The Book Thief

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (author of The Messenger) is one of the best books I've ever read. I've read the book twice in the last two years and it is still one of my favorites. It is a book about a young German girl in Nazi Germany. Liesel Meminger is only nine years old when she is taken to her foster parents. On the ride to them, her younger brother, Werner, dies and leaves a hole in her heart from then on. At his funeral, Liesel takes a book left behind by the grave digger, and this starts a long list of book stealing. The book takes us through five years of Liesel's life on Himmel Street in Molching, Germany with her new foster parents. It is told in the eyes of Death. This is an excellent story about growing up and loving the people around you. I think it is astounding how Zusak uses Death as the narrator in this outstanding book. It's hard not to fall in love with the very realistic characters and to care so much about them. It is kind of a longer read but I promise you once you get started, it's next to impossible to put down.