The Book Thief

Title- The Book Thief

Author- Marcus Zusak

ISBN -0375842209

Publication Information- Alfred Knopf, 2007

 

Plot Summary- We start this tale as death tells us about the book thief and his meetings with her throughout her lifetime. The first of these is the tragic death of her little brother. Death does not like to pay attention to the living because they are too heartbreaking. Instead he focuses on the brilliance of the colors around him, but Liesel Meminger calls his attention and he is riveted by her. Liesel's father is taken from them in Austria because he is a Communist, though Liesel does not understand why, and her mother disappears too, but not before leaving her with a foster family who agrees to take her at great risk to themselves. Liesel finds a new family with her foul-mouthed "mother" and kind father. Her habit of stealing books is interesting because she is unable to read them until her foster father teaches her to read in the middle of the night. Liesel becomes friends with Rudy who is obsessed with the German Olympics and Jesse Owens performance there. As the story progresses, the Nazi influence becomes stronger and more dangerous for everyone in the neighborhood.

Critical Evaluation- The book is marketed in the US as a young adult novel, but was sold in Australia, its country of origin, as an adult novel. The book is riveting for any audience. This book is brilliant, if for no other reason than the point of view of the story. It is told by Death, who is clearly irritated that he is fascinated by the life of this young book thief. The characters are intriguing and very realistic. As a teacher of the holocaust, this book is inspiring for the courage of an average family to take in multiple people that the Nazi party is hunting. Thus, the moral of the story- to do what is right even at great peril to one's self, is communicated too. There are several motifs and symbols that weave their way through the story. All in all, it is among the best novels I have ever read on the Holocaust.

Awards

2006 - Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book (South East Asia & South Pacific)
2006 - Horn Book Fanfare
2006 - Kirkus Reviews Editor Choice Award
2006 - School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
2006 - Daniel Elliott Peace Award 2006 - Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book of the Year
2006 - Booklist Children's Editors' Choice
2006 - Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book
2007 - Boeke Prize
2007 - ALA Best Books for Young Adults
2007 - Michael L. Printz Honor Book
2007 - Book Sense Book of the Year
2009 - Pacific Northwest Young Readers Choice Master List

Reader's Annotation- Each person finds different ways to survive the impossible. For Liesel it was stealing books during her time with her foster family in World War II.

Author Information- Part of this story is biographical from his grandmother's experiences in a small German town. She witnessed the other side of Nazism, the side that objected and hid families to save them. He knew he wanted to tell that story. At the age of 32, Markus Zusak has penned several novels and established himself as a gifted writer. The novel was intended to be a small book, 100 pages or so, but after three years of working, became much longer and clearly much better.

Curricular Ties- History, English

Genre- Historical fiction

Book talking ideas- What is the effect of Death as the story-teller/narrator? How are colors important in the story?

Challenge issues- Violence, language

1. Re-read the text to familiarize myself with the story
   
2. Ask parents for their specific objections (they are required to file that with our school district)
   
3. Review approved books list from California Department of Education for similar materials
   
4. Review approaches from ALA
   

Interest Age- 15-18

Why I selected this piece-.I teach the holocaust to students every year, and I'm always on the lookout for good novels in this vein. This is one of the very best of the books I've seen.