The book earned Zusak his second Michael L. As Zusak states in an interview featured in the Readers Guide of the paperback edition of the novel, “I wanted them to see people who were unwilling to fly the Nazi flag, and boys and girls who thought the Hitler Youth was boring and ridiculous.” The Book Thief quickly became one of the most popular works of young adult fiction ofĢ006, topping the New York Times Children's Bestseller List and enjoying significant readership among adults as well. He wanted to show readers that not all Germans were hateful and brutal. However, The Book Thief was a special work for the author the youngest child of German and Austrian parents who later settled in Australia, Zusak grew up hearing tales of wartime Germany. Zusak was already a successful children's book author before The Book Thief, with four previously published novels one of these, I Am the Messenger (2003), was even chosen as Book of the Year by the Children's Book Council of Australia. There, she begins a relationship with books that challenges and sustains her during the darkest moments of war-and, ultimately, even saves her life. Seemingly abandoned by her parents and witness to her younger brother's death by illness, Liesel is sent to live with a foster family in a small town outside Munich. “Deserves a place on the same shelf with The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank.” - USA TodayĭON’T MISS BRIDGE OF CLAY, MARKUS ZUSAK’S FIRST NOVEL SINCE THE BOOK THIEF.Markus Zusak's novel The Book Thief tells the tale of Liesel Meminger, a young German girl living during World War II who finds her life increasingly tied to books-many of which, as the title suggests, are stolen. “The kind of book that can be life-changing.” - The New York Times In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak, author of I Am the Messenger, has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.

With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement. Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still. When Death has a story to tell, you listen. The extraordinary, beloved novel about the ability of books to feed the soul even in the darkest of times. ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE’S 100 BEST YA BOOKS OF ALL TIME.

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