In 1939 NAZI GERMANY, Death has his hands full, collecting the dead souls that are casualties of war. Death, the narrator of The Book Thief, recounts the life of a young girl, Liesel Meminger, from 1939 to 1943. He explains that although he has only seen Liesel three times, he is still enchanted with the young girl who he begins to call "The Book Thief."
Like many other parents during World War II, Liesel's mother decides that she does not have the means to care for her two children. The book begins as Liesel, her sickly brother, and her mother are all on a train headed to her new foster home in Molching, Germany. Along the way, Liesel's brother Werner passes away, allowing Death his first glimpse at the young girl. At her brother's funeral, Liesel begins her book thievery when she picks up a copy of The Gravedigger's Handbook that had fallen out of the a young gravedigger's pocket. Shortly after Werner's burial, Liesel arrives at 33 Himmel Street to live with Hans and Rosa Hubermann. While living on Himmel Street, Liesel slowly adapts to life without her mother and brother and learns to love her new home. Rosa Hubermann, a stern lady who has a mouth like a sailor, does the washing and ironing for many people in town, and Liesel ends up helping her deliver the laundry to the customers. Hans Hubermann appears to be the exact opposite of his wife. Loving and affectionate toward Liesel, Hans is a painter, but his true loves are playing the accordion and rolling cigarettes. During the day, Liesel attends schools, helps Rosa with the laundry, and plays with other children, including her best friend Rudy Steiner. At night, Hans teaches Liesel to read, fostering her love for books.
Soon, the Book Thief strikes again when she steals a book from a Nazi book burning in honor of Hitler's birthday. As her reading skills further develop, war begins to bring more hardships for the Hubermann family. As Rosa slowly loses clients who can no longer afford her services, the Hubermanns and Liesel must make due with scarce food and goods, and Liesel again resorts to stealing books from the mayor's home library.
Amid the hardships the Hubermanns were already facing, Hans and his wife are asked to take in a young Jewish man, Max Vandenburg, who is in hiding from the Nazi regime. Liesel must keep the dark family secret that her adoptive parents are hiding a Jewish fist-fighter in their basement. Over time, Liesel and Max develop a strong friendship, bonding over books and words. As air raids become more common and work for Hans and Rosa becomes more scarce, the family must struggle to survive. After living in the Hubermann's basement for a while, Max is forced to flee yet again after Hans draws attention to himself for helping a Jewish prisoner marching through town. Eventually, Hans and Rudy Steiner's dad are both conscripted into the army, leaving their families to worry over whether they will return.
Hans does return to 33 Himmel Street after breaking his leg in the army. Jews are repeatedly marched through town to Dachau, and one day Liesel sees Max being marched to the camp. She runs up to him but is beaten by Nazi soldiers and filled with despair. In October 1943 an air raid hits the town of Molching, killing the majority of its residents, including the Hubermanns and the Steiners. Liesel survives the attack, as she was in the basement writing her own story. Liesel is devastated at the loss of her loved ones, and she is taken to live with the mayor and his wife.
While collecting souls from the air raid, Death happens upon Liesel's journal that she was writing in, and he becomes acquainted with her story, keeping it with him wherever he goes. Death reveals that after the war, Liesel and Max are reunited and have a tearful reunion.
The next time Death sees Liesel is when she passes away from old age at her home in Sydney, Austrailia. After explaining that Liesel lived a long and happy life with a large family, Death recounts his final meeting with Leisel where he shows her the journal he has kept all these years.
Like many other parents during World War II, Liesel's mother decides that she does not have the means to care for her two children. The book begins as Liesel, her sickly brother, and her mother are all on a train headed to her new foster home in Molching, Germany. Along the way, Liesel's brother Werner passes away, allowing Death his first glimpse at the young girl. At her brother's funeral, Liesel begins her book thievery when she picks up a copy of The Gravedigger's Handbook that had fallen out of the a young gravedigger's pocket. Shortly after Werner's burial, Liesel arrives at 33 Himmel Street to live with Hans and Rosa Hubermann. While living on Himmel Street, Liesel slowly adapts to life without her mother and brother and learns to love her new home. Rosa Hubermann, a stern lady who has a mouth like a sailor, does the washing and ironing for many people in town, and Liesel ends up helping her deliver the laundry to the customers. Hans Hubermann appears to be the exact opposite of his wife. Loving and affectionate toward Liesel, Hans is a painter, but his true loves are playing the accordion and rolling cigarettes. During the day, Liesel attends schools, helps Rosa with the laundry, and plays with other children, including her best friend Rudy Steiner. At night, Hans teaches Liesel to read, fostering her love for books.
Soon, the Book Thief strikes again when she steals a book from a Nazi book burning in honor of Hitler's birthday. As her reading skills further develop, war begins to bring more hardships for the Hubermann family. As Rosa slowly loses clients who can no longer afford her services, the Hubermanns and Liesel must make due with scarce food and goods, and Liesel again resorts to stealing books from the mayor's home library.
Amid the hardships the Hubermanns were already facing, Hans and his wife are asked to take in a young Jewish man, Max Vandenburg, who is in hiding from the Nazi regime. Liesel must keep the dark family secret that her adoptive parents are hiding a Jewish fist-fighter in their basement. Over time, Liesel and Max develop a strong friendship, bonding over books and words. As air raids become more common and work for Hans and Rosa becomes more scarce, the family must struggle to survive. After living in the Hubermann's basement for a while, Max is forced to flee yet again after Hans draws attention to himself for helping a Jewish prisoner marching through town. Eventually, Hans and Rudy Steiner's dad are both conscripted into the army, leaving their families to worry over whether they will return.
Hans does return to 33 Himmel Street after breaking his leg in the army. Jews are repeatedly marched through town to Dachau, and one day Liesel sees Max being marched to the camp. She runs up to him but is beaten by Nazi soldiers and filled with despair. In October 1943 an air raid hits the town of Molching, killing the majority of its residents, including the Hubermanns and the Steiners. Liesel survives the attack, as she was in the basement writing her own story. Liesel is devastated at the loss of her loved ones, and she is taken to live with the mayor and his wife.
While collecting souls from the air raid, Death happens upon Liesel's journal that she was writing in, and he becomes acquainted with her story, keeping it with him wherever he goes. Death reveals that after the war, Liesel and Max are reunited and have a tearful reunion.
The next time Death sees Liesel is when she passes away from old age at her home in Sydney, Austrailia. After explaining that Liesel lived a long and happy life with a large family, Death recounts his final meeting with Leisel where he shows her the journal he has kept all these years.