The Book Thief

The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, tells the story of a young girl and a Jewish man in World War II Germany.

Plot Teaser
Liesel Meminger is fascinated by books. She is an orphan of war, and her tale is narrated by Death. Liesel, however, is still full of life and her accordion-playing foster father and rough but loving foster mother teach her to read in their basement. As Liesel learns to read and develops a friendship with neighborhood boy Rudy Steiner, she must also keep a secret: her family is hiding a Jewish man named Max in their basement.

Liesel steals books, plays with Rudy, and reads in the basement with Max, but still the war rages on around them, with Death always nearby and watching.

Adaptations
A film adaptation of The Book Thief was released in 2013, starring Sophie Nelisse and Geoffrey Rush.

Awards and Honors
The Book Thief has won multiple awards, including the National Jewish Book Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature (2006), the Book Sense Book of the Year for Children's Literature (2007), and several international awards. It was a Printz Award Honor Book in 2007.