The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Liesel is a nine-year-old girl in Germany prior to World War II, but she does not have fortunate luck. On the way from Munich to a foster home, her brother dies on the train. When he is buried, she notices that the gravedigger has a book, so she steals it and takes it with her. She can't read, so Hans teaches her how and they read the book together. At one point in the story, they worked by cleaning houses and noticed that one of their clients had many books. The client was the mayor's wife. Once she ends the cleaning services, they start stealing her books to read. It doesn't take her long to figure out, so she begins leaving notes and paper for Liesel to read and write stories of her own. Amidst the political unrest, she is taken away without her book. When it is found many years later, she reads through it and reminisces on the difficult times as a child. This book did not peak my interest immediately because I do not typically enjoy stories with historical settings. There are many lesson to be learned by the experiences listed and hard times she must face. Written for teens and young adults, I feel that high school students would be more likely to read and enjoy the nature of this book.

2016 New York Times Young Adult Paperback Bestseller List

Zusak, M. (2006). The book thief. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.