This is a coming-of-age, incredibly thought-provoking, beautifully written and utterly original book. The book thief in the story is a nine-year old girl but this incredible story will resonate with any teenager. It’s 1939 in Nazi Germany and as the bombs begin to fall, the story of Liesel, the nine year old girl and the inhabitants of Himmel Street begins to unfold as narrated by ‘death’. Put simply, this book is breathtaking.
By her brother's graveside, Liesel Meminger's life is changed when she picks up a single object. It is "The Gravedigger's Handbook", left there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words. This book presents a story about the power of words and the ability of books to feed the soul.
Australian author Markus Zusak grew up hearing stories about Nazi Germany, about the bombing of Munich and about Jews being marched through his mother’s small, German town. He always knew it was a story he wanted to tell.
'We have these images of the straight-marching lines of boys and the 'Heil Hitlers' and this idea that everyone in Germany was in it together. But there still were rebellious children and people who didn’t follow the rules and people who hid Jews and other people in their houses.'
Markus Zusak is the award-winning recipient of a 2006 Printz Honor for excellence in young adult literature. He lives in Sydney with his wife and two children.
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