It is 1939 and times are getting tough for everyone in Germany. Ten-year old Liesel and her brother are on their way to be adopted into a foster home, but sadly, the brother dies en route. It is after his burial that Liesel steals her first book, The Grave Diggers Handbook. The remarkable thing is that Liesel cannot read. We follow Liesel through the war years; watching her learn to read, to laugh and play; to interact with family, friends and neighbors; and to rescue and protect a Jew, named Max.

The extraordinary narrator of the novel is Death, who fittingly spotted Liesel in the graveyard and became fascinated with her. Distraught by the events of the ages, Death is forever searching for the essence of life that would override mankind’s acts of willful hatred and destruction. He is looking for a measure of beauty in the world. The small rebellions carried out by Liesel and a handful of others show that resilience to tyranny is possible and that one individual can make a difference in how the world perceives itself.

Bookclub-in-a-Box has created a very comprehensive guide to Markus Zusak's The Book Thief and includes a look at:

• The unusual perspective of allowing Death to narrate a story about life.
• The fact that there were individuals who did not follow or enable Nazi doctrine and acted on behalf of Jews and others in need.
• The moral and practical realities of rebelling against the established authority of the times.
• The power of books and storytelling.

Every Bookclub-in-a-Box PDF discussion guide includes complete coverage of the themes and symbols, writing style and interesting background information on the novel and the author.

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