Spotlight Feature ~ Reminiscing on The Book Thief after 20 years

By Kim Childress

I first read The Book Thief in 2012, before the book was officially released, and I still have my advance reviewer’s copy (ARC). Once I started reading, I could not stop, and I finished in one sitting—at 4:30 in the morning—crying. Hard. My heart hurt for Rudy, for Leisel, Hans, Max, and even Death, as Death is the one who shares Leisel's story. Hers is one of a "mere handful he has saved within his vast array of pockets, because for Death, Leisel's story is a reminder that the human existence is worthy."

For a brief summary, this story first brings to life the many characters readers come to love, while WWII grows in the background, until the bombs eventually reach Leisel and her town. When bombings occur, Leisel reads her stories to those sheltered in basements, and to her surprise, her readings and stories help keep everyone calm. What occurs between the beginning and end is a powerful and poetic work of genius that lingers long after the final page. Readers see WWII through another lens—Germans who refused to fly the Nazi flag, kids who boycotted Hitler Youth, and boys who were whipped for giving bread to Jewish people as they were marched through the streets. Sad, yes, but ultimately, The Book Thief is a satisfyingly beautiful and unforgettable work of historical fiction.

As a writer, when I finished reading I had so many thoughts and questions. My first thought was that I may as well give up writing because I could never come close to creating such a book. Questions immediately filled my head that I wanted to ask the author. Was this based on a true story? Did this happen to someone in his family? And how did he ever come up with Death as a narrator? Thankfully, all of these questions and more were finally answered within the bonus materials of this 20th Anniversary Edition.

Perhaps first and foremost, for me as a writer, I see how Zusak also struggled during his writing, taking him more than three years to write this book. I also learned the story itself was inspired by his parents' tales he heard growing up, including his mother's experiences in Germany during and after the war. Also very interesting was how Zusak first considered Liesel to be the narrator, even writing 150 pages in her voice, before returning to Death as the narrator and rewriting the book for the third and final time.

A Q&A with the author shared within the Bonus Content, in "His Own Words," Zusak shares, "No matter how people react to The Book Thief, Leisel's thoughts sum up my own view: I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I've made them right."

After twenty years those words still resonate in a profound way.

This anniversary edition not only revisits a story that has already left an indelible mark on readers, it also offers a rare and meaningful glimpse into the creative journey behind it--through notes, sketches, outlines, and a thoughtful Q and A with the author. For longtime fans, it deepens an already powerful connection to the story. For those discovering The Book Thief for the first time, one thing I can promise: this is not a book you simply read—it is a book that changes you.

In His Own Words, with Markus Zusak

Q. There are many novels set during the Holocaust, but the The Book Thief offers a different perspective. What do you most want teenage readers to understand about Leisel's story and this dark period in our world's history?

A. I honestly just hope that they'll never forget the characters—especially Leisel and Rudy. This is the first time I've ever missed characters that I've written. I also hope that readers of any age will see another side of Nazi Germany, where certain people did hide their Jewish friends to save their lives, (at the risk of their own).

The full conversation and more can be found in the Book Thief 20th Anniversary Edition "Bonus Materials," as Zusak shares more on writing, his writing style, how he researched, and his favorite character to write. "Rudy is just my favorite character... Leisel kissing his dusty, bomb-hit lips was probably the most devastating part of the book for me to write.... I was a mess."

And so was I, as I read that scene. And for long after. Just as Death shared he is haunted by humans, I too have been haunted by that scene, and this novel, in the best of ways.

The Book Thief is an unforgettable modern classic, just as powerful if not more so as when it first released, 20 years ago.

About the Author:

Markus Zusak is the internationally bestselling author of six novels, including The Book Thief and most recently, Bridge of Clay. His work is translated into more than forty languages, and has spent more than a decade on the New York Times bestseller list, establishing Zusak as one of the most successful authors to come out of Australia. All of Zusak’s books – including earlier titles, The Underdog, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, When Dogs Cry (also titled Getting the Girl), and The Messenger (or I am the Messenger) – have been awarded numerous honors around the world, ranging from literary prizes to readers choice awards to prizes voted on by booksellers. In 2013, The Book Thief was made into a major motion picture, and in 2018 was voted one of America’s all-time favorite books, achieving the 14th position on the PBS Great American Read. Also in 2018, Bridge of Clay was selected as a best book of the year in publications ranging from Entertainment Weekly to the Wall Street Journal. Markus Zusak grew up in Sydney, Australia, and still lives there with his wife and two children.

Author Website: marcuszusak.com Instagram: @markuszusak

✨ Ink-a-Dink Bookstore April Giveaway | The Book Thief ✨

This April, we’re celebrating a modern classic with something truly special…

📖 The Book Thief — 20th Anniversary Edition, by Markus Zusak

📖 FREE to enter through April 29. Winners Notified April 30`

📖 Special thanks to Knopf Books for Young Readers for making this giveaway possible. 

My ARC of The Book Thief! I saved it then and I love it now.

Originally published in 2013, the first cover.

My growing Markus Zusak and Book Thief collection.

Kim Childress | Book Editor, Girls’ Life | Founder, Childress Ink & Ink-a-Dink Bookstore

Champion of Great Books for Young Readers