Zusak is in the top tier of contemporary writers.
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AGE
Language is inappropriate for middle school
The language is inappropriate for middle school. It has very powerful themes, so encourage it to your high school students!
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| Author: | Markus Zusak |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Historical Fiction |
| Publisher: | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Publication date: | March 26, 2006 |
| Number of pages: | 552 |
| Hardcover price: | $16.95 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 12 - 17 |
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