Book Thief Sparknotes

Plot Summary for The Book Thief

The book starts with Death introducing himself as the narrator. He tells us that he has seen the book thief three times but has been infatuated with her story. Death says he associates each sighting of the book thief with colors: white, red, and black, the colors of the Nazi flag.

Liesel Meminger, the book thief, is traveling with her mother and brother on a train to Munich. Liesel’s brother abruptly dies on the train and the train attendants stop the train so Liesel and her mother can get off and bury the body. Liesel spots a black book, The Gravedigger’s Handbook, in the snow after the burial and picks it up. Liesel doesn’t know how to read.

Liesel and her mother finally make it to Molching, their destination,

and Liesel is taken to a foster home, where she will be left under the care of Rosa and Hans Hubermann. Liesel refuses to get out of the car until Hans gently coaxes her out of the car. It is Hans who makes Liesel feel comfortable her first night in the Hubermann’s house. Hans teaches Liesel how to roll a cigarette. She starts school and meets Rudy Steiner, who is slowly becoming Liesel’s best friend.
Liesel is tormented with nightmares about her brother. Hans comes up in the middle of the night and comforts Liesel. On a night where Liesel had a particularly bad nightmare, Hans discovers The Grave Digger’s Handbook tucked under Liesel’s mattress. This is what motivates Hans Hubermann to teach Liesel how to read. Liesel eventually learns how to write and send her mother several letters that are never answered.
It is April 20, 1940, Hitler’s birthday. A book burning in the small town of Molching is prepared to celebrate the day. A Nazi orchestrating the event calls out for death to communist and Jews. She realizes that her dad is a communist and believes Hitler is behind the disappearance of her whole family. Hans confirms Liesel’s theory and Liesel says that she hates Hitler. Liesel wants to rebel against Hitler so she steals The Shoulder Shrug from the burning pile of books.
Erik Vandenburg, a Jew, saved Hans during World War I.

Now, Erik’s son Max has come to Hans for shelter in a world where Jews are a very dangerous thing to have in your basement. Max comes to bear an extreme amount of guilt for putting the lives of those he has come to love in danger.

Rosa Hubermann has been doing laundry for an income and Liesel starts to make deliveries for Rosa. Liesel has to keep bringing news back to her mother of people not being able to afford the laundry services any longer. Ilsa Hermann, the mayor’s wife, is the last person to decline the laundry services.

Ilsa Hermann had seen Liesel steal The Shoulder Shrug from the stack of burning books. She had invited Liesel into her study while Rosa had been doing their laundry. Liesel is quick to stop the visits after Frau Hermann stops the laundry services. Liesel, however, hasn’t given up the books completely. With Rudy’s help, Liesel begins stealing books from Frau Hermann’s study.

Christmas of 1940 is an eventful one. Liesel builds Max a snowman in the basement. Shortly after that, Max falls ill and then into a coma. Rosa and Hans begin to worry about what will happen if Max dies. Liesel begins reading to Max religiously and brings him ‘gifts’ to describe the days without

him.
Bombings happen all throughout Germany. Nazi’s come to Molching to inspect the basements to find suitable bomb shelters. The Allies begin to bomb towns closer to Molching. People are forced to take shelter in a neighbor’s basement. Liesel reads to the people in the basement until each raid is over. She also worries about Max, who is in the Hubermann’s basement throughout each raid.
Nazi soldiers begin marching Jews throughout the streets. Hans sees an old man struggling and gives him a piece of bread. Hans is whipped instantly. Max is forced to leave the Hubermann’s. Hans is accepted into The Nazi Party and is sent to Essen where he helps clean up the ruins of towns after air raids.
The Nazi’s continue to march Jews up the streets and Liesel recognizes Max among the Jews. Liesel tells Rudy about hiding the Jew in their basement.
Ilsa Hermann gives Liesel a blank notebook. Liesel begins writing her own story. While she is rereading her story in the basement one night, the town of Molching is bombed without alerts to get to safety. Everyone on her street is killed. Liesel leaves the book she wrote about herself on the ground and Death picks it up. When Death comes to collect Liesel’s soul he shows her the book she had once written.