Synopsis:By her brother's graveside, Liesel Meminger's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Grave Digger's Handbook, left there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordion-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found.
But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up and closed down.
Kay so, this is my alltime favorite book. Words can't even express how amazing it is. I've read I am the Messenger by Zusak, and though it was really good, The Book Thief completely smoked it. While I read it, I was reminded of To Kill A Mocking Bird by Harper Lee, because both had children who came to understand complicated things in difficult times.
There are so many great things about this book, I can't even pick a favorite. I adored the narrator, and all of the characters. Even though the book wasn't in Liesel's perspective, I felt I knew her so well, and because there was a narrator, I knew all the other important characters just as well as I knew Liesel. I came to love them all, and was heartbroken over and over throughout the sad book. It wasn't all sad though, there were amazing really happy and heartwarming parts, aswell as dark comedy that suited the story perfectly. Though it was really difficult, I have figured out that my absolute favorite thing about this book was the bits of poetic words sprinkled throughout. It made me adore words just as Liesel had, and they still haunt me now, as they will for a long time. If you haven't read this book, it is a MUST read. I warn you though, you WILL cry.
