The Book Thief
Name________________________
Period_______ Date____________
Grade 9 Adv.
Prologue: A Mountain Range of Rubble (pages 1-15)
1. What three colors does Death associate with Liesel and what three events do they represent?
2. Does the narrator seem like a kind character, or a cruel one? How can you tell? List words or phrases.
3. Why do you believe Zusak chose to have Death narrate Liesel's story and not Liesel herself? What is gained by
having an outside narrator in this story? What is lost?
4. At the end of this section, what does Death tell us, he is trying to prove?
Part One: The Grave Digger's Handbook (pages 17-80)
1. Why are Liesel and her brother being put into the foster care system? Where are they being sent? Do you think
this is a safe place for them? Why?
2. Why do you think Liesel’s little brother dies? How does Death describe (page 21) what happens to the soul of
the little brother, when he comes to get him?
3. Where was Liesel's brother buried after he died? Why is this burial spot significant or symbolic?
4. Why do you think armed guards had to escort Liesel and her mother through the burial process? Why do you
think Liesel stole the book from her brother's burial site?
5. Look at Death’s description of how Liesel and her mother leave the burial of the young boy. Write down a few
phrases. How does this scene affect Death?
6. Write a brief description in words and phrases identifying the character of the following people:
 Rosa Hubermann
 Hans Hubermann
 Rudy Steiner
7. What is the row of yellow stars?
8. What is Liesel’s reputation at school as a scholar? Why? Who sticks up for her?
9. What is the Jesse Owens incident?
 What do we learn about Rudy from it?
 What do we learn about Nazi Germany from it?
 What do we learn about Alex Steiner (Rudy’s dad) from it?
10. Who teaches Liesel how to read? What is the catalyst for these night time lessons? What do they use for
teaching supplies?
11. How is The Gravedigger’s Handbook an ironic and symbolic choice for Liesel’s education?
12. Why does Death’s work pick up in 1940?
13. What is Death’s observation of Sister Maria (page 75) in relation to his own persona?
14. What does Liesel do to Ludwig Schmeikl when he calls her an idiot? What does this show about Liesel?
What is really going on with her?