Sample MLA Heading:
Suzy Smith (Your first and last name)
Mrs. Porter (your teacher’s name)
English II Pre-AP/GT – 2nd (your class period – could be 3rd, 4th …)
16 September 2014 (use this exact set-up)
English II Pre-AP/GT Summer Reading Assessment – The Book Thief by Mark Zusak Sample Title
Summer Reading Assessment Instructions
English II, Pre-AP/GT – THS 2014
Your Summer Reading Assessment includes the following three (3) components
and must be turned in on ____________________________________ at the
beginning of your class period:
Part I.  Literary Analysis Questions – a printed copy of your Part I answers must
be turned in to your teacher and must also be submitted to Turnitin.com by midnight of
your due date above.
Part II.  Inner/Outer Discussion
Part III.  Mosaic
Part I. Literary Analysis/Turnitin.com Questions
Literary Analysis TURNITIN Questions for The Book Thief by Mark Zusak Directions
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In a Word document, answer six (6) of the following questions in 12 pt., Times New Roman font.
Include a full MLA heading (like the heading above) and a title of the assignment, centered.
Be SURE that “Part I” and the title of your novel is included in the assignment title.
You may rewrite or copy and paste the question into your document, but just writing the corresponding question number is
acceptable.
Each answer must be a minimum of 200 words, and you must provide textual evidence with internal citations to support your
answers. Example: …….”(Green 112). Include the word count at the end of each answer as well. Example: Word Count:
200
Be SURE to answer each part of your chosen questions.
Type out all five answers in one Word document— you don’t have to double-space this assignment.
When you have saved your Word document, follow the directions on the Turnitin website to upload your document into your
corresponding class period.
Part I of this assessment MUST be turned in to the Turnitin website by midnight of the due date given by your teacher.
Please note: You MUST upload your answers to turnitin.com. DO NOT wait until the last minute! If you are unable to upload, you
must turn in a printed copy of your answers the following day, and you will automatically lose 30 points. DO NOT BLAME THE
WEBSITE, YOUR COMPUTER, OR YOUR PARENTS.
**page numbers may not correspond to your copy of the novel**
1. Discuss the symbolism of Death as the omniscient narrator of the novel. What are Death’s feelings for each victim? Describe
Death’s attempt to resist Liesel. Death states, “I’m always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and
I wonder how the same thing can be both” (491). What is ugly and beautiful about Liesel, Rosa and Hans Hubermann, Max
Vandenburg, Rudy Steiner, and Mrs. Hermann? Why is Death haunted by humans?
2. What is ironic about Liesel’s obsession with stealing books? Discuss other uses of irony in the novel.
3. The Grave Digger’s Handbook is the first book Liesel steals. Why did she take the book? What is significant about the titles of the
books she steals? Discuss why she hides The Grave Digger’s Handbook under her mattress. Describe Hans Hubermann’s reaction
when he discovers the book.
4. What does the act of book thievery teach Liesel about life and death? Explain Rudy’s reaction when he discovers that Liesel is a
book thief. How does stealing books from the mayor’s house lead to a friendship with the mayor’s wife? Explain how Liesel’s own
attempt to write a book saves her life.
5. Liesel believes that Hans Hubermann’s eyes show kindness, and from the beginning she feels closer to him than to Rosa
Hubermann. How does Hans gain Liesel’s love and trust? Debate whether Liesel is a substitute for Hans’s children, who have strayed
from the family. Why is it so difficult for Rosa to demonstrate the same warmth toward Liesel? Discuss how Liesel’s relationship with
Rosa changes by the end of the novel.
6. Abandonment is a central theme in the novel. The reader knows that Liesel feels abandoned by her mother and by the death of her
brother. How does she equate love with abandonment? At what point does she understand why she was abandoned by her mother?
Who else abandons Liesel in the novel? Debate whether she was abandoned by circumstance or by the heart.
7. Guilt is another recurring theme in the novel. Hans Hubermann’s life was spared in France during World War I, and Erik
Vandenburg’s life was taken. Explain why Hans feels guilty about Erik’s death. Guilt is a powerful emotion that may cause a person
to become unhappy and despondent. Discuss how Hans channels his guilt into helping others. Explain Max Vandenburg’s thought,
“Living was living. The price was guilt and shame” (208). Why does he feel guilt and shame?
8. Compare and contrast the lives of Liesel and Max Vandenburg. How does Max’s life give Liesel purpose? At what point do Liesel
and Max become friends? Max gives Liesel a story called “The Standover Man” for her birthday. What is the significance of this
story?
9. Death says that Liesel was a girl “with a mountain to climb” (86). What is her mountain? Who are her climbing partners? What is
her greatest obstacle? At what point does she reach the summit of her mountain? Describe her descent. What does she discover at the
foot of her mountain?
10. Hans Junior, a Nazi soldier, calls his dad a coward because he doesn’t belong to the Nazi Party. He feels that you are either for
Hitler or against him. How does it take courage to oppose Hitler? There isn’t one coward in the Hubermann household. Discuss how
they demonstrate courage throughout the novel.
11. Describe Liesel’s friendship with Rudy. How does their friendship change and grow throughout the novel? Death says that Rudy
doesn’t offer his friendship “for free” (51). What does Rudy want from Liesel? Discuss Death’s statement, “The only thing worse
than a boy who hates you [is] a boy who loves you” (52). Why is it difficult for Liesel to love Rudy? Discuss why Liesel tells Mr.
Steiner that she kissed Rudy’s dead body.
12. How does Zusak use the literary device of foreshadowing to pull the reader into the story? Use specific examples from the book.
13. Liesel Meminger lived to be an old woman. Death says that he would like to tell the book thief about beauty and brutality, but
those are things that she had lived. How does her life represent beauty in the wake of brutality? Discuss how Zusak’s poetic writing
style enhances the beauty of Liesel’s story.
How to Submit your Research Paper to Turnitin.com
Class ID and class enrollment password (provided by your instructor)
o Class ID__________________
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Class enrollment password______________________
o
ID and password______________________________ (Use you email address for your ID and your
school ID# for your password so you don’t forget it.
Creating a User Profile (Before submission, you must create a User Profile first) if you did not make one last year.
 Go to turnitin.com
 Click on “create an account” under the email space.
 Scroll down the page to “Create new account”. Choose “student”.
 When you get to the “Create a New Student Account” page, fill in all the required information. Make sure you
read all the instructions carefully. Use your school email address when filling out this information—not your
personal email address. StudentID#@students.katyisd.org
 Click “I am at least 13 years of age.”
 Click “I agree” on the user agreement at the very bottom of the page.
 Once you have completed this process, log out.
 When you are ready to submit your paper, log in and follow the directions below.
Submitting your paper
 Login into turnitin.com at the top right hand corner of the web page
 You will need your email address and personal password to do this
 Click on the class name
 Under the “Assignment List” click on the icon (a little research paper with a blue arrow) directly across for the
assignment name you are turning in
 You must give your assignment a title in the blank provided
 Then click “browse” to locate your paper on the computer
 Find your document and click “Open”
 Once you have attached your paper and given it a title click “Upload”
 You will then see your paper on the screen. Make sure you have submitted the right document and then click
“Submit”
 You will then be given a “receipt” with a paper id number sent to your school email address. I suggest printing
this for your records.
 You are done! 
Part II. Inner/Outer Discussion
Day 1
1. What did words symbolize in The Book Thief?
2. If you were Hans, would you have joined the Nazi party or stood up for the Jewish people? Why or why not?
3. How does Liesel’s theft of books affect others around her?
4. What factors do you believe were preventing Liesel from displaying her true feelings for Rudy before he died? Support with evidence.
5. What would have happened if Hans Hubermann had not given bread to the Jewish man?
6. Describe Liesel’s relationship with Rudy. How does their relationship change throughout the novel?
7. How does the mood shift when Max has to leave the Huberman’s household?
8. Liesel started out innocently, but what events led to her leaving her innocence behind?
9. What does the library symbolize to Liesel?
10. How does Death’s perspective as the narrator affect the story?
11. How does Hans’ kindness toward Jews shape his character?
12. How do Max’s sketches and stories affect Liesel?
13. Rudy changes from a bread stealer to a bread giver. Given the same circumstances, would you do the same?
14. What qualities does Hans possess that make him a good father?
15. How would the story have been different if Liesel hadn’t stolen The Gravedigger’s Handbook?
16. Abandonment is a central theme in the novel. How does this affect Liesel throughout the story?
17. Rosa displays her love for Liesel in an abusive manner. Do you think abusive love is possible?
18. Death describes people with colors. What is the significance of the color in the book? Give 2 examples of how it was used and the effect it had
on you as a reader.
19. What facts would you select to support the statement that Rosa cares for Liesel?
20. If Rudy hadn’t died in an explosion, do you think Liesel would have kissed him?
21. Why do you think Liesel couldn’t resist stealing books?
22. Why does the mayor’s wife allow Liesel to steal and read books from her library?
23. How would you compare and contrast the way Rosa and Hans showed love for Liesel?
24. What elements of the story would have been different if told from a Jewish point of view?
25. Do you think Rosa should have taken a more active role in Liesel’s learning? Why?
26. How would Liesel’s behavior have differed if her brother’s ghost hadn’t appeared?
27. What three most important events would Liesel include if she were to write her own version of The Standover Man?
28. What is the symbolism of the tree in Max’s story “The Word Shaker”?
29. How did Max’s life give Liesel purpose? What is the significance of Max’s story “The Standover Man”?
Day 2
30. How did Liesel’s relationship with Hans, Rudy, Max, Rosa, and the Mayor’s wife change over time?
31. How did each member of the Hubermann household demonstrate courage throughout the novel?
32. Liesel is bullied by her teacher for not being able to read. Rudy is bullied by the Hitler Youth leader. How do they stand up to bullies? How does
the bullying portrayed compare to bullying in society today?
33. Liesel must keep a family secret. Can you imagine how the pressure of keeping a family secret might feel? Discuss the reasons for or against
maintaining a secret. How would you decide?
34. In the novel, words have the power to both destroy and save lives. How?
35. If you were in Liesel’s position, would you have stolen the apples? Why?
36. Compare Nazi Germany’s view of Hitler with Hans Hubermann’s view.
37. Hans was a strong father figure to Liesel. What did impact did this have on her life?
38. Why does Death take such an interest in Liesel?
39. Liesel steals books from the mayor’s wife as a form of revenge. Do you think she was justified in her actions?
40. Hans was Liesel’s father figure. Does everyone need some kind of father figure growing up?
41. Max leaves his family behind when he goes to live with the Hubermann’s. Do you think his actions were justified?
42. What emotions do the characters feel before the presence of death?
43. Why do you think Liesel feels obligated to help the Jews?
44. At what point did you think Rosa changed and showed affection toward Liesel? Why?
45. Why does Liesel feel that abandonment equates to lack of love?
46. How does the author’s use of Death of a narrator correlate to his view on humanity?
47. What are Liesel’s views toward Hitler and why?
48. What was the symbolism of Liesel’s 13 gifts to Max?
49. Was the Hubermann’s decision to hide Max justified by his father’s act of heroism? Is loyalty to your friends more important than loyalty to
your country? Explain.
50. Why did Rudy give the teddy bear to the pilot whose plane crashed at the end of the novel?
51. Why does Death see the color white by the railway line?
52. What do you think Liesel meant when she said, “She tried to make the words right” at the end of her story?
53. How would you compare Alex Steiner and Hans Hubermann’s reasons for going to war?
54. Why would Liesel not tell Rudy she loved him even though he loved her back?
55. Why is it better that Eric Vandenburg died instead of Hans?
56. Is Rudy the most charming character in the novel? Of all the major and minor characters in the novel, who is your most or least favorite? Why?
57. How is the idea of a book a metaphor for human experience, action, innocence and guilt? Consider how Zusak uses Hitler’s book Mein Kampf,
to explore these issues? Are there other books that you can name that can accomplish this as well?
58. How does the humanization of Death contribute to the overall story? Do you agree with Zusak’s narrative choice? Is Death a reliable narrator?
Can you suspend your disbelief to accept the idea that death is afraid of people in the same way that people fear death?
Part III. Mosaic Product
Directions: Your final mosaic should be on the paper provided to you by your teacher. No two or more students
should have the same mosaic.
A. Include internal citations for ALL quotes. Set-up must be in the correct MLA format for internal citations.
Example: “…” (Green 62).
B. Illustrate (if you can’t draw, then use pictures from magazines/clip art, etc) and color ALL sections.
C. Each question should correspond with a mosaic number directly on the product (see example):
1. Copy your favorite passage and cite it from the novel. Write a brief explanation of why it’s your favorite.
Remember to illustrate and color this section.
2. Pick a challenging word and define it, illustrate it, and write a sentence using that word.
3. Choose one character from the novel and write two sentences describing him/her (strive for higher-level
adjectives). Also, draw or find an illustration which symbolically represents him/her. Explain why you chose
that symbol for that character. Remember that you may only draw a symbol, not a person.
4. Write the title of the novel and the author’s name. Use lettering and color in a creative way.
5. Identify an important value (principle or quality considered worthwhile) or ethic (a principle of right or good
conduct) portrayed in the novel and describe an event that develops that value/ethic. Illustrate and color.
6. Choose a scene which uses imagery (has a vivid setting). Illustrate. Describe it and explain how the setting
contributes to the significance of the scene.
7. Include a picture of a key symbol and explain its importance.
8. Choose one character from the novel that you are most like. Explain the similarities/differences that you each
share.
9. Make a connection between something from the novel and something in your life or in society today.
Write one of the themes of the novel and copy a passage and cite it from one of the sections which illustrates
it. Explain how the theme is depicted. Be sure to give the character(s) speaking and include an internal
citation.
*The attached example gives you an idea of what your mosaic product should look like; however, it is a black and
white copy. Remember, your mosaic should be colorful.
Name: __________________________________________Period: ________ Date: ________________
Summer Reading Project Rubric
Turnitin.com Questions
MLA Heading
Worth
2
Title
1
Word Count
2
Textual Evidence with Internal Citation (1 each)
6
Submitted to Turnitin.com
5
6 Questions (3 each)
18
Earned
34
Inner/Outer Discussion
Pose a question and give your thoughts (Remember: your answers
must be thoughtful and reference the text—more than a single
sentence response)
Comment at least two times on another’s question/during discussion
(while in the inner circle)—6 points (each comment)
How well did I follow the rules of discussion? (No talking, no
sleeping, no cell phones, no other homework out or reading)
Earned
12
12
9
33
Mosaic
Earned
Internal Citations for any Quotes
6
In color and illustrated with drawings/pictures/clip art
6
Mosaic number corresponds with description (1-9)
3
Requirements followed in each description (1-9) thoroughly
explained
18
33
Total Grade
100