“The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak is set in the fictional town of Molching, Germany, during World War II. The story is about a young girl named Liesel Meminger, told from the point of view of Death.

The story begins with Death telling the readers how he came across Liesel Meminger at her brother’s funeral where he sees her become separated from her mother because of the coming war. Liesel is shipped off to Molching where she is tormented by other children because she cannot read. Her foster father, Hans Hubermann, teaches her how to read during the night using the book she stole from her brother’s funeral, “The Grave Digger’s Handbook.”

As the novel progresses, Death hints at the growing presence of Nazis in Molching. Shops are destroyed and prisoners paraded through the streets on their way to concentration camps. The story takes a dangerous turn when the Hubermanns agree to take in and hide a young Jew named Max Vandenburg.

Zusak manages to tell the story of a country in turmoil through the eyes of an unusual narrator who seems heartless and indifferent towards humans but who grows fond of a resilient young girl who is wise beyond her years. This novel is a mixture of emotions that will make readers laugh and cry.

This book is recommended for mature teens due to some mature themes.