TheBookThiefisanovelbyAustralianauthorMarkusZusak.NarratedbyDeath,ittellsthestoryofLieselMeminger,anine-year-oldGermangirlwhogivenupbyhermothertolivewithHansandRosaHubermanninthesmalltownofMolchingin1939,shortlybeforeWorldWarII.OntheirwaytoMolching,Liesel'syoungerbrotherWernerdies,andsheistraumatized,experiencingnightmaresabouthimformonths.Hansisagentlemanwhobringshercomfortandhelpsherlearntoread,startingwithabookLieseltookfromthecemeterywhereherbrotherwasburied.Lieselbefriendsaneighborhoodboy,RudySteiner,whofallsinlovewithher.Atabookburning,LieselrealizesthatherfatherwaspersecutedforbeingaCommunist,andthathermotherwaslikelykilledbytheNazisforthesamecrime.Sheisseenstealingabookfromtheburningbythemayor'swifeIlsaHermann,wholaterinvitesLieseltoreadinherlibrary.

　　Keepingapromisehemadetothemanwhosavedhislife,HansagreestohideaJewnamedMaxVandenberginhisbasement.LieselandMaxbecomeclosefriends,andMaxwritesLieseltwostoriesabouttheirfriendship,bothofwhicharereproducedinthenovel.WhenHanspubliclygivesbreadtoanoldJewbeingsenttoaconcentrationcamp,Maxmustleave,andHansisdraftedintothemilitaryatatimewhenairraidsovermajorGermancitieswereescalatingintermsoffrequencyandfatality.LieselnextseesMaxbeingmarchedtowardstheconcentrationcampatDachau.Lieselloseshopeandbeginstodisdainthewrittenword,havinglearntthatHitler'spropagandaistoblameforthewarandtheHolocaustandthedeathofherbiologicalfamily,butIlsaencourageshertowrite.LieselwritesthestoryofherlifeintheHubermanns'basement,whereshemiraculouslysurvivesanairraidthatkillsHans,Rosa,Rudy,andeveryoneelseonherblock.Lieselsurvivesthewar,asdoesMax.Shegoesontolivealonglifeanddiesatanoldage.