The Book Thief

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIP-4J46mzI-YKrHIbDBVMM1CGNhxeZFoNFPkPHaVf0CAuzoSqee2XhUxTcS2Tiru1tTHdvzSi7z2xIX9zs5kYbft09dJ1LsMTM9Az7AbOW-z7KOFPCkUp_ORdgUd_vAQuY6ZR4qZL4adm/s1600/The_Book_Thief.png

Bibliography:

Zusak, Markus. (2005). THE BOOK THIEF. Ills. by Trudy White.  New York: Random House. ISBN 0375831002

Summary:

In this tale narrated by Death, an adolescent girl, Liesel Meminger, perseveres in Nazi Germany.  Death tells the tale of Liesel’s lose of family, gaining a new one, and hiding a Jew.  All the while, in this time of laughter and sadness, through words Liesel is given life and earns the nickname, “Book Thief.”

Critical Analysis:

Award winner Markus Zusak created a poignant tale for young adults of the atrocious time in Germany during the 1930’s and 1940’s.  However, he uses a fresh approach to writing about a much covered topic, Nazi Germany, in this realistic fiction piece.  He chose Death as the narrator of the story, which is a very fitting narrator to a time when so many lives were lost like the domino effect portrayed on the book cover.  Zusak however does not take the obvious approach to Death’s character, "By the way — I like this human idea of the grim reaper. I like the scythe. It amuses me."  Instead, Death is portrayed in a heart-felt manner.  In his journey, Death picks up Liesel’s book The Book Thief that she was working on when the bombs destroyed Himmel Street.  As he read her words about humans, he “pitied them, though not as much as [he] felt for the ones [he] scooped up from various camps in that time.”

In addition to Death, Zusak creates an identifiable main character in Liesel Meminger.  She is an audacious young girl that endures tragedy on her way to her foster family, the Hubermann’s.  Soon after, a pivotal point occurs when she learns what it means to really live in Germany while attending a book burning organized for Hitler’s birthday on April 20, 1940.  That day Liesel donned her Hitler Youth uniform and as she marched, “There was a swell in her chest as people clapped them on.”  After the parade, a Nazi leader rose to the podium to address the spectators.  He spoke of putting an end to the immoral, “We stop them from reaching into our minds…” and then goes on to speak of the immoral as the Jews and “Kommunisten.”  Liesel thinks to herself, “That word again.  That old word.”  Up until now the Hitler Youth had spoken of Germans as being the superior race and the Jews were the “main offender in regard to violating the German ideal,” but no one had ever mentioned the communists as being “offenders.”  Her mother and father were communists.   Here is where she makes the complicated realization that Hitler is responsible for her loss of family.  She “pivoted with nausea to exit crowd.”  Later that day as she sits with her Papa on the church steps, Liesel grapples with the fact that on the outside she has to pretend to be something she’s not, an ideal German.  With this realization, Liesel steals her second book.

In spite of the devastating times in Molching, Germany, with the Hubermann’s Lisel gains a family, love, and words.  She enjoys the friendships of Rudy, the kid next door, and Max, the Jew hiding in her basement.  With Rudy, who makes Death “cry,” Liesel finds a best friend and her first love.  With Max, she shares the gift of words and a snowman.  Furthermore, she gains a complicated friend in the mayor’s wife, Ilsa Hermann.  Ilsa is a haunted woman with a library full of books.  Liesel steals her third book from her as an act of retribution for the current times caused by Hitler.  However, it is Ilsa in that end that comes looking for Liesel when all seems lost.

Adding to Markus Zusak’s touching words are the illustrations of Max’s stories by Trudy White.  White uses a simplistic pen and ink medium in her sketches.  It’s as though the reader is truly looking at what Max created for Liesel down in the basement of 33 Himmel Street.  One can imagine the meticulous effort it took Max to cover the pages of Mein Kampf with white paint, then planning out what he wanted to write with a paintbrush, so that he didn’t make waste of his precious materials.
Overall, Markus Zusak has created a story that will stand the test of time and be treasured by those who read it.  He delivers readers a very powerful story of realistic fiction that brings readers closer to the heart of what living in Nazi Germany was truly like.  Even though there is happiness in hard times to be had by all, this is not an overwhelming tale of happiness.  Readers are faced with the grim reality that some survive and have many stories to tell, while other’s stories are cut short.  

Awards:

2006: Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best Book (South East Asia & South Pacific)

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 : National Jewish Book Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature

2006: Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book

2007: Michael L. Printz Honor Book

2007: Book Sense Book of the Year Award for Children's Literature

Review Excerpts:

“The writing is elegant, philosophical and moving. Even at its length, it’s a work to read slowly and savor. Beautiful and important.” - Kirkus Reviews

“Brilliant and hugely ambitious new young-adult novel is startling in many ways.” -New York Times

“As a storyteller, Death has a bad habit of forecasting ("I'm spoiling the ending," he admits halfway through his tale). It's a measure of how successfully Zusak has humanized these characters that even though we know they are doomed, it's no less devastating when Death finally reaches them.” -Publisher’s Weekly

Connections:

-Read other works by Markus Zusak.

-Read the informational text, Hitler Youth by, Susan Bartoletti

-Create a story narrated by something other than a human.

-Research World War ll

-Write an ending to Max’s story.  Where did he end up?  Did he marry Liesel?