Review for "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. Westminister: Random House Childrens Books, 2007. ISBN 978-0-375-84220-7.

PLOT SUMMARY

Young Liesel watches her brother die on a train and is then forced to go live with Hans and Rosa Hubermann in Molching, Germany in the midst of World War II. The Hubermann’s have a laundry service, and Liesel helps out. She is fascinated with books, but she is illiterate. When her brother was buried, she stole a book from the gravesite. Liesel steals another book at a book-burning in honor of Hitler’s birthday and then another at the Mayor’s home when she is delivering laundry. Hans begins to teach Liesel to read and she enjoys it. She becomes friends with and reads with Max, a young Jewish man who is hiding from the Nazis in the Hubermann’s basement. He writes his own life story in the Hubermann’s basement and helps Liesel become a better reader. Liesel uses her ability to read to calm the townspeople while they are in a shelter to stay safe from the Allies bomb raids. The Mayor’s wife gives her a blank notebook so she can write her own story and she does. In this book, Death tells a story of German rebels who risked their lives because they wanted to help people and chose to stand up for the mistreated. This story gives readers a different perspective on the German citizens during WWII than they are used to hearing.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The Book Thief is told from the perspective of Death itself. With this choice of narrator, Zusak is able to provide readers with a unique perspective on all of the awful things taking place in Europe at the time being. The setting is in a fictional town, Molching which is near the actual city of Munich, Germany. A lot of the story takes place on Himmel Street which translates to “heaven.” This is ironic because so many tragic events occur in this area throughout the story, including prisoner marches, book burnings, and air raids that is hardly feels like heaven. However, there are many secretive acts of kindness that occur that make Himmel Street less horrible. The Hubermann’s willingness to risk their own lives to hide and care for Max, a Jewish boy, shows that there is good in this community of German citizens.

The plot of the story is presented very accurately and the events that take place in the story are very realistic to events that occurred during the World War II time period. The characters display a fear that was felt by many German people because of the instability and hostility that the war caused and yet they show love and consideration towards others despite their circumstances. Liesel’s love of books and literature and her willingness to do anything – even steal – to get her hands on another book is something that avid readers can relate to and appreciate.

There are many themes that are carried throughout this story, but two of strongest ones are Mortality and Love. The Book Thief teaches us that life is fleeting and death has a huge impact on our lives. Death tells us that “at some point on time [he] will be standing over you…your soul will be in my arms… I will carry you gently away.” For example, the Hubermann’s willingness to harbor a Jewish boy in their basement was due to the fact that the boy’s father saved Mr. Hubermann from a near-death experience. Love is seen in the relationship between Hans and Liesel. Hans takes her in as his own, and teaches her to read. In the book, Liesel says that her foster father’s eyes “were made of kindness, and silver” and that when she looked into his eyes, she “understood that [he] was worth a lot.” A love for humanity is shown by the German citizens who hide Jewish people in their basements in order to protect them. A love for reading and literature is seen by Liesel and her willingness to do whatever it took to get her hands on another book.  

This book is genuine and thought-provoking. It gives readers a chance to see what the war was like from the German citizens’ point of view. It gives them a sense of humanity and helps readers to understand that there were Germans who wanted to protect those who were being persecuted. It also honors those who were horribly mistreated.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

MICHAEL PRINTZ YOUNG ADULT AWARD

School Library Journal Starred Review

From School Library Journal 2007: “Zusak not only creates a mesmerizing and original story but also writes with poetic syntax, causing readers to deliberate over phrases and lines, even as the action impels them forward.”

CONNECTIONS

Gather other fictional novels set in the World War II time period:

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne ISBN: 978-0385751537

The Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse ISBN: 978-0316260633

A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen ISBN: 978-0545682428

Check out another novel written by Markus Zusak:

I am the Messenger.  ISBN 978-0375836671

Using this book in the classroom:

Read this novel during a unit on World War II.

The Book Thief is narrated by Death itself. Use this book when teaching students about narration, perspectives and point of views in writing. Have students write their own short story, paying close attention to the way they narrate it. Encourage them to tell the story from a different point of view.