This is liesels life on himmel street, told from deaths point of view. The story is narrated by death, who tells us that he has meet the main character twice before and when he meets her a third time, he will take her away. This is the kind of book which demands quite a few rereadings and i have discovered a number of microscopic details after each read. The book thief revolves around a young girl, liesel meminger, who lives in germany during wwii and has seeing far too much. Throughout the novel, the characters are faced with. This lesson offers discussion questions for the book thief by markus zusak. Discussion questions for the book thief by mark zusak. Explain how liesels own attempt to write a book saves her life. Zusak posits several messages in the book thief, most prominently the message that humans have the capacity to be resilient and compassionate. The book thief the book thief, in the original is an australian writer of the novel juvenile markus zusak, published in 2006. Additional film and book suggestions are at the end of this guide in the find out more section on page 11. The book thief tells the story of liesel meminger, a young german girl coming of age in nazi germany. The book thief by markus zusak book club discussion questions. But the movie about a girl adopted by a german couple during world war ii also crystallizes the perils of.
I felt like if the setting of the story was anywhere else it would be disregarded. The book thief takes place during world war ii in germany and tells the story of liesel meminger, a german girl, who faces the reality of war after her family harbors a jewish person named max vandenburg. However, after beginning with a promise of a grand adventure, the novel collapses into a microcosmic world peopled unbelievably by coincidences. Why does death take the item from the garbage truck. How will this particular narrator affect the telling of the story.
Book thief discussion questions galesburg public library. It was a runnerup for the 1997 newbery medal and a. Some gave this book 1010, where as others gave it 710. I wish that the film had included something other than just the character of death saying thats it, thats your lot and no input from god or his representatives but there were uplifting moments.
Mar 24, 2009 the book thief is set in germany beginning in 1939, and focuses on an abandoned german girl, liesel, who is sent to foster parents in another area, a small town near munich. The book thief is a poignant and powerful tale a young girl named liesel growing up in nazi germany. The book thief by markus zusak book club discussion. Discussion questions for the book thief by mark zusak galesburg. In the book thief, we quickly find out that death is the actual narrator, which produces a very unique perspective throughout the story. What are your thoughts on the identity of the narrator. Reading guide for the book thief by markus zusak bookbrowse. Narrated by death, the book thief is the story of liesel meminger, a nineyearold german girl who is given up by her mother to live with hans and rosa hubermann in the small town of molching in 1939, shortly before world war ii. I was underwhelmed most of the book, and i absolutely loved his other book, i am the messenger, which was a way more emotional read for me than the book thief. While its set during a historical time period, the book thief doesnt give us a dry, factbased history lesson. As liesel learns to cope with her new environment, all the gains she has endured, and the extreme unhappinesss of prewar and wartime germany, she yearns to escape via reading. Readers of the book thief may be familiar with fictionalized and nonfiction accounts of world war ii from the viewpoint of the allies or of european jews who were forced into hiding during the conflict.
Nov 06, 20 when it comes to the filmmaking, however, the book thief sometimes falls flat. The book thief this semester we will read the book thief by markus zusak. Mar 17, 2014 the book thief is set in nazi germany, at the start of world war two. The group will have various roles in which one person will be responsible for the individual assignments that pertain to the role. Zusak has said that much of the inspiration for the book thief came from the stories his parents would tell him when he was a child zusaks father, a house painter, was an austrian. The book thief discussion questions chicago public library. With death, himself, as the narrator, you know it is going to be an amazing journey. When it comes to the filmmaking, however, the book thief sometimes falls flat. He is an awardwinning author of five books for young adults.
How might the story look if it was told from maxs point of view. Although many people loved this book, i hated it with a passion. Wolfe, getting the girl, i am the messenger, and the book thief. Like the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime, which was initially targeted at young adults in britain but to adults in the usa, the book thief is one of those rare books that really does speak to both young and old alike. For those who gave it a lower score, their criticism was around the style. About the author alicia leblanc is the administrative and editorial a ssistant for the unitarian universalist. Its 1939 in molching, germany, and horror is everywhere. Discussing a deeply confrontational book can be difficult. Discuss the symbolism of death as the omniscient narrator of the novel.
It isnt often that we come across a literary masterpiece the likes of markus zusaks the book thief. Buy the book thief definitions book online at low prices in. It is a dark book but it is very much readable by older kids. The sounds of air sirens are not drowned out by birdsong. Each student will be assigned to a literature circle. From hans to liesel to the mayors wife, discuss how some of the characters in the book thief deal with their past. Markus zusak, a prizewinning author, lives in sydney with his wife and daughter. Because this novel is written from the point of view of the germans, readers may find themselves sympathizing with characters that were historically on the other side. What does the act of book thievery teach liesel about life and death.
Liesel meminger is a young girl who has been placed in foster care by her mother. Talk about each major character and what their turning points are, as well as turning points for the community as a whole. The book thief by markus zusak is a novel of cruelty, poverty, and hope. Markus zusaks novel, the book thief, is full of literary techniques that lend. It has a lighter writing style, clear good guys and clear bad guys, a young protagonist, romantic interests and the big themes and concepts are laid out plain. Copy of the book thief markus zusak flashcards quizlet.
Compare the book thief to other books written about world war ii. Death, an omniscient narrator, is a surprisingly sympathetic considering the book takes place in 1939 nazi germany amongst the nazi takeover and the brutalities of the holocaust. His mother sends him to a summer camp for demigods, where he and his new friends set out on a quest to prevent a war between the gods. One book that can be easily recognized for this is the book thief by markus zusak. What details from the text gave hints about the identity. The smiling bear sat huddled among the crowded wreckage of the man and the blood.
While world war ii is an important historical topic, the. Throughout history, books have been banned for various reasons. The book thief is the story of a courageous young girl whose book thievery becomes an escape, an escape which awakens her to a world of words and connects her to the most unexpected of people in ways unimaginable. The book thief arrived perhaps thirty seconds later. The doubleday hardback of the book thief, published at the beginning of january 07, stayed in the top ten of the sunday times bestsellers for nine weeks. Discussion points and guiding questions for the book thief. Hinton and rumple fish won the 2006 printz honor for excellence in young adult.
Markus zusak began his career as a successful writer of young adult fiction, but for his fifth novel, zusak set out to relate the experiences of his parents growing up during world war ii for an adult audience. These book discussion questions are highly detailed and will ruin plot points, if you have not read the book. Nov 14, 20 the book thief has its moments of brilliance, thanks in large part to an adept cast. Highly recommendable for literature and history buffs alike, this is a timeless tale which is masterfully told. The discussion guide was an excellent way to jog our memories to important points in the book that might have been forgotten. The book thief is set in nazi germany, at the start of world war two. What was the authors purpose behind choosing death as a narrator.
Identify the three colors associated with the book thief. The area in which she lives suffers several air raids and her adopted parents are hiding a jewish man in their basement. Buy the book thief definitions book online at best prices in india on. Point of view himmel street, molching, germany reads with papa hans hubermann photos its early spring, 1942. Copy of the book thief markus zusak study guide by isabelsmirk includes 69 questions covering vocabulary, terms and more. Scenes dealing with nazis searching for jews in hiding should generate more. What is the relationship of each color to the memory described. The book thief by markus zusak describes young liesel memingers battle with political regimes and their. The book thief is set in germany beginning in 1939, and focuses on an abandoned german girl, liesel, who is sent to foster parents in another area, a small town near munich. Dec 09, 2010 the book thief set in germany, during world war 2. The book thief discussion questions nebraska library commission. Scenes dealing with nazis searching for jews in hiding should generate more suspense than percival is able to muster.
Do you like markus zusaks writing style in this novel. What image does death paint for the reader when he sees the book thief the third time. From the toolbox, the boy took out, of all things, a teddy bear. The thief is a young adult fantasy novel by megan whalen turner published in 1996 by greenwillow books, an imprint of william morrow later, of harpercollins. What is the turning point in the book thief by markus zusak. Quizlet flashcards, activities and games help you improve your grades. During the years that liesel lives with the hubermanns, hitler becomes more powerful, life on himmel street becomes more fearful, and liesel becomes a fullfledged book thief. This book profiles twelve artists, musicians, authors, and others from around the world who achieved greatness despite their disabilities. Different types of activities to appeal to various learning styles.
The book thief is an extraordinary, heartbreaking book. It is the first in the queens thief series, the fifth book of which was published in 2017. She arrives with few possessions, but among them is the grave diggers handbook, a book that she stole from her brothers burial place. How does stealing books from the mayors house lead to a friendship with the mayors wife. The novel focuses on the joys and sorrows of liesel, her foster family, and the jewish man they hide from the nazis. Markus zusak was born in australia grew up listening to his mothers stories about nazi germany fascinated with stories of the bombing of munich and jews inspired by the outsiders by s. The book thief questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on the book thief. In the opening of the book when liesel steals her first book, the gravediggers handbook, this event can be thought of as the first of many turning points for her. The book thief has its moments of brilliance, thanks in large part to an adept cast. In brazil, his work was launched in march 2007 by the publisher. They believe he might be too sensitive to do his job. He reached in through the torn windshield and placed it on the pilots chest. Explain rudys reaction when he discovers that liesel is a book thief.
See more ideas about holocaust, holocaust museum, holocaust remembrance day. There were so many points at which i wished there was someone i could share with in the moment. The primary perspective offered in the book thief was that of death. I couldnt help reading the book thief with our discussion group in mind. A full range of activities to enable independent learning or as an assessment at the end of reading the book thief. The book thief had emotion, laughs, great acting particularly geoffrey rush and john williams score was subtle but suitable.