The Book Thief Lessonplan

The Book Thief Lesson Plans
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Contents
The Book Thief Lesson Plans ........................................................................................................................ 1
Contents........................................................................................................................................................ 2
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 4
Lesson Calendar............................................................................................................................................ 8
Chapter Abstracts ....................................................................................................................................... 18
Character Descriptions ............................................................................................................................... 26
Object Descriptions .................................................................................................................................... 28
Daily Lessons .............................................................................................................................................. 30
Fun Activities .............................................................................................................................................. 55
Essay Topics ................................................................................................................................................ 58
Short Essay Questions ................................................................................................................................ 62
Short Essay Questions Key ......................................................................................................................... 71
Multiple Choice .......................................................................................................................................... 84
Multiple Choice Key ................................................................................................................................. 113
Short Answer Questions .......................................................................................................................... 114
Short Answer Questions Key ................................................................................................................... 140
Oral Reading Evaluation Sheet ................................................................................................................ 166
Reading Assignment Sheet ...................................................................................................................... 167
Writing Evaluation Form .......................................................................................................................... 168
One Week Quiz A...................................................................................................................................... 169
Two Week Quiz A ..................................................................................................................................... 172
Four Week Quiz A ..................................................................................................................................... 175
Four Week Quiz B ..................................................................................................................................... 178
Eight Week Quiz A .................................................................................................................................... 181
Eight Week Quiz B .................................................................................................................................... 184
Eight Week Quiz C .................................................................................................................................... 187
Eight Week Quiz D .................................................................................................................................... 190
Eight Week Quiz E .................................................................................................................................... 193
Eight Week Quiz F..................................................................................................................................... 196
2
Eight Week Quiz G .................................................................................................................................... 199
Mid-Book Test - Easy ................................................................................................................................ 202
Final Test - Easy ........................................................................................................................................ 208
Mid-Book Test - Medium ......................................................................................................................... 214
Final Test - Medium .................................................................................................................................. 221
Mid-Book Test - Hard ............................................................................................................................... 229
Final Test - Hard........................................................................................................................................ 236
3
Introduction
Teaching The Book Thief
The Book Thief lesson plan contains a variety of teaching materials that cater to all learning
styles. Inside you'll find 30 Daily Lessons, 20 Fun Activities, 180 Multiple Choice Questions, 60
Short Essay Questions, 20 Essay Questions, Quizzes/Homework Assignments, Tests, and more.
The lessons and activities will help students gain an intimate understanding of the text, while
the tests and quizzes will help you evaluate how well the students have grasped the material.
Target Grade: 7th-12th (Middle School and High School)
Length of Lesson Plan: Approximately 138 pages. Page count is estimated at 300 words per
page. Length will vary depending on format viewed.
Browse The Book Thief Lesson Plan:
 Introduction  Short Essay Questions

 Lesson Calendar  Multiple Choice
 Chapter Abstracts  Short Answer Questions
 Character Descriptions  Worksheets and Evaluation Forms
 Object Descriptions  Quizzes
 Daily Lessons  Tests
 Fun Activities  Quiz/Test Generator
 Essay Topics
4
Full Lesson Plan Overview
Completely Customizable!
The Book Thief lesson plan is downloadable in PDF and Word. The Word file is viewable with
any PC or Mac and can be further adjusted if you want to mix questions around and/or add
your own headers for things like "Name," "Period," and "Date." The Word file offers unlimited
customizing options so that you can teach in the most efficient manner possible. Once you
download the file, it is yours to keep and print for your classroom.
Lesson Plan Calendars
The Lesson Plan Calendars provide daily suggestions about what to teach. They include detailed
descriptions of when to assign reading, homework, in-class work, fun activities, quizzes, tests
and more. Use the entire The Book Thief calendar, or supplement it with your own curriculum
ideas. Calendars cover one, two, four, and eight week units. Determine how long your The Book
Thief unit will be, then use one of the calendars provided to plan out your entire lesson.
Chapter Abstracts
Chapter abstracts are short descriptions of events that occur in each chapter of The Book Thief.
They highlight major plot events and detail the important relationships and characteristics of
important characters. The Chapter Abstracts can be used to review what the students have
read, or to prepare the students for what they will read. Hand the abstracts out in class as a
study guide, or use them as a "key" for a class discussion. They are relatively brief, but can serve
to be an excellent refresher of The Book Thief for either a student or teacher.
Character and Object Descriptions
Character and Object Descriptions provide descriptions of the significant characters as well as
objects and places in The Book Thief. These can be printed out and used as an individual study
guide for students, a "key" for leading a class discussion, a summary review prior to exams, or a
refresher for an educator. The character and object descriptions are also used in some of the
quizzes and tests in this lesson plan. The longest descriptions run about 200 words. They
become shorter as the importance of the character or object declines.
5
Daily Lessons
This section of the lesson plan contains 30 Daily Lessons. Daily Lessons each have a specific
objective and offer at least three (often more) ways to teach that objective. Lessons include
classroom discussions, group and partner activities, in-class handouts, individual writing
assignments, at least one homework assignment, class participation exercises and other ways
to teach students about The Book Thief in a classroom setting. You can combine daily lessons or
use the ideas within them to create your own unique curriculum. They vary greatly from day to
day and offer an array of creative ideas that provide many options for an educator.
Fun Classroom Activities
Fun Classroom Activities differ from Daily Lessons because they make "fun" a priority. The 20
enjoyable, interactive classroom activities that are included will help students understand The
Book Thief in fun and entertaining ways. Fun Classroom Activities include group projects,
games, critical thinking activities, brainstorming sessions, writing poems, drawing or sketching,
and countless other creative exercises. Many of the activities encourage students to interact
with each other, be creative and think "outside of the box," and ultimately grasp key concepts
from the text by "doing" rather than simply studying. Fun activities are a great way to keep
students interested and engaged while still providing a deeper understanding of The Book Thief
and its themes.
Essay Questions/Writing Assignments
These 20 Essay Questions/Writing Assignments can be used as essay questions on a test, or as

stand-alone essay topics for a take-home or in-class writing assignment on The Book Thief.
Students should have a full understanding of the unit material in order to answer these
questions. They often include multiple parts of the work and ask for a thorough analysis of the
overall text. They nearly always require a substantial response. Essay responses are typically
expected to be one (or more) page(s) and consist of multiple paragraphs, although it is possible
to write answers more briefly. These essays are designed to challenge a student's
understanding of the broad points in a work, interactions among the characters, and main
points and themes of the text. But, they also cover many of the other issues specific to the work
and to the world today.
Short Essay Questions
The 60 Short Essay Questions listed in this section require a one to two sentence answer. They
ask students to demonstrate a deeper understanding of The Book Thief by describing what
they've read, rather than just recalling it. The short essay questions evaluate not only whether
students have read the material, but also how well they understand and can apply it. They
require more thought than multiple choice questions, but are shorter than the essay questions.
6
Multiple Choice Questions
The 180 Multiple Choice Questions in this lesson plan will test a student's recall and
understanding of The Book Thief. Use these questions for quizzes, homework assignments or
tests. The questions are broken out into sections, so they focus on specific chapters within The
Book Thief. This allows you to test and review the book as you proceed through the unit.
Typically, there are 5-15 questions per chapter, act or section.
Evaluation Forms
Use the Oral Reading Evaluation Form when students are reading aloud in class. Pass the forms
out before you assign reading, so students will know what to expect. You can use the forms to
provide general feedback on audibility, pronunciation, articulation, expression and rate of
speech. You can use this form to grade students, or simply comment on their progress.
Use the Writing Evaluation Form when you're grading student essays. This will help you
establish uniform criteria for grading essays even though students may be writing about
different aspects of the material. By following this form you will be able to evaluate the thesis,
organization, supporting arguments, paragraph transitions, grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc.
of each student's essay.
Quizzes/Homework Assignments
The Quizzes/Homework Assignments are worksheets that can be used in a variety of ways. They
pull questions from the multiple choice and short essay sections, the character and object
descriptions, and the chapter abstracts to create worksheets that can be used for pop quizzes,
in-class assignments and homework. Periodic homework assignments and quizzes are a great
way to encourage students to stay on top of their assigned reading. They can also help you
determine which concepts and ideas your class grasps and which they need more guidance on.
By pulling from the different sections of the lesson plan, quizzes and homework assignments
offer a comprehensive review of The Book Thief in manageable increments that are less
substantial than a full blown test.
Tests
Use the Test Summary page to determine which pre-made test is most relevant to your
students' learning styles. This lesson plan provides both full unit tests and mid-unit tests. You
can choose from several tests that include differing combinations of multiple choice questions,
short answer questions, short essay questions, full essay questions, character and object
matching, etc. Some of the tests are designed to be more difficult than others. Some have essay
questions, while others are limited to short-response questions, like multiple choice, matching
and short answer questions. If you don't find the combination of questions that best suits your
class, you can also create your own test on The Book Thief.
7
Lesson Calendar
Definitions
 Review Chapter Abstracts: Chapter abstracts are synopses of each chapter that you can
use to review the reading assignments with your students.
 Daily Lessons: There are 30 daily lessons detailed in this lesson plan. Select a new daily
lesson for each day.
 Fun Activities: There are 20 fun activities in this lesson plan. They serve as a way for
students to interact with the material in an enjoyable, educational way.
 Read Aloud in Class: Ask students to take turns reading aloud from where they left off
in their most recent reading assignment. Use the Oral Reading Evaluation Form in this
lesson plan to evaluate their reading skills.
 In-Class Handout: An in-class handout can be one of the quizzes/homework
assignments, vocabulary games, worksheets, or an essay/writing assignment. It's
something the students can complete and turn in during class, or begin in-class and take
home to finish as a homework assignment.
One Week Lesson Calendar
Before the unit begins:
 Homework Assignment: Read through Part Three, Mein Kampf

Day 1 - Day 2 - Review Day 3 - Quiz Day 4 - Review Day 5 - Test
Introduce Unit Unit Unit
Review Chapter Review Chapter Review Chapter Review Chapter Test

Abstracts up to Abstracts up to Abstracts up to Abstracts up to
Part Three, Mein Part Six, The Part Nine, The Epilogue, The
Kampf Dream Carrier Last Human Last Color
Stranger
1 Lesson from 1 Lesson from 1 Lesson from
Daily Lessons 1- Daily Lessons 9- Quiz Daily Lessons
8 15 24-30
1 Lesson from
1 Fun Activity 1 In-Class Daily Lessons 1 In-Class
from Fun Handout 16-23 Handout
Activities 1-10
Homework 1 In-Class Homework
Students Read Assignment: Handout Assignment:
Aloud in Class Read through Study for the
Part Nine, The test
Last Human
8
Homework Stranger and 1 Fun Activity
Assignment: choose a from Fun
Read through homework Activities 11-20
Part Six, The assignment from
Dream Carrier one of the Daily Homework
Lessons Assignment:
Read through
Epilogue, The
Last Color and
assign an essay,
due the week
following the
test
Two Week Lesson Calendar
 Homework Assignment: Read through Part Two, The Shoulder Shrug

Day 1 - Day 2 - Review Day 3 - Review Day 4 - Review Day 5 - Quiz
Introduce Unit Unit Unit Unit
Review Chapter Review Chapter Review Chapter Review Chapter Review Chapter
Abstracts up to Abstracts up to Abstracts up to Abstracts up to Abstracts up to
Part Two, The Part Three, Mein Part Four, The Part Five, The Part Seven, The
Shoulder Shrug Kampf Standover Man Whistler Complete Duden
Dictionary and
1 Lesson from 1 Lesson from 1 Lesson from 1 Lesson from Thesaurus
Daily Lessons 1- Daily Lessons 5- Daily Lessons 9- Daily Lessons
4 8 12 13-15 Quiz
Students Read 1 Fun Activity 1 In-Class 1 Fun Activity Homework

Aloud in Class from Fun Handout from Fun Assignment:
Activities 1-5 Activities 6-10 Read through
Homework Homework Part Eight, The
Assignment: Homework Assignment: Review for the Word Shaker
Read through Assignment: Read through quiz and assign an
Part Three, Mein Read through Part Five, The essay, due the
Kampf Part Four, The Whistler Homework week following
Standover Man Assignment: the final test
Read through
Part Seven, The
Complete Duden
9
Dictionary and
Thesaurus and
study for the
quiz
Day 6 - Review Day 7 - Review Day 8 - Review Day 9 - Review Day 10 - Final
Unit Unit Unit Unit Test
Review Chapter Review Chapter Review Chapter Review Chapter Test

Abstracts up to Abstracts up to Abstracts up to Abstracts up to
Part Eight, The Part Nine, The Part Ten, The Epilogue, The
Word Shaker Last Human Book Thief Last Color
Stranger
1 Lesson from 1 Lesson from 1 Lesson from
Daily Lessons 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons Daily Lessons
16-19 Daily Lessons 24-27 28-30
20-23
1 Fun Activity 1 In-Class 1 In-Class
from Fun 1 In-Class Handout Handout
Activities 11-15 Handout
1 Fun Activity Review for the
Homework Students Read from Fun test
Assignment: Aloud in Class Activities 16-20
Read through Homework
Part Nine, The Homework Homework Assignment:
Last Human Assignment: Assignment: Study for the
Stranger and Read through Read through test
choose a Part Ten, The Epilogue, The
homework Book Thief and Last Color
assignment from choose a
one of the Daily homework
Lessons assignment from
one of the Daily
Lessons
Four Week Lesson Calendar
 Homework Assignment: Read through Prologue, A Mountain Range of Rubble, and Part
One, The Grave Digger's Handbook
10
Review Chapter Review Chapter Review Review Chapter Review Chapter
Abstracts up to Abstracts up to Homework Abstracts up to Abstracts up to
Prologue, A Part Two, The Part Three, Mein Part Four, The
Mountain Range Shoulder Shrug 1 Lesson from Kampf Standover Man
of Rubble, and Daily Lessons 3-
Part One, The 1 Lesson from 4 Review Quiz
Grave Digger's Daily Lessons 1- Homework
Handbook 2 1 Fun Activity 1 Lesson from
from Fun 1 Lesson from Daily Lessons 7-
Students Read 1 In-Class Activities 1-3 Daily Lessons 5- 8
Aloud in Class Handout 6
Homework Students Read
Homework Homework Assignment: 1 Fun Activity Aloud in Class
Assignment: Assignment: Read through from Fun
Read through Choose from Part Three, Mein Activities 4-5 Homework
Part Two, The one of the Daily Kampf and Assignment:
Shoulder Shrug Lessons choose a 1 In-Class Choose from
homework Handout one of the Daily
assignment from Lessons
one of the Daily Homework
Lessons Assignment:
Read through
Part Four, The
Standover Man
Day 6 - Review Day 7 - Review Day 8 - Review Day 9 - Review Day 10 - Mid
Unit Unit Unit Unit Unit Test
Review Review Chapter Review Review Chapter Review Chapter

Homework Abstracts up to Homework Abstracts up to Abstracts up to
Part Five, The Part Six, The Part Seven, The
Daily Lesson 9 Whistler 1 Lesson from Dream Carrier Complete Duden
Daily Lessons Dictionary and
1 Fun Activity Review 12-13 Review Thesaurus
from Fun Homework Homework
Activities 6-7 1 Fun Activity Test
1 Lesson from from Fun 1 Lesson from
Homework Daily Lessons Activities 8-9 Daily Lessons Homework
Assignment: 10-11 14-15 Assignment:
Read through Homework Assign an essay,
Part Five, The 1 In-Class Assignment: 1 In-Class due the week
Whistler and Handout Read through Handout following the
choose a Part Six, The final test
homework Dream Carrier
11
assignment from Students Read and choose a Review for the
one of the Daily Aloud in Class homework test
Lessons assignment from
Homework one of the Daily Homework
Assignment: Lessons Assignment:
Choose from Read through
one of the Daily Part Seven, The
Lessons Complete Duden
Dictionary and
Thesaurus and
study for the
test
Day 11 - Review Day 12 - Review Day 13 - Review Day 14 - Review Day 15 - Quiz
Unit Unit Unit Unit
Review the test Review Chapter Review Review Chapter Review Chapter
Abstracts up to Homework Abstracts up to Abstracts up to
Daily Lesson 16 Part Eight, The Part Nine, The Part Ten, The
Word Shaker 1 Lesson from Last Human Book Thief
Students Read Daily Lessons Stranger
Aloud in Class 1 Lesson from 19-20 Quiz
Daily Lessons Review
Homework 17-18 1 In-Class Homework Daily Lesson 23
Assignment: Handout
Read through 1 Fun Activity 1 Lesson from Students Read
Part Eight, The from Fun Homework Daily Lessons Aloud in Class
Word Shaker Activities 10-12 Assignment: 21-22
Read through 1 Fun Activity
Homework Part Nine, The 1 Fun Activity from Fun
Assignment: Last Human from Fun Activities 15-16
Choose from Stranger and Activities 13-14
one of the Daily choose a Homework
Lessons homework Homework Assignment:
assignment from Assignment: Choose from
one of the Daily Read through one of the Daily
Lessons Part Ten, The Lessons
Book Thief and
choose a
homework
assignment from
one of the Daily
Lessons
12
Review Review Chapter Review Daily Lesson 30 Test

Homework Abstracts up to Homework
Epilogue, The 1 In-Class
1 Lesson from Last Color 1 Lesson from Handout
Daily Lessons Daily Lessons
24-25 Review 28-29 Homework
Homework Assignment:
1 Fun Activity 1 In-Class Study for the
from Fun 1 Lesson from Handout test
Activities 17-18 Daily Lessons
26-27 1 Fun Activity
Homework from Fun
Assignment: 1 In-Class Activities 19-20
Read through Handout
Epilogue, The
Last Color and Students Read
choose a Aloud in Class
homework
assignment from Homework
one of the Daily Assignment:
Lessons Choose from
one of the Daily
Lessons
Eight Week Lesson Calendar
 Homework Assignment: Read through Prologue, A Mountain Range of Rubble, and Part
One, The Grave Digger's Handbook
Review Chapter Daily Lesson 1 Review Review Chapter Quiz

Abstracts up to Homework Abstracts up to
Prologue, A 1 In-Class Part Two, The Fun Activity 2
Mountain Range Handout Daily Lesson 2 Shoulder Shrug
of Rubble, and Students Read
Part One, The Homework Fun Activity 1 Review Aloud in Class
Assignment: Homework
13
Grave Digger's Complete the Homework Daily Lesson 3
Handbook Daily Lesson Assignment:
Read through 1 In-Class
Students Read Part Two, The Handout
Aloud in Class Shoulder Shrug
and complete
the Daily Lesson
Day 6 - Review Day 7 - Review Day 8 - Quiz Day 9 - Review Day 10 - Review
Unit Unit Unit Unit
Daily Lesson 4 Review Chapter Quiz Review Review Chapter

Fun Activity 3 Part Three, Mein Review Part Four, The
Kampf Homework Daily Lesson 7 Standover Man
Homework
Assignment: Review Daily Lesson 6 Fun Activity 4 Fun Activity 5
Part Three, Mein Students Read 1 In-Class 1 In-Class
Kampf and Daily Lesson 5 Aloud in Class Handout Handout
complete the
Daily Lesson 1 In-Class Homework Homework
Handout Assignment: Assignment:
Complete the Read through
Students Read Daily Lesson Part Four, The
Aloud in Class Standover Man
Homework
Assignment:
Complete the
Daily Lesson
Day 11 - Review Day 12 - Quiz Day 13 - Review Day 14 - Review Day 15 - Quiz
Unit Unit Unit
Daily Lesson 8 Quiz Review Chapter Review Quiz

Abstracts up to Homework
Students Read Daily Lesson 9 Part Five, The Students Read
Aloud in Class Whistler Daily Lesson 11 Aloud in Class
Fun Activity 6
Homework Review Fun Activity 7 Fun Activity 8
Assignment: Homework Homework
Study for the Assignment: Homework Homework
quiz Read through Daily Lesson 10 Assignment: Assignment:
Part Five, The Read through
14
Whistler and 1 In-Class Complete the Part Six, The
complete the Handout Daily Lesson Dream Carrier
Daily Lesson and complete
Homework the Daily Lesson
Assignment:
Complete the
Daily Lesson
Review Chapter Review Review Review Test

Abstracts up to Homework Homework Homework
Part Six, The Homework
Dream Carrier Daily Lesson 13 Daily Lesson 14 1 In-Class Assignment:
Handout Assign an essay,
Daily Lesson 12 1 In-Class 1 In-Class due on day 38
Handout Handout Review for the
Fun Activity 9 test
Students Read Fun Activity 10
Homework Aloud in Class Homework
Assignment: Homework Assignment:
Complete the Assignment: Study for the
Daily Lesson Complete the test
Daily Lesson
Unit Unit Unit Unit
Daily Lesson 15 Review Chapter Review Review Review Chapter

Abstracts up to Homework Homework Abstracts up to
Review the test Part Seven, The Part Eight, The
Complete Duden Daily Lesson 17 Fun Activity 12 Word Shaker
Homework Dictionary and
Assignment: Thesaurus Fun Activity 11 Homework Quiz
Read through Assignment:
Part Seven, The Daily Lesson 16 Homework Read through Daily Lesson 18
Complete Duden Assignment: Part Eight, The
Dictionary and 1 In-Class Complete the Word Shaker Fun Activity 13
Thesaurus Handout Daily Lesson
Homework
Homework Assignment:
Assignment: Complete the
Daily Lesson
15
Complete the
Daily Lesson
Review Review Review Chapter Review Quiz

Homework Homework Abstracts up to Homework
Part Nine, The Fun Activity 15
Daily Lesson 19 Daily Lesson 20 Last Human Daily Lesson 22
Stranger Homework
Homework 1 In-Class 1 In-Class Assignment:
Assignment: Handout Review Handout Read through
Complete the Homework Part Ten, The
Daily Lesson Students Read Homework Book Thief
Aloud in Class Daily Lesson 21 Assignment:
Study for the
Homework Fun Activity 14 quiz
Assignment:
Part Nine, The Assignment:
Last Human Complete the
Stranger and Daily Lesson
complete the
Daily Lesson
Unit Unit Unit Unit
Review Chapter Daily Lesson 24 Review Review Chapter Quiz

Part Ten, The Fun Activity 16 Epilogue, The Students Read
Book Thief Daily Lesson 25 Last Color Aloud in Class
Homework
Daily Lesson 23 Assignment: 1 In-Class Review Daily Lesson 27
Complete the Handout Homework
Students Read Daily Lesson Fun Activity 18
Aloud in Class Homework Daily Lesson 26
Assignment: Homework
Read through Fun Activity 17 Assignment:
Epilogue, The Complete the
Last Color and Daily Lesson
complete the
Daily Lesson
16
Review 1 In-Class Collect essay Review Test

Homework Handout assignments Homework
Daily Lesson 28 Homework Daily Lesson 29 Daily Lesson 30

Assignment:
Fun Activity 19 Finish the essay Fun Activity 20 1 In-Class
Handout
Homework Homework
Assignment: Assignment: Review for the
Complete the Complete the test
Daily Lesson Daily Lesson
17
Chapter Abstracts
Prologue, A Mountain Range of Rubble, and Part One, The
Grave Digger's Handbook
• In the opening of the story, Liesel is traveling by train with her mother and younger brother.
Her brother is sick and coughs through the trip. Soon, his coughing stops and Liesel realizes her
brother has died.
• Liesel and her mother get off the train to bury the little boy's body and are escorted by two
armed guards. While they are burying the body, Liesel spots an abandoned book and steals it
before getting back on the plane.
• Once Liesel arrives in Munich, she is handed over to the state foster care system. She is taken
in by Rosa and Hans Hubermann. Liesel is shocked by how vulgar Rosa is, although she is not
cruel.
• Hans Hubermann is a kind man who convinces Liesel to take a bath a few weeks after arriving
to his house. He also sits with Liesel when she has nightmares, and cares for her until she can
fall asleep again.
• Liesel has many chores around the Hubermann home, including cleaning off the door frame
where the neighbor, Frau Holtzapfel, spits on it. She is also enrolled in school, but performs
poorly because she cannot read.
• Liesel is allowed to play outside with the neighbor kids, playing sports such as soccer. There,
she meets a young boy named Rudy who is an avid runner. Rudy has a deep admiration for
Olympic medalist Jesse Owens. His father warned him not to admire such a man, because he is
black.
• One night, after Liesel has a nightmare, Hans enters her room and decides to teach her how
to read, using the book she stole from where she buried her brother. The book is entitled "The
Gravedigger's Handbook" and is not appropriate for children, but Hans allows it.
• Hans teaches Liesel how to read by writing words down on sandpaper, and later, when the
lessons move also to the daytime, by painting the words on the walls of the basement. During a
reading test, Liesel opts to read from the Gravedigger's manual instead of the student reading
book, which causes many students to mock her. Liesel beats one of the students mercilessly on
the playground later that day.
18
Part Two, The Shoulder Shrug
• For Christmas, Hans gives Liesel two books, which she cherishes. At around the same time,
Rosa is fired by one of her customers. She blames the slow economy for the firing. Rosa gets
the idea that if she sends Liesel to collect and drop off the laundry orders, no one will fire her
because they'll have too much pity for her.
• When Liesel learns how to write, she asks Hans if it would be alright if she writes letters to her
mother. Hans agrees, but Liesel overhears Rosa saying that they don't even know if Liesel's
mother is alive.
• Liesel continues to write letters to her mother, and steals some of Rosa's laundry money to
pay for stamps. When Rosa finds out about the theft, she beats Liesel with a wooden spoon.
Liesel realizes she may never see her mother again.
• Liesel hears that the Nazi party will be holding a book burning party and is excited because
she has never attended one before. The Hubermann's son, Hans Jr., comes home and expresses
his embarrassment that his father has not officially joined the Nazi party yet.
• Hans explains that he is on a waiting list with the Nazis because he once helped a Jewish man
whose home was burning down. Hans Jr. is deeply embarrassed by this fact. He is also outraged
that his father allows Liesel to read the Gravedigger's Handbook and storms out of the house
when Hans tries to defend her.
• At the bonfire, Liesel realizes that her mother was a Communist and that this is why she was
taken away. She tells Hans that she hates the Fuehrer, but Hans hushes her, saying she cannot
speak that way in public because it is defamatory to the government and could put everyone in
danger.
• Liesel sees that some of the books on the bonfire haven't burned yet, so she steals one from
the top of the pile, entitled, "The Shoulder Shrug". She hides the book under her shirt and it
burns her ribs. She feels someone watching her and turns around to see a figure in the
alleyway, but she does not throw the book back.
Part Three, Mein Kampf

• The book Liesel stole begins to burn her ribs so badly that she has to take it out from her shirt.
Hans is not angry when he sees the stolen book, but asks Liesel to keep a secret for him as well.
The next morning, Hans goes to the bookstore and buys a copy of Mein Kampf.
• Liesel knows that it was the mayor's wife who saw her steal the book, and refuses to go to
collect laundry from their house because she is afraid the wife will turn her in for thievery.
When she cannot avoid the house any longer, the mayor's wife invites Liesel inside and shows
her their vast library.
19
• Meanwhile, there is a young man who lives in complete darkness in another city in Germany.
He lies on the floor all day, too afraid to move lest the Nazi's find him. He has a friend who visits
him from time to time bringing food. One day, the friend arrives with a book. Inside is an
identity card and a key that will help him escape. He's told to find a man named Hans
Hubermann.
• Liesel spends her days with the mayor's wife reading books in the library. She realizes that the
mayor's wife recently lost her only child, a son. Liesel feels terribly sorry for her, as she is such a
nice woman. In the evenings, Liesel and Rudy go to the farms and steal food, since both families
are struggling.
• The young man escapes the darkness and boards a train out of the city. He is terrified of being
caught, because he is Jewish and could be sent to the concentration camps, or killed. He reads
the book Mein Kampf on the train. When he arrives at the Hubermann's house, he uses the key
inside to unlock their door.
• Liesel and Rudy ice the ground outside of a church in order to steal the food basket from the
boy who delivers there. They end up hurting the boy more than they anticipated but still steal
from him and run away.
• One night, they are also caught stealing from a farmer. When they try to flee the scene, Rudy
gets caught in the fence. Liesel and the rest of the gang of thieves return to help him. They've
all grown very close to each other during their summer of stealing.
Part Four, The Standover Man

• When Hans was a young man, he fought in WWI alongside a Jewish man named Erik
Vandenberg, an accordion teacher who taught Hans how to play.
• Vandenberg volunteered Hans to stay back and write notes while the rest of the squad went
into battle. Everyone except for Hans died, and Hans believed Vandenberg saved his life.
• He tried to return Vandenberg's accordion to his widow, but she didn't want it. Hans offered
to help the family any way he could. Frau Vandenberg saved his address, and years later, gave it
to her son, Max, who was trying to escape the Nazi party in WWII.
• When Max was a boy, he was often bullied by other classmates for being a Jew. He usually
fought the same boy, Walter Kugler. Walter typically won the fights against Max, but grew to
respect his determination. When the Nazis came to round up the Jews, Walter helped Max find
Hans Hubermann's home.
• Max stays in the spare bed in Liesel's room. Hans speaks sternly with her, explaining that if
she ever lets anyone know that Max is staying with them, Hans and Rosa will be taken away
forever. Liesel agrees to keep the secret.
20
• Max has nightmares in the night, like Liesel, but his nightmares are about what happened to
his family after he left them to be arrested. He sleeps for three days straight. When he awakes,
he is brought down to the basement, and the entrance is covered with drop cloths and paint
cans.
• In the winter, the basement is too cold for Max, so he is allowed to come upstairs and read in
the living room. He tells Liesel about his nightmares and the book he's reading. The two bond.
Liesel's nightmare comes less frequently and she tells Hans she no longer needs him to sit with
her at night.
• Liesel's birthday comes and goes, and Max is embarrassed that he has no gift to give her. For
the next few weeks, he works painting the pages of his book, Mein Kampf, into a new book
entitled "The Standover Man" which he gives to Liesel. She treasures it.
Part Five, The Whistler

• Liesel spends most of her days in the basement talking with Max. One day he asks Liesel to
give him a haircut, which she does fairly well. On the days she's not with Max, Liesel spends her
time reading with Frau Hermann. She reads the same book over and over, entitled "The
Whistler".
• Liesel and Max begin a game in which Liesel describes the outside weather in as many colorful
words as she can think up. Max begins to have a recurring dream in which he is in a boxing
match with Hitler. In his dream, the entire German nation jumps into the ring and beats Hitler
down.
• Max begins keeping a journal of his experiences, and Liesel is shocked to see how much anger
he pours into the pages. Frau Hermann offers to give Liesel the book "The Whistler," but Liesel
refuses. The next day, Frau Hermann insists she take it.
• That day, Frau Hermann gives a letter to Liesel firing Rosa from laundry service. Liesel is
outraged and calls Frau Hermann a pathetic woman. She gives the book back, saying that she
would never accept a gift from such a women as she.
• Rudy is having trouble with his Youth Hitler League after standing up for a hearing impaired
boy who couldn't do the marches on time. He is also bullied by the new gang leader, Viktor,
who treats Rudy and Liesel poorly in their apple stealing adventures.
• Liesel and Rudy break into the mayor's house so that Liesel can steal back her copy of "The
Whistler," but when she escapes, she forgets her shoes. Rudy breaks back into the house later
to retrieve Liesel's shoes and to prove his bravery.
• Rudy continues to act up during his Hitler Youth meetings and is beaten by other members
when he is on the street, even being stabbed with a pocket knife. He is caught stealing apples
from a local market and is forced to admit that his family is starving.
21
• Viktor steals Liesel's book and throws it into the river. Rudy swims out to get it and asks Liesel
for a kiss in return. She refuses, and Rudy never asks her for affection again.
Part Six, The Dream Carrier

• Near Christmas, Liesel brings snow into the basement so Max can see it and so they can build
a snowman together. Shortly after, Max falls ill and collapses. Rosa believes he has caught
sickness from the cold.
• Liesel rarely leaves Max's side while he is sick and believes that if she brings gifts for him, he
might become well again. She gathers thirteen gifts and prays relentlessly at his bedside. She
hates Max for leaving her.
• Liesel sneaks back into Frau Hermann's library to steal another book. This time it's "The
Dream Catcher". Liesel overhears Rosa saying that she doesn't know what she will do with
Max's body if he were to die. No one knows he is hiding with them, and they cannot bury him.
• Liesel makes Rosa promise that if Max wakes up while she is at school, Rosa will come and
fetch her. When Max awakens, he thanks Liesel for all of his gifts.
• While playing soccer one day, Liesel sees men walking through the neighborhoods checking
house basements to see which are appropriate for bomb shelters. She knows they will spot
Max, so she fakes being injured so she can rush home and warn him.
Part Seven, The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus

• Hans begins to work again, as everyone in the neighborhood wants him to come paint their
windows black as the threat of air raids becomes reality. Sometimes he isn't paid in cash, but is
paid in goods. Once he is paid in champagne, and he allows Liesel to drink some with him.
• Rudy is very busy over the summer with his Hitler youth group. He signs up for four races at
the Youth carnival. He wins the first three races but is so terrified of losing in front of his old
crew that he purposely gets disqualified so they won't see him lose.
• Liesel returns to Frau Hermann's house to steal another book. A dictionary and thesaurus are
propped on the window, with a note from Frau Hermann stating that she knows Liesel is
stealing from her, but that she isn't mad. She hopes one day Liesel will return through the door,
not the window, to visit the library.
• The air raid sirens go off in the middle of the night. Liesel, Rosa, and Hans hurry to a
neighbor's to hide in their bomb shelter. Liesel spends the whole time worrying about Max.
When they return, Max admits that while everyone was in their basements, he sneaked
upstairs to look at the sky.
22
• When the air raid sirens go off a few weeks later, everyone in the bomb shelter is terrified.
Liesel takes control of the situation and begins to read aloud, calming everyone. Frau Holtzapfel
knocks on Liesel's door and asks if she will come over and read to her once a week in exchange
for coffee. Liesel agrees.
• One day a truck carrying Jewish prisoners to Dachau breaks down and the soldiers decide to
march the prisoners through town. Hans sees a starving man and offers him a piece of bread
from his lunchbox. A nearby soldier beats both the prisoner and Hans.
• Hans realizes that everyone in the neighborhood has seen him show kindness to a prisoner
and that the Gestapo will certainly come to arrest him now. If they do, they will see Max hiding
in the basement. He rushes home and tells Max that he can no longer stay with them.
Part Eight, The Word Shaker

• Two men come to speak with Rudy's parents about admitting him to a new school for Hitler
Youth. Rudy's parents don't want him to go. The Hitler Youth Organization hears about Rudy's
speed at winning races and sends him for a physical. He has to strip naked in front of a doctor,
nurse, and other boys. He is mortified.
• Instead of receiving the punishment he was expecting, Hans is told that he has been accepted
into the Nazi party and that he must join the military to defend Germany. Rudy's father, Herr
Steiner, is also drafted into the military.
• Liesel and Rudy run away in the middle of the night after their fathers are forced to leave
town for boot camp. Rudy claims that he is responsible for his father being sent away because
he didn't want to join the special school. He also admits to hating Hitler. The children return
home.
• Liesel is awakened in the middle of the night to the sound of Hans' accordion. She thinks he
has returned home, but finds that it is Rosa, sitting on their bed, with Hans' accordion strapped
around her neck.
• Rudy's father is assigned the job of sewing soldier uniforms that have been damaged during
the fighting. Hans is assigned the dangerous job of entering towns after they have been
bombed to put out fires. He sees so much pain that he cannot bring himself to write letters
home to his family.
• Liesel becomes increasingly interested in the parades of Jewish soldiers in the city. She is sure
that one day she will see Max. She leaves bread out on the streets for the prisoners to eat and
sits in the trees watching them.
23
Part Nine, The Last Human Stranger
• Liesel breaks into the mayor's house again to steal another book. She finds a plate of
Christmas cookies waiting on the desk. She hands the cookies down to Rudy. Just then, Frau
Hermann enters the room and awkwardly confronts Liesel. Liesel escapes out the window.
• Liesel walks over to Frau Holtzapfel's house to read to her. She finds that Frau Holtzapfel is
already visiting with one of her sons. She learns that Frau Hoptzapfel's other son was killed
during the war. When she tries to read, Frau Holtzapfel is unresponsive, which worries Liesel.
• Meanwhile, Hans is playing poker with a few men from his division. One man loses and
becomes very irritated. The disgruntled player demands to sit in Hans' seat during the truck ride
back to base. The truck hits a bomb and the poker player is killed. Hans is shocked that his life
has been spared yet again.
• During the explosion, Hans breaks his leg. The military decides that he should be sent home to
recover. Hans writes a letter to his family telling them the good news.
• Michael Holtzapfel, Frau Holtzapfel's son, arrives at Liesel's home to tell her that his mother
will no longer travel to the bomb shelter during air raid drills. He is very worried about her.
During the drill, both Liesel and Rosa try to get Frau Holtzapfel into the shelter, but she refuses.
• After the drill is over, Rudy emerges from the shelter to find that an American airplane has
crashed near the river. The pilot is fatally wounded. While watching the pilot die, Rudy hands
the man a teddy bear and hopes it comforts him in death.
Part Ten, The Book Thief

• Hans returns home to great celebration. He continues to play his accordion and he takes an
office job with the Nazi party while his leg heals. Jewish prisoners are still paraded around
town, and Liesel continues to search for Max in the parades.
• A few months after Hans returns home, Michael Holtzapfel is found hanging from a shop
window. Hans is the one who breaks the news to Frau Holtzapfel. He also delivers a note
Michael wrote apologizing for his actions.
• One day, Liesel finally sees Max as he is being marched through the town. She runs into the
street and tries to march with him, but a soldier pulls her away and beats her with his whip.
Rudy runs to her rescue and pulls her to safety. Liesel confesses everything about Max to Rudy.
• Liesel returns to Frau Hermann's library one final time. She is so filled with anger, that she
tears the book she steals to shreds. She writes a letter of apology to Frau Hermann. Frau
Hermann is so moved, she encourages Liesel to write a book, claiming the girl has a talent for
writing. Liesel pens a book entitled "The Book Thief".
24
• An air raid descends on the city in the middle of the night. The neighborhood is destroyed.
Liesel is the only survivor, as she was in the basement of the house when the bombs hit. She
walks up and down the streets, watching as her loved one's bodies are pulled from the
wreckage.
Epilogue, The Last Color

• Frau Hermann finds Liesel after the bombing and takes her home, attempting to care for her.
Herr Steiner returns from the war to learn that his family has all died. He and Liesel bond over
their shared grief.
• Liesel begins to work for Herr Steiner in his tailoring shop. After some time, Max comes to
find her working there.
• Liesel dies in Sydney, Australia, surrounded by her children and grandchildren. When Death
comes for her, she is ready. Death shows her a copy of the book "The Book Thief". He admits to
carrying the book around in his pocket. He claims that the book has not helped him understand
humanity, but it has made him feel haunted.
25
Character Descriptions
Liesel Meminger
This character grows up in the foster parent system and learns to read and steal there.
Hans Hubermann
This character is a house painter who agrees to help a young Jewish man hide out and get food,
even though it is considered a mortal sin.
Rosa Hubermann
This character is a laundress with a vulgar mouth who is kindhearted but does not know how to
express emotions.
Rudy Steiner
This character is athletic, smart, stubborn, and obsessed with Olympic runner Jesse Owens.
Herr Steiner
This character is a tailor who loses most business during the war because many customers are
Jewish.
Frau Holtzapfel
This character spits on the neighbor's door every day and refuses to seek shelter when the air
raids go off.
Max Vandenburg
This character lives in the darkness before boarding a train with a copy of "Mein Kampf" and
living in a basement under a pile of paint cans.
26
Frau Ilsa Hermann
This character is deeply depressed and shares the household library with a neighborhood child
known to be a thief.
Tommy Muller
This character was once lost in the dead of winter and became deaf in both ears due to the
accident.
Adolf Hitler
This person was the ruler of Germany during World War II who felt that blue-eyed and blond
haired Germans were the superior race of the world.
27
Object Descriptions
The Grave Digger's Handbook
This is the first book Liesel steals from the cemetery where her brother is buried.
The Shoulder Shrug

This is the book Liesel steals from a bonfire designed to burn books that go against the
philosophy of the Nazi party.
The Whistler
This is the book Liesel reads every time she goes to Ilsa's library; it is the same book Ilsa
eventually gives to Liesel as a gift.
The Dream Carrier

This is the second book Liesel steals from Ilsa Hermann's library.
The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus

This is the book Ilsa leaves for Liesel when she realizes the girl is stealing from her.
The Standover Man

This is a book that Max writes for Liesel.
The Word Shaker

This story is a metaphorical illustration of Max and Liesel's relationship.
Hans' Accordion
This is the object Rosa straps to her chest to feel closer to her husband while he is off at war.
28
Paint Cans and Drop Cloths
These are the objects the Hubermann family uses to hide Max under.
The Book Thief

This is the book Liesel writes about her life.
Bomb Shelter
This is where Liesel and her family hide out during the air raids of WWII.
Himmel Street
This is where Liesel lives with the Hubermanns.
Molching
This is the small, rural community outside of Munich where the Hubermanns and the Steiners
live.
Munich
This is a large, metropolitan city in Germany.
29
Daily Lessons
Lesson 1 (from Prologue, A Mountain Range of Rubble, and
Part One, The Grave Digger's Handbook)
Objective
Prologue, A Mountain Range of Rubble, and Part One, The Grave Digger's Handbook
NARRATION - In this chapter, the reader is introduced to the narrator of the story. It becomes
increasingly clear that the narrator is Death, even though this fact is not explicitly stated. The
objective of this lesson is for students to explore the character of the narrator, and discuss why
Death might be narrating Liesel's story.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of adjectives used to describe the narrator of the story.
Does the narrator seem like a kind character, or a cruel one? How can you tell?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast the voice of the narrator with the voice of
Liesel. What is the same about their voices? What is different? Is there anything unexpected /
surprising in this comparison?
3.) Group Activity: Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 students to discuss the choice of making
Death the narrator of Liesel's story. When did you know Death was the narrator? What clues
were given? Why isn't Death ever explicitly named? Have each group give a five-minute
presentation of their findings.
4.) Class Discussion: Why do you think 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? Do you
think having Death narrate the story adds more tension to the story? Why or why not?
5.) Homework: Have each student rewrite one scene from the opening chapter from the
perspective of a different narrator, such as Liesel, Liesel's mother, or one of the foster parents.
What is gained through this different narration? What is different? Have each student write a
short report of their theories.
30
Objective
DEATH - In this chapter, Liesel's younger brother dies while they are traveling by train to their
foster family's house. The objective of this lesson is for students to explore the element of
death in young Liesel's life, and to discuss how the death of her younger brother affected
Liesel's attitude.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of characters who die in the opening chapter of the
novel. Why do you think death is such a present force in the opening of the novel?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast Liesel's reaction to her brother's death with her
mother's reaction to the death. What is the same about their reactions? What is different? Is
there anything unexpected / surprising in this comparison?
3.) Class Debate: Based on the description of the young boy's death, does it seem like Liesel's
brother's death could have been prevented? Divide the class into two groups for a cross
classroom debate. After 15 minutes, add another complication: How do you think he died?
4.) Class Discussion: Where was Liesel's brother buried after he died? Why is this burial spot
significant? 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.) Homework: How did Liesel's attitude change after her brother died? Do you think Liesel's
changing personality had to do with the death, or other forces in her life? How can you tell?
Have each student write a short report of their theories, citing examples from the text to
strengthen their arguments.

Objective
31
FOSTER CARE - In this chapter, Liesel is sent to live in the foster care system by her mother. Her
foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, are interesting characters with totally different
parenting styles than what Liesel is used to. The objective of this lesson is for students to
explore the characters of Liesel's foster parents and to discuss why Liesel is put in foster care in
the first place.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of adjectives used to describe the foster care system at
the time Liesel enters it. Does it sound like a safe place for children to be sent? Why or why
not?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast the parenting styles of Liesel's birth mother
with her foster mother. What is the same about their parenting styles? What is different? Is
3.) Class Debate: Do you think Liesel's birth mother was a good parent to her? Divide the class
into two groups for a cross classroom debate. After 15 minutes, add another complication: Why
do you think she chose to put Liesel in foster care?
4.) Class Debate: Do you think the Hubermanns are good parents to Liesel? Divide the class into
two groups for a cross classroom debate. After 15 minutes, add another complication: What
changes do the Hubermanns make in the way Liesel is raised?
5.) Homework: What is Liesel's reaction to being put into foster care? What resentments does
she hold? Toward whom? Have each student write a short report of their theories, citing
examples from the text to strengthen their arguments.
Lesson 4 (from Part Two, The Shoulder Shrug)

Objective
NAZIS - In this chapter, Hans Jr. gets into a discussion with his father about the Nazi party, and
his embarrassment that Hans hasn't joined yet. The objective of this lesson is for students to
explore the presence of the Nazi party in the novel, and to discuss whether or not the Nazi
party was responsible for Liesel being taken away from her mother.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of characters who are members of the Nazi party. Does
the Nazi party seem to be in the majority or minority of government power? How can you tell?
32
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast Hans. Jr.'s views of the Nazi party with Hans
Sr.'s view of the Nazi party. What is the same about their views? What is different? Is there
anything unexpected / surprising in this comparison?
3.) Class Debate: Do you think the Nazi party is responsible for Liesel's separation from her
mother? Divide the class into two groups for a cross classroom debate. After 15 minutes, add
another complication: What does Liesel overhear at the bonfire that leads her to believe the
party is responsible?
4.) Class Discussion: Why is Hans Jr. so embarrassed that his father has not joined the Nazi
party? Do you think Hans Jr.'s embarrassment is founded? Why or why not? What event has
held Hans Sr. back from joining the party? Do you think he truly wants to be a Nazi? Why or
why not?
5.) Homework: The most important text to the Nazi party at the time of the novel's setting was
Adolf Hitler's book, Mein Kampf. Why was this book so important to the Nazi party? How did
Hans Jr. feel about this book? In what situation does Hans Jr. quote from the book? What does
this interaction tell the readers about his character? Have each student write a short report of
their theories, citing examples from the text to strengthen their arguments.

Objective
THE BONFIRE - in this chapter, Liesel is excited to hear that the Nazi party will be holding a
bonfire to rid society of inappropriate books. The objective of this lesson is for students to
explore the setting of the bonfire, and to discuss various characters' reactions to the burning of
the books.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of characters who were present for the Nazi book
burning. Are there any characters not present at the event? What political danger does ignoring
the book burning put absent characters in?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast Liesel's reaction to the book burning before it
began, with her reaction to the book burning after it was complete. What is the same about her
reaction? What is different? Is there anything unexpected / surprising in this comparison?
3.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of books the Nazi party deemed inappropriate and
ordered burned. What topics seem to be most common in these banned books? Does this
surprise you? Why or why not?
33
4.) Group Activity: Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 students to research book burning
events throughout history. Typically, who ordered the book burnings? What types of books
were usually burned? How do the book burnings listed throughout history compare / contrast
to the book burning in the novel? Have each group write a short report of their theories.
5.) Homework: Why does Liesel's opinion of the book burning change so drastically in this
chapter? Why does Liesel steal a book from the burning pile? What does this act of defiance tell
the reader about her character? Have each student write a short report of their theories, citing

Objective
CHORES - in this chapter, Liesel is given a list of chores to complete daily by Rosa. One of the
new chores is collecting Rosa's laundry orders, since she has been fired. The objective of this
lesson is for students to explore the chores Liesel is expected to complete, and to discuss why
Rosa gives her the chores she does.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of chores Rosa expects Liesel to complete on a daily
basis. Do you think Liesel has too many chores for a girl her age? Why or why not?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare /contrast the public's reaction to Rosa as the laundress
with their reaction to Liesel as the laundress. What is the same about their reactions? What is
different? Is there anything unexpected / surprising in this comparison?
3.) Class Debate: Do you think it was smart for Rosa to send Liesel on laundry chores, or will it
backfire? Divide the class into two groups for a cross classroom debate. After 15 minutes, add
another complication: What motivation does Rosa have for sending Liesel on laundry duty? Do
you understand her motivations? Why or why not?
4.) Class Discussion: Why must Liesel wash the doorway of the house as a daily chore? Do you
think Liesel's chores are demeaning? Why or why not? Do you think Rose Hubermann is
exploiting Liesel as her foster child? Why or why not?
5.) Homework: What chores do you have around the house? How do your daily or weekly
chores compare / contrast to Liesel's chores? What does this comparison tell you about the
time in which Liesel lived? Have each student write a short report of their theories citing
34
Lesson 7 (from Part Three, Mein Kampf)
Objective
FRAU HERMANN - In this chapter, Liesel figures out that it was Frau Hermann, the mayor's wife,
who saw her stealing the book from the bonfire. She visits Frau Hermann and realizes that she,
like Liesel's own mother, lost a son. The objective of this lesson is for students to explore the
character of Frau Hermann and to discuss why she and Liesel bond.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of adjectives used to describe Frau Hermann. Do you
think she is a sympathetic character? Why or why not?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast the character of Frau Hermann with the
character of Liesel's mother. What is the same about these women? What is different? Is there
3.) Class Debate: Do you think Frau Hermann should have turned Liesel in for stealing the book
from the bonfire? Divide the class into two groups for a cross classroom debate. After 15
minutes, add another complication: Why do you think Frau Hermann took pity on Liesel, and
kept her mouth shut?
4.) Class Discussion: Why does Liesel try to avoid Frau Hermann? What prevents Liesel from
avoiding Frau Hermann any longer? What does Frau Hermann say to Liesel in regards to the
stolen book? What does the conversation between Frau Hermann and Liesel (about the book
theft) tell the reader about both of their characters?
5.) Homework: Why do you think Liesel and Frau Hermann form such a close bond? Is this bond
surprising? Why or why not? What are each of these two characters gaining from their
relationship with the other? Have each student write a short report of their theories, citing

Objective
35
RUDY - In this chapter, the relationship between Liesel and Rudy grows as the two begin to
steal regularly together. The objective of this lesson is for students to explore the growing
friendship between Rudy and Liesel, and to discuss whether or not the relationship is healthy.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of adjectives used to describe Rudy. Why do you think
Liesel is so drawn to him at school?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast the home lives of Rudy and Liesel. What is the
same about their home lives? What is different? Is there anything unexpected / surprising in
this comparison?
3.) Class Discussion: Do you think the relationship between Liesel and Rudy is a healthy one, or
are the two bad influences on each other? Divide the class into two groups for a cross
classroom debate. After 15 minutes, add another complication: Who do you think is the
ringleader in their relationship, and who is the follower?
4.) Class Discussion: How do Liesel's foster parents feel about her friendship with Rudy? How do
Rudy's parents feel about Liesel? Do you think the bad behavior between Rudy and Liesel is
escalating, or are they simply acting like naughty children? Why might this distinction be
important in the story?
5.) Homework: When Liesel and Rudy are caught stealing from the farmer, this is the moment
when their relationship changes. How do the children react to being caught stealing? How does
this event cement the bond between the two thieves? Have each student write a short report
of their theories, citing examples from the text to strengthen their arguments.

Objective
THE YOUNG MAN - In this chapter, the reader is introduced to a young Jewish man who lives in
the shadows in Germany. He is approached by a friend who gives him a new identity card and a
key to the Hubermann's house. The objective of this lesson is for students to explore the
character of the young man, and to discuss why he might be sent to the Hubermann's house for
safety.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of adjectives used to describe the young man. Do you
think he is a character of good or ill will? How can you tell?
36
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast the life the young man was living before his
escape, with his life after his escape. What is the same about his living conditions? What is
3.) Class Debate: Do you think the young man is entering danger or safety by entering the
Hubermann household? Divide the class into two groups for a cross classroom debate. After 15
minutes, add another complication: Why do you think he is so afraid to turn the key?
4.) Group Activity: Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 students to research the smuggling of
Jews throughout Europe during WWII. What systems were put in place to safely smuggle Jews
out of Germany? How do you see this history reflected in the story of the young man? Have
each group give a five-minute presentation of their findings.
5.) Homework: What is the significance of the book, Mein Kampf, in the young Jewish man's
escape? How is this book used ironically as the key to the man's escape? Have each student
write a short report of their theories, citing examples from the text to strengthen their
arguments.
Lesson 10 (from Part Four, The Standover Man)

Objective
THE VANDENBERGS - In this chapter, the reader learns the history that binds Hans to the Jewish
Vandenberg family from WWI. The objective of this lesson is for students to explore the
relationships between these two families and to discuss how their lives have become
intrinsically interlinked.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of members of the Vandenberg family. How many of
these members' lives were touched by the kind acts of Hans Hubermann?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast the family lives of the Vandenberg family and
the Hubermann family. What is the same about their family lives? What is different? Is there
3.) Class Debate: Do you think Erik Vandenberg is responsible for saving Hans Hubermann's life
during WWI? Divide the class into two groups for a cross classroom debate. After 15 minutes,
add another complication: Why does Hans believe Erik saved his life? Do you understand his
argument? Why or why not?
37
4.) Class Discussion: How did Hans Hubermann and Erik Vandenberg become friends? What
lessons did Erik Vandenberg give to Hans Hubermann? How did Erik Vandenber's widow react
to seeing Hans Hubermann?
5.) Homework: After Erik Vandenberg was killed, Hans Hubermann vowed to help his family in
any way he could. Why do you think he made this promise to the family? In what way did the
Vandenberg family finally come to Hans for help? Have each student write a short report of

Objective
MAX - In this chapter, the reader is introduced to Max Vandenberg, Erik Vandenberg's son who
is staying with the Hubermanns for safety during WWII. The objective of this lesson is for
students to explore the character of Max Vandenberg and to discuss how his life is similar to
Liesel's.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of adjectives used to describe Max Vandenberg. Do you
think he is a sympathetic character? Why or why not?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast Max Vandenberg's character from when he was
a child to his character when he was an adult. What is the same about his character? What is
3.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast Max's experiences with bullies in school with
Liesel's experiences with bullies in school. What is the same about their experiences? What is
4.) Class Debate: Do you think Max is safe from the Nazis living in the Hubermann basement?
Divide the class into two groups for a cross classroom debate. After 15 minutes, add another
complication: Do you think Liesel will be able to keep the secret about their house guest? Why
or why not?
5.) Homework: There were many people who helped Max along on his journey to safety from
the Nazis. Choose one character that helped him along the way and explain what role they
played in ensuring Max's safety. What do you think would have happened to Max had it not
been for this character's intervention? Have each student write a short report of their theories,
citing examples from the text to strengthen their arguments.
38
Objective
NIGHTMARES - In this chapter, both Liesel and Max continue to have terrible nightmares, which
bond the two as terrified children. The objective of this lesson is for students to explore the
themes of the nightmares both Liesel and Max are having, and to discuss how these nightmares
bring the two characters closer together.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of objects present in Liesel's recurring nightmare. What
seems to be the metaphoric theme most present in her nightmare?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of objects present in Max's recurring nightmare. What
seems to be the metaphoric theme most present in his nightmare?
3.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast Liesel's reaction to her recurring nightmare with
Max's reaction to his recurring nightmare. What is the same about their reactions? What is
4.) Homework: Have each student write a short essay describing a nightmare they've had
recently, or one they remember from their childhood. Why do you think this nightmare plagued
you? How do the themes of your nightmare compare / contrast to the themes in either Max or
Liesel's nightmare? Have each student write a short report of their theories, citing examples
from the text to strengthen their arguments.
5.) Homework: The recurring nightmares shared by Liesel and Max serve to bring the two
characters much closer together. How do the nightmares act as a bonding force between the
two characters? Have each student write a short report of their theories, citing examples from
the text to strengthen their arguments.
Lesson 13 (from Part Five, The Whistler)

Objective
THE GANG - In this chapter, Rudy and Liesel continue to make the rounds throughout their city,
stealing with a gang of rough children. The objective of this lesson is for students to explore the
39
activities of the gang Liesel and Rudy are a part of, and to discuss the various leaders who have
run the gang of children.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of characters who are members of the street gang. Do
any of these members surprise you? Why or why not?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast the leadership of the gang before the war broke
out with the leadership after the war broke out. What is the same about this leadership? What
is different? Is there anything unexpected / surprising in this comparison?
3.) Class Debate: Do you think Viktor Chemmel is a good gang leader? Divide the class into two
groups for a cross classroom debate. After 15 minutes, add another complication: Do you think
he treats all the members of his gang fairly? Why or why not?
4.) Group Activity: Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 students to research modern day gangs
in American society. How do these gangs compare / contrast to the type of gang Liesel and
Rudy are a part of? Have each group give a five-minute presentation of their theories.
5.) Homework: Why do you think Liesel and Rudy decide to join a gang in the first place? What
kind of security might the two children get from being part of a gang? Have each student write
a short report of their theories, citing examples from text to strengthen their arguments.

Objective
THE KISS - In this chapter, Rudy asks Liesel for a kiss, but she refuses him, even though she
thinks she might like to kiss him. The objective of this lesson is for students to explore the
growing relationship between Liesel and Rudy, and to discuss why the two did not kiss that day
by the river.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a time line of events that led to changes in the relationship
between Liesel and Rudy. How were all these moments leading the pair to the moment of
affection down by the river?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast Liesel's reaction to the almost-kiss at the river
with Rudy's reaction to the almost-kiss at the river. What is the same about their reactions?
What is different? Is there anything unexpected / surprising in this comparison?
40
3.) Class Debate: Do you think Liesel and Rudy would make a good romantic couple? Divide the
class into two groups for a cross classroom debate. After 15 minutes, add another complication:
As a reader, did you want Liesel and Rudy to kiss by the river? Why or why not?
4.) Homework: Why do you think Liesel decided that Rudy was not the man for her? Why do
you think she refused his kiss at the river? Do you agree with her decision? Why or why not?
5.) Homework: When Liesel turns Rudy down for a kiss, it becomes clear that she might have
feelings for someone else. How is this mystery lover described in the text? Who, aside from
Rudy, do you think Liesel might have romantic feelings for? How can you tell? Have each
student write a short report of their theories, citing examples from the text to strengthen their
arguments.

Objective
THE WHISTLER - in this chapter, Liesel continues to spend her days reading with Frau Hermann,
reading the same book "The Whistler" over and over. The objective of this lesson is for students
to explore the themes in the book "The Whistler" and to discuss why this book might have been
so important to Liesel.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of adjectives used to describe the book "The Whistler".
Why do you think this book was so important to Liesel at the time she was reading it?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast Liesel's reaction to "The Whistler" with Frau
Hermann's reaction to the book. What is the same about their reactions? What is different? Is
3.) Group Activity: Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 children to research that actual book
"The Whistler". Historically, how was this book received by the critics? What are the
overarching themes of this book? Why might it have had such emotional resonance with Liesel?
Have each group give a five-minute presentation of their findings.
4.) Class Discussion: Why do you think Liesel rejected Frau Hermann's offer to take the book
"The Whistler" home with her? Why do you think Frau Hermann wanted to give this book to
Liesel? Why do you think Liesel read this book over and over for days?
41
5.) Homework: At the end of this chapter, Liesel uses the book "The Whistler" as a weapon in
her fight with Frau Hermann. In which way does the book become a vehicle to inflict pain on
Frau Hermann? What makes Liesel so angry in the first place? Do you agree with her
manipulative use of the book in this interaction? Why or why not? Have each student write a
short report of their theories, citing examples from the text to strengthen their arguments.
Lesson 16 (from Part Six, The Dream Carrier)

Objective
ILLNESS - In this chapter, Max falls very ill and there is much speculation as to what caused the
sickness. The objective of this lesson is for students to explore the symptoms of Max's illness
and to discuss what the cause of his sickness might be.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of illness symptoms Max is suffering from. Does his
illness seem serious? How can you tell?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast the sickness Max is suffering from with the
sickness Liesel's brother suffered from at the opening of the novel. What is the same about
these illnesses? What is different? Is there anything unexpected / surprising in this comparison?
3.) Class Debate: Do you think Liesel is responsible for Max's illness, thanks to the snow she
brought down into the basement? Divide the class into two groups for a cross classroom
debate. After 15 minutes, add another complication: What other factors could have led to
Max's illness?
4.) Class Discussion: What methods of healing do Rosa and Hans try in order to bring Max back
into healthfulness? Does Liesel feel guilty for Max's illness, or does she think it is simply a
coincidence? How can you tell? Do you think Max will fully recover from his illness? Why or why
not?
5.) Homework: In this chapter, Rosa wonders what she will do with Max's body if his illness gets
the best of him and he dies. What options does Rosa have, if Max's illness requires outside
attention? Have each student write a short report of their theories, citing examples from the
text to strengthen their arguments.
42
Objective
GIFTS - In this chapter, Max falls ill and Liesel believes that if she brings him gifts, he may
become well again. The objective of this lesson is for students to explore the various gifts Liesel
brings to Max, and to discuss why Liesel might believe that gift giving is a cure-all.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of gifts Liesel brings to Max while he is ill. Where does
Liesel find the gifts she brings to Max?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast Rosa's reaction to Liesel's gift giving with Hans's
reaction to Liesel's gift giving. What is the same about their reactions? What is different? Is
3.) Class Debate: Do you think Liesel's gifts help to cure Max of his illness? Divide the class into
two groups for a cross classroom debate. After 15 minutes, add another complication: How
does Max react upon waking up, to all the gifts he is surrounded with?
4.) Class Discussion: What benefit might a feather have brought to Max while he was sick?
What about a flattened soccer ball? The description of a perfect cloud? Why does Liesel think
that these seemingly random items might have held value for Max in his sickness?
5.) Homework: Choose one of the gifts Liesel brought for Max and explain the emotional
significance it held for Liesel when she spotted it. What benefit does Liesel think this item might
bring to Max? Do you think this gift helps or hinders Max in his recovery process? Why? Have
each student write a short report of their theories, citing examples from the text to strengthen
their arguments.

Objective
FRIENDSHIP - In this chapter, Liesel tests the boundaries of her friendships with both Max and
Rudy. The objective of this lesson is for students to explore the friendships Liesel has formed
since moving to Munich and to discuss which of these friendships means more to her, and why.
43
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of characters that have become Liesel's friends since
she moved to Munich. Are you surprised by Liesel's popularity? Why or why not?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast the friendship Liesel has formed with Max with
the friendship she has formed with Rudy. What is the same about these friendships? What is
3.) Class Debate: Which friendship do you think means more to Liesel, her friendship with Rudy
or her friendship with Max? Divide the class into two groups for a cross classroom debate. After
15 minutes, add another complication: Which of the young men seems to value Liesel more?
How can you tell?
4.) Class Discussion: How does Liesel determine which of the youth in her neighborhood are
safe to become friends with? What activities does Liesel participate in that lead to her
friendships? Do you think the friendships Liesel makes while living in Munich will be long
lasting? Why or why not?
5.) Homework: Liesel seems to rebel against authority by choosing particularly dangerous boys
to become friends with. Which friendship do you think is more dangerous in Liesel's life, her
friendship with Rudy or her friendship with Max? Have each student write a short report of
Lesson 19 (from Part Seven, The Complete Duden Dictionary

and Thesaurus)
Objective
WORK - As the war progresses through the novel, more and more people begin to lose work.
Suddenly, with the increased frequency of air raid drills, Hans has more work that he can
handle, and is paid in strange currencies. The objective of this lesson is for students to explore
the rise and fall of work during WWII, and to discuss how the loss of work bonds the community
in Munich.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of characters that have lost work during the war. Why
does war affect work ability so greatly?
44
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast Hans' workload before the war with his
workload after the war. What is the same about his workload? What is different? Is there
3.) Class Debate: Do you think it is appropriate for Liesel to be helping Hans with his workload
during the war? Divide the class into two groups for a cross classroom debate. After 15
minutes, add another complication: Do you think it is appropriate for Liesel to help Rosa with
her workload? Why or why not?
4.) Class Discussion: What types of currencies do neighbors pay Hans with when they don't
have cash? How does Hans react to these unusual methods of payment? How does Liesel react
to the news that Hans is not making cash for the work he is doing? Do you understand with /
relate to Liesel's reaction? Why or why not?
5.) Homework: How does the loss of work bond the neighbors in Munich closer together? How
do you see the city rallying around each other rather than being torn apart? Have each student
write a short report of their theories, citing examples from the text to strengthen their
arguments.

and Thesaurus)
Objective
AIR RAIDS - In this chapter, the frequency of air raids heightens, forcing Liesel and her family
from their home. The objective of this lesson is for students to explore the significance of the
air raid drills, and to discuss how the characters react to the new dangers they are in during this
situation.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of characters who seek refuge in the neighborhood
bomb shelter during the air raid drills. Is there anyone left off this list, who is not allowed in the
bomb shelter?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast Liesel's reaction to the air raid drills with Max's
reaction to the air raid drills. What is the same about their reactions? What is different? Is there
3.) Group Activity: Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 students to research historical accounts
of time people spent in bomb shelters during the air raids of WWII. How do these accounts
45
compare / contrast to the account in the novel? Have each group give a five-minute
presentation of their findings.
4.) Class Debate: Do you think Max has come to appreciate or fear the air raid sirens in the
middle of the night? Divide the class into two groups for a cross classroom debate. After 15
minutes, add another complication: Why might Max have a different view of the air raid
dangers than anyone else in the neighborhood?
5.) Homework: Based on the descriptions given of the air raid bomb shelters in the novel,
create a model of a bomb shelter with materials you find around your house. Do you think a
bomb shelter would be a pleasant place to spend time? Why or why not? Have each student
write a short report of their theories.

and Thesaurus)
Objective
THE BREAD - In this chapter, Hans gives bread from his lunchbox to a starving Jewish prisoner
being led through the neighborhood. This single event could have catastrophic repercussions
on his safety and the safety of his family. The objective of this lesson is for students to explore
Hans' act of handing over the piece of bread, and what the results of this action might be.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of characters who witnessed Hans hand the piece of
bread to the Jewish prisoners. Why is Hans worried about who might have seen him?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast the prisoner's reaction to the bread Hans hands
him with the guard's reaction to the bread Hans hands the prisoner. What is the same about
their reactions? What is different? Is there anything unexpected / surprising in this comparison?
3.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of adjectives used to describe the prisoner Hans gave
the bread to. Why does he think the man is starving and in need of his help?
4.) Homework: How might you have reacted if you saw the Jewish prisoners being paraded
through your neighborhood? What risks were there to helping these prisoners? Why do you
think so many German citizens stood back and watched the abuse of the prisoners? Have each
student write a short report of their theories.
5.) Homework: The scene in which Hans hands the bread to a starving prisoner is very moving.
How might the scene be different if it was written from the perspective of either the starving
46
prisoner or the armed guard? Have each student rewrite this scene from one of these two
perspectives. How does the point-of-view change the emotional impact of the scene? Have
each student write a short report of their theories.
Lesson 22 (from Part Eight, The Word Shaker)

Objective
SCHOOL - In this chapter, Rudy's parents are approached by two men who would like to send
Rudy to a special school for Hitler Youth. In order to attend this school, Rudy must undergo a
physical, which humiliates him. The objective of this lesson is for students to explore the
various schools Rudy and Liesel attend over the course of the novel, and to discuss how Hitler
has a hand in what schools the children attend.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of adjectives Liesel uses to describe the school she
attends in Munich. How has her relationship with education changed over the course of the
novel?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast the school Rudy once attended with the school
the Hitler Youth Organization would like him to attend. What is the same about these schools?
3.) Class Debate: Do you think Rudy's parents should have forced him to attend the new Hitler
Youth school? Divide the class into two groups for a cross classroom debate. After 15 minutes,
add another complication: What reasons might Rudy's parents have had for rejecting the
Organization's offer?
4.) Group Activity: Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 students to discuss the new Hitler Youth
school. What doctrines do they preach? How is the message of this school different than the
message within your own school? Have each group give a five-minute presentation of their
findings.
5.) Homework: Before he can be accepted into the new Hitler Youth school, Rudy must undergo
a physical. What are the Nazi organizers hoping to discover during this test? How does the
experience of the physical affect Rudy's psychology and his relationship with Hitler? Have each
student write a short report of their theories.
47
Objective
MILITARY - In this chapter, both Liesel and Rudy's fathers are forced into the military by the
Hitler party, seemingly as punishment for disobeying Hitler's orders. The objective of this lesson
is for students to explore the role the military plays in daily life, and how the lives of the
Hubermann family and the Steiner family have changed since their men were drafted.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of characters that provide military service for Germany
throughout the course of the novel. How many of these men entered the military voluntarily?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast the military position Herr Steiner has with the
military position Hans has. What is the same about their positions? What is different? Is there
3. Class Debate: Do you think the Hitler Organization is using military service as punishment for
their civilians? Divide the class into two groups for a cross classroom debate. After 15 minutes,
add another complication: Do you think Hans would have been accepted into the Hitler
organization had he not helped the starving Jew? Why or why not?
4.) Class Discussion: Whose life do you think has changed more since the start of the war, the
Steiner family or the Hubermann family? Whose military job do you think is more dangerous,
Hans' or Herr Steiner's? How can you tell? Whose job uses the man's skill more, Hans' job or
Herr Steiner's?
5.) Homework: After joining with the military, Hans stops writing letters home to his family.
Why does he suddenly change his frequency of communication? Do you understand this change
in him? Why or why not? How have Liesel and Rosa coped with Hans' stopped communication?

Objective
48
PARADES - In this chapter, the Nazi military continues to parade Jewish prisoners through the
town, almost urging the civilians to come to their aid simply so they can be punished. The
objective of this lesson is for students to explore the purpose of the prisoner parades, and to
discuss the subtle ways civilians have tried to help the starving prisoners.
Lesson
1. Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast the way Hans helped the Jewish prisoners being
paraded around the town with the way Liesel helped the prisoners. What is the same about
their help? What is different? Is there anything unexpected / surprising in this comparison?
2.) Group Activity: Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 students to discuss the motivations the
Nazi military might have had for the prisoner parades. What message might the Nazis be trying
to send the townsfolk about the Jewish prisoners? Have each group give a five-minute
presentation of their theories.
3.) Class Debate: Do you think Liesel truly wants to see Max in the prisoner parade, or is she
fooling herself? Divide the class into two groups for a cross classroom debate. After 15 minutes,
add another complication: How do you think Liesel would react if she saw Max in the parade?
4.) Homework: Even though some of the townsfolk attempt to help the Jewish prisoners being
paraded through the streets, many turn a blind eye to the abuse. Why do you think so many
German citizens refused to help the prisoners? What does this lack of action tell you about
humanity? Have each student write a short report of their theories, citing examples from the
text to strengthen their arguments.
Lesson 25 (from Part Nine, The Last Human Stranger)

Objective
FRAU HERMANN - In this chapter, Frau Hermann shows Liesel what women are capable of if
they put their minds to something, which changes Liesel's opinions about the role of women in
her society. The objective of this lesson is for students to explore the character of Frau
Hermann, and to discuss the various lessons she teaches to Liesel through their strained
relationship.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of adjectives used to describe Frau Hermann. Do you
49
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast the relationship Liesel has with Frau Hermann
at the opening of the novel with the relationship she has with her at the end of the novel. What
is the same about these relationships? What is different? Is there anything unexpected /
surprising in this comparison?
3.) Class Debate: Do you think Frau Hermann is a "pathetic woman" as Liesel claims? Divide the
class into two groups for a cross classroom debate. After 15 minutes, add another complication:
Do you think Frau Hermann has allowed the death of her son to cloud her judgment?
4.) Group Activity: Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 students to discuss the ways Liesel's
relationship with Frau Hermann has changed over the course of the novel. Have each group
create a time line of events that have shaped the way these two characters interact. Have each
group give a five-minute presentation of their theories.
5.) Homework: When discussing the library, Frau Hermann completely changes the way Liesel
views women in society and the things they can accomplish. What message does Frau Hermann
give to Liesel about women? How is the library an example of this message? What do you think
Liesel will do with this information now that she has it? Have each student write a short report
of their theories, citing examples from the text to strengthen their arguments.
Lesson 26 (from Part Nine, The Last Human Stranger)

Objective
FRAU HOLTZAPFEL - In this chapter, the relationship Liesel has with Frau Holtzapfel begins to
change, particularly after she meets the Frau's son, Michael. The objective of this lesson is for
students to explore the character of Frau Holtzapfel, and to discuss how she has helped shape
Liesel's opinions about the war.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of adjectives used to describe Frau Holtzapfel. Do you
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast the relationship Rosa has with Frau Holtzapfel
with the relationship Liesel has with Frau Holtzapfel. What is the same about these
relationships? What is different? Is there anything unexpected / surprising in this comparison?
3.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast the relationships Frau Holtzapfel has with each
of her two sons. What is the same about these relationships? What is different? Is there
50
4.) Group Activity: Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 students to discuss Frau Holtzapfel's
bad habit of spitting on Rosa's door frame. What might Frau Holtzapfel's spitting be a metaphor
for? How does she finally break this bad habit? Have each group give a five-minute
presentation of their theories.
5.) Homework: When Frau Holtzapfel falls into a deep depression, Liesel is deeply affected. Why
do you think Liesel is so affected by Frau Holtzapfel's mood? What lesson do you think Liesel
learns from Frau Holtzapfel's emotions? Have each student write a short report of their
theories, citing examples from the text to strengthen their arguments.
Lesson 27 (from Part Ten, The Book Thief)

Objective
DEATH - In this chapter, both Rudy and Hans are forced to face death that occurs right around
them - Hans with the death of the poker player, and Rudy with the death of the airplane pilot.
The objective of this lesson is for students to explore the circumstances of the two deaths, and
to discuss how each of the men reacts when faced with death before their eyes.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of characters that have died throughout the course of
the novel. Which of these deaths has had the most impact on the plot of the novel? How can
you tell?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast Rudy's reaction when faced with death to Hans'
reaction when faced with death. What is the same about their reactions? What is different? Is
3.) Class Debate: Do you consider Rudy to be a brave character? Divide the class into two
groups for a cross classroom debate. After 15 minutes, add another complication: How does
Rudy act bravely when faced with the death of the airplane pilot?
4.) Class Discussion: Why do you think death is such a pervasive topic in this novel? Which
character's life has been most affected by death? How can you tell? How does the death of the
poker player also bring happy news? Why do you think Zusak chose to highlight this dichotomy
when discussing death in his novel?
5.) Homework: When the airplane pilot is dying, Rudy attempts to shield Liesel from the sight.
Why do you think Rudy reacts this way? How does Liesel respond to his shielding? What does
this interaction tell the reader about the changing relationship between Liesel and Rudy? Have
51
each student write a short report of their theories, citing examples from the text to strengthen
their arguments.
Lesson 28 (from Part Ten, The Book Thief)

Objective
LETTERS - In this chapter, various characters write letters to their loved ones, including the
letters of apology written by Liesel to Frau Hermann and the letter of apology written by
Michael Holtzapfel to his mother. The objective of this lesson is for students to explore the
practice of letter writing in this community, and to discuss what the letters tell the reader about
the characters that wrote them.
Lesson
1.) Class Activities: As a class, create a list of important letters that were written and delivered
throughout the novel. Which letter do you think had the most impact on the plot of the novel
as a whole?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast the letters of apology written by Liesel and
Michael. What is the same about these letters? What is different? Is there anything unexpected
/ surprising in this comparison?
3.) Class Debate: Whose letter do you think had more impact on its reader, Michael's or
Liesel's? Divide the class into two groups for a cross classroom debate. After 15 minutes, add
another complication: Why do you think these characters felt prompted to apologize via
handwritten letters rather than any other type of communication?
4.) Homework: Frau Hermann responded unexpectedly to the letter of apology written to her
by Liesel. What does Liesel's letter of apology say? How does Frau Hermann react to this
apology? Why is her reaction unexpected? Have each student write a short report of their
theories, citing examples from the text to strengthen their arguments.
5.) Homework: Have each student write a private letter to one of their loved ones. Then, have
the students write a short report describing the experience of letter writing. How does this
method of communication differ from all the other methods of communication available to us
today? Does this method of communication feel more or less intimate? Why?
52
Lesson 29 (from Epilogue, The Last Color)
Objective
BOMBING - In this chapter, Himmel Street is hit with a raid of bombs that decimates the
neighborhood. The objective of this lesson is for students to explore the practice of bombing
out cities during a war, and to discuss how Liesel reacts to the horrific bombing she survives
during the last chapter of the novel.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of characters that were killed during the bombing in the
final chapter. Were you surprised that so many characters died? Why or why not?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast the reaction from the town during the bombing
drills with their reaction during an actual bombing. What is the same about their reactions?
3.) Class Debate: Do you think it is believable that Liesel would be the only person to survive the
bombing in the final chapter of the novel? Divide the class into two groups for a cross
classroom debate. After 15 minutes, add another complication: From a craft perspective, why
might Zusak have wanted to keep Liesel alive?
4.) Group Activity: Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 students to research the military
practice of bombing cities during WWII. Why did these bombings occur? What military gain was
made by bombing civilians? How do you see this mentality expressed in the final chapter of the
novel? Have each group give a five-minute report of their theories.
5.) Homework: At the end of the novel, Liesel is forced to interact with the bodies of her loved
ones after the final bombing. Whose interaction was the most moving to you? Why? How does
Liesel's response to the bombing show the reader her character growth at the end of the novel?
Lesson 30 (from Epilogue, The Last Color)

Objective
53
ENDINGS - In this chapter, Zusak writes an epilogue to neatly tie up the stories of the characters
that are still alive at the end of the final chapter. The objective of this lesson is for students to
explore the use of an epilogue as an ending, and to discuss whether or not Zusak tried too hard
to give his characters neat, tidy endings.
Lesson
1.) Class Activity: As a class, create a list of characters that were important to the novel as a
whole. Which of these characters does Zusak give an ending to? Which does he leave out? Does
this decision surprise you? Why or why not?
2.) Class Activity: As a class, compare / contrast the ending Zusak gives to Liesel with the ending
he gives to Max. What is the same about their endings? What is different? Is there anything
unexpected / surprising in this comparison?
3.) Group Activity: Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 students to discuss the use of epilogues
as the ending to a novel. What is the point of an epilogue? Do you think an epilogue was
needed in this novel? Have each group give a five-minute presentation of their theories.
4.) Class Debate: Was the ending to this novel satisfactory? Divide the class into two groups for
a cross classroom debate. After 15 minutes, add another complication: Do you think Zusak tied
the story up too neatly? Why or why not?
5.) Homework: Choose one character that Zusak decided to give an ending to in the novel. Do
you think that this was a fair, or just, way for the character's story to end? Why or why not?
54
Fun Activities
Newspaper Clippings
Bring in a newspaper or magazine article that reminds you of one of the characters or scenes in
"The Book Thief". Be prepared to discuss who, or what, this article reminds you of, and why.
Alternate Ending
Write a scene giving the story an alternate ending. What might you change? How might the
message of the story be different if certain elements of the storyline were different? Write a
short report discussing your motivations for the plot changes.
Movie Version
Watch the movie version of this novel and write a short essay comparing / contrasting the two
stories. What is the same in both versions? What is different? Which version did you like
better? Why?
Foster Care
Do some research about the foster care system in place in our society today. How does this
system compare / contrast to the foster care system Liesel grew up in? Write a short report of
your findings.
Favorite / Least Favorite Character

Write a paragraph describing your favorite character from the novel. Then, write another
paragraph describing your least favorite character. Each paragraph should include examples
from the text to back up your arguments.
Trivia Time
Write a list of trivia questions regarding the characters of the novel and major themes
throughout the text. Give each question a point value and divide the classroom into teams. Ask
the questions Jeopardy style and the team with the highest number of points after a certain
amount of rounds will be proclaimed the winner.
55
Mein Kampf
Read a copy of "Mein Kampf" written by Adolf Hitler. Then, write a short report explaining why
this book was so important to the novel "The Book Thief".
Diary
Choose one character from the novel and create a diary written in that person's voice about
their experiences. Each diary should have at least ten short entries and span the length of the
entire novel.
Map
The novel gives the reader many physical descriptions of such places as Himmel Street, Munich
as a whole, and the bomb shelter. Using the descriptions in the text, create an in-depth map of
the landscape of one of the major locations in the novel.
Soundtrack
Create a CD soundtrack of 10 or mores songs that you think would be appropriate choices for
certain scenes if this book were ever made into a film. Create a list of songs and their
corresponding scenes, and bring them to class with a brief explanation of each selection.
Shadow Box
Use an empty shoebox to recreate a scene from the novel. Puncture a hole in one side so that
the viewer can peer through and see the scene in 3-D.
Author Investigation
Research the life of Markus Zusak and write a short report of his biography. Why might he have
been inclined to write a book about the horrors of WWII?
Interviews
Imagine that a reporter has come to Himmel Street to interview one of the characters from the
novel for the newspaper. Create a list of 10 questions that the reporter might ask them, and
imagine the character's answers.
56
Communism
Do some research about the fight against Communism in WWII. Why was Communism
considered "the enemy"? How did the war against Communism affect the characters of the
novel? Write a short report of your findings.
Accordions
Do some research about accordions. Are they a difficult instrument to learn to play? What facts
about accordions are most interesting to you? Do some research and bring the facts you have
learned about the instrument into class to share.
Books
Liesel writes many small books about her experiences throughout the novel. Write and
illustrate a short book of your own. Fold computer paper in half and staple it along the middle
to fashion a "book" of your own. Bring the published work into class for display.
Charades
Divide the classroom into two groups. Have students act out specific characters or events from
the novel without using words while their teammates attempt to guess. The team with the
most points after ten rounds is the winner.
Poetry
Many artists have written beautiful poetry about their experiences in WWII. Choose one scene
or emotion in the novel and write a poem that evokes that feeling.
Board Game
Create a board game based on the events of the novel. Think of interesting ways that game play
could progress, build the board and pieces, and be prepared to present your final project to the
class, ready to play.
Laundry Service
Do some research about the way laundry was washed during the second World War. After you
understand the method, try to wash a batch of your own clothing this way. What insight does
this process give you about Rosa's character? Write a short report of your experiences.
57
Essay Topics
Essay Topic 1
Many characters in this novel suffer from recurring nightmares. Choose two characters who
suffer from nightmares and describe the visions they have. How do these recurring nightmares
affect the way these characters interact with the world and each other?
Essay Topic 2
Both Liesel and Hans have an artistic talent that brings peace to stressful situations. First,
describe both Liesel and Hans' talents. Then, describe at least one situation when these
characters use their artistic skill in the attempts to calm a crowd. What is the effect of their
attempts?
Essay Topic 3
Rudy and Liesel have an interesting and dynamic relationship from the moment they meet.
First, describe how Liesel and Rudy meet. Then, describe how the relationship between these
two children changes over the course of the novel. Choose at least two major incidents from
the novel and explain how these incidents affected the relationship between the children.
Essay Topic 4
Ilsa Hermann is a woman devastated by loss in her life. First, explain the loss Ilsa Hermann
experiences. Then, describe how she attempts to cope with this loss. How does the loss in Ilsa
Hermann's life affect her relationship with Liesel?
Essay Topic 5
Liesel's life undergoes some major changes, starting with the opening chapter of the novel.
First, describe what Liesel's familial situation is like at the opening of the novel. Then, describe
what her familial situation is like at the end of the novel. What has changed about Liesel's sense
of family?
Essay Topic 6
While Max is living in the Hubermann's basement, he has little to no contact with the outside
world. First, describe how Max spends his days while he is confined to the basement. Then,
58
explain how Max manages to catch glimpses, both real and imagined, of what life is like on the
outside during his confinement.
Essay Topic 7
While he is living in the basement, Max writes two books for Liesel. Describe each of the books
in detail. Then, explain what message you think Max intended Liesel to take away from the
books. Do you think his messages were received? Why or why not?
Essay Topic 8
Hans manages to survive both World Wars even though he fought in both. First, describe how
Hans managed to survive the first World War. Then, compare / contrast that to the way Hans
managed to survive the second World War. What does Hans' knack for survival tell the reader
about his character?
Essay Topic 9
When Hans sees the starving Jewish prisoner being marched through town, he makes a snap
decision that permanently affects his family. What are the pros to Hans' decision regarding the
Jewish soldier? What are the cons? When the pros and cons are balanced, do you think Hans'
decision regarding the soldier is a good one? Why or why not?
Essay Topic 10
Adolf Hitler's book "Mein Kampf" is a very important prop in the plot of this novel. First,
describe what message Hitler was trying to send to the German people with his book. Then,
give at least two examples of scenes in which characters from the novel use "Mein Kampf" as a
tool to aid in the fight against Hitler.
Essay Topic 11
Zusak chooses a very interesting narrator in the voice of Death. First, describe at least two
scenes in which Death visits with Liesel. What does the reader learn about Death, and Liesel's
relationship with him during these interactions? Do you think Death was an effective narrator
for this novel? Why or why not?
59
Essay Topic 12
Liesel's journey into adulthood can be traced through the books she reads. Choose at least
three titles Liesel reads throughout the course of the novel and explain what Liesel learned
from each of these texts. Then, explain how the books Liesel reads can trace her growth into
adulthood using the three books you've selected as primary examples.
Essay Topic 13
The book burning at the opening of the novel is an event that has a profound effect on Liesel
and her relationship with the written word. First, describe why the Nazis were hosting a book
burning in the first place, and what they hoped to accomplish during this event. Then, explain
what inadvertent lessons Liesel learned by attending the event. From Liesel's perspective, was
the book burning a success? Why or why not?
Essay Topic 14
One of the ways Liesel finds acceptance after moving to a new school is to join a gang. First,
describe the gang Liesel was a part of. Who is the leader? What does the gang fight for? Then,
explain how the gang helps Liesel learn how to function within a group. How does this lesson
come in handy for Liesel later on in her life?
Essay Topic 15
When Max arrives at the Hubermann doorstep, Liesel is sworn to secrecy about his appearance.
Why are the Hubermanns so concerned with keeping Max's visit a secret? Does Liesel manage
to keep the secret? If so, how and why? If not, what are the effects of her slipped secret?
Essay Topic 16
When WWII broke out, the economy in Munich was devastated. First, describe how the
Hubermann and Steiner families were directly affected by the failing economy. Then, describe
how each family managed to pick themselves up by their bootstraps and survive while
surrounded by the abject poverty around them.
Essay Topic 17
Rudy's experience within the Hitler Youth Organization was one that haunted him throughout
his entire life. First, describe Rudy's initial experiences with the Hitler Youth Organization. Then,
explain why Rudy was forced to switch groups at various times throughout his Nazi career.
60
Finally, explain what skill Rudy exhibited, and how the Hitler Youth Organization responded to
his unexpected skill.
Essay Topic 18
At the closing of the novel, Liesel has penned a book of her own. First, describe the book Liesel
writes. What message does the book send to readers? After being separated from the book for
most of her life, how is the book finally returned to Liesel? What does she learn about the
message of her text upon its return? From Liesel's perspective, do you think the book she
authored was a success? Why or why not?
Essay Topic 19
One of the ways the Nazi soldiers sought to humiliate their Jewish prisoners was to march them
in parades through the cities. First, explain what message the Nazis were sending to the
villagers with the parades. From the Nazis' point of view, were the parades successful? Why or
why not? Finally, explain the various reactions villagers, like Hans and Liesel, had to seeing the
prisoners being paraded through their streets.
Essay Topic 20
Hans' relationship with his children is one that haunts him throughout his entire life. First,
describe the relationship Hans has with his son, Hans Jr. Then, compare / contrast that to the
relationship he has with Liesel. In your opinion, which relationship has a deeper impact on
Hans' view of the world? How can you tell?
61
1. Why is Liesel in a train at the opening of the novel?
2. What happens to Liesel's younger brother while he is on the train at the opening of the
novel?
3. What are Liesel's first impressions of Rosa and Hans Hubermann?
4. How does Hans treat Liesel during the first few weeks she is at his home?
5. How does Liesel fare during her first few weeks of school in Munich?
6. What chores is Liesel expected to complete around the house while she is living with Hans
and Rosa?
62
7. How does Rudy Steiner express his admiration for Jesse Owens?
8. How does Liesel celebrate her first Christmas with Hans and Rosa?
9. Where does Rosa get the idea to send Liesel on all of her sales calls for the laundry business?
10. How do Hans and Rosa react when Liesel asks for permission to write letters home to her
mother?
11. How do the citizens of Molching decide to celebrate the birthday of the Fueher?
12. Why is the relationship between Hans and Hans Jr. strained?
13. What reaction does Liesel have when she overhears someone use the word "Communist" at
the bonfire?
63
14. How does Liesel manage to get a hold of a copy of the book "The Shoulder Shrug"?
15. How does Liesel react when she realizes the mayor's wife saw her steal the book from the
bonfire?
16. When Frau Hermann invites LIesel inside her house, what does she show the young girl?
17. How is the mysterious young man in Stuttgart described when the reader sees him for the
first time?
18. Whose name is written on the inside covers of the books kept in Frau Hermann's library?
19. How do the Hubermann and Steiner families stretch the food they have during the
recession so no one goes hungry?
20. Who is Frau Diller?
64
21. How do Liesel and Rudy manage to steal a food basket from a church?
22. What objects are given to the mysterious young man in Stuttgart to help him escape the
city?
23. Who was Erik Vandenberg?
24. Why was Hans Hubermann asked to stay behind while the rest of his troop was sent in to
battle in France during WWI?
25. How was Max Vandenberg treated by his schoolmates as a child?
26. How did Erik Vandenberg's widow respond when Hans Hubermann came knocking at her
door?
27. How does Max escape from Stuttgard after the war breaks out?
65
28. How is Max greeted by the Hubermann family when he arrives on their doorstep?
29. Where do Hans and Rosa hide Max in their house?
30. What does Max give to Liesel on her birthday?
31. What dream does Max regularly have involving Hitler?
32. What relationship does Liesel have with the book "The Whistler"?
33. Why does Liesel angrily shout at Frau Hermann in the library of her house?
34. How does the Hitler Youth Organization leader treat Rudy when he sees him on the street
outside the church?
66
35. What happens when Viktor Chemmel steals the book Liesel is reading?
36. Why does Liesel bring snow into the basement during winter?
37. What fear does Rosa have if Max were to die?
38. What secret code do Liesel and Rosa concoct to communicate about Max in public?
39. How does Liesel save Max from being discovered when the men are trolling the
neighborhood inspecting basements?
40. Why does Hans suddenly begin working again during the summer of 1942?
41. How is Hans paid for the work he does during the summer of 1942?
67
42. How does Rudy perform at the summer Hitler Youth carnival?
43. How does Liesel come to own a Dictionary and Thesaurus?
44. How does the Hubermann family react during the first air raid drill of the year?
45. Why is Max forced to leave the Hubermann house?
46. Why do two men from the Nazi party suddenly show up at Rudy's home to speak with his
parents?
47. How does Rudy react to the physical he is forced to undergo at the Nazi school?
48. How is Hans punished for giving the starving Jew a piece of bread?
68
49. What does the LSE do during the war?
50. What is "The Word Shaker"?
51. What happens when Frau Hermann finally confronts Liesel about stealing from her library?
52. How does Hans narrowly avoid death during the second World War?
53. Why does Frau Holtzapfel suddenly stop going to the bomb shelter during air raid drills?
54. What happens when Rudy sees an airplane go down outside the bomb shelter?
55. How does Michael Holtzapfel die?
69
56. What happens when Liesel sees Max being marched through town with a Jewish prisoner
parade?
57. What gift does Frau Hermann give to Liesel after the stealing has stopped?
58. What happens on the tenth night of Liesel's writing?
59. Where does Liesel stay when she can no longer stay with the Hubermanns?
60. How does Liesel die?
70
Short Essay Questions Key
At the opening of the novel, Liesel, her mother, and her young brother are being transported to
Munich, Germany by a group of armed guards. Liesel's mother is being taken away for being a
communist, and Liesel and her brother are going to be placed in foster care.
2. What happens to Liesel's younger brother while he is on the train at the opening of the
novel?
Liesel's younger brother has been sick for most of the time on the train. He is coughing
profusely, until he falls silent. Liesel knows that her brother has died. She and her mother
disembark from the train to bury him in a small cemetery they pass along the way.
Liesel thinks that Rosa is incredibly vulgar and has a foul mouth, but is pleased to realize that
she is not cruel. When she meets Hans, she is immediately drawn to him and has a feeling that
he has a warm heart.
During the first few weeks, Hans treats Liesel with a gentle kindness. He encourages her to take
a bath when she hasn't bathed in weeks. He sits with her during the nights when she has
nightmares, and even begins to teach her how to read.
During her first few weeks in school, Liesel performs poorly because she cannot read. She finds
herself getting into fights on the playground because other children make fun of her illiteracy
and the fact that she is in foster care.
71
6. What chores is Liesel expected to complete around the house while she is living with Hans
and Rosa?
While living with Hans and Rosa, Liesel is expected not only to help cook and clean around the
house, she is expected to balance that with her schoolwork, and helping Rosa with her job as a
laundress in the neighborhood. LIesel travels from house to house collecting and returning
laundry to their various clients.
Rudy is infatuated with Olympic runner, Jesse Owens. To show his admiration, Rudy attempts
to blacken his entire body by rubbing a lump of coal on his skin. His father warns him that
admiring a black man could have catastrophic effects on the family.
Liesel finishes reading her copy of "The Gravedigger's Handbook" a few days before Christmas,
which is a huge accomplishment for her. Hans wants to buy Liesel a new book, but he doesn't
have the money. He sells some of his hand-rolled cigarettes and raises enough to buy her two
new books for Christmas. She is overjoyed.
9. Where does Rosa get the idea to send Liesel on all of her sales calls for the laundry
business?
As the economy worsens, Rosa is fired by various clients who claim that they simply don't have
the money to keep her on staff anymore. Rosa gets the idea to send Liesel to pick up and drop
off the laundry because she is an orphan, and Rosa doesn't think anyone is cruel hearted
enough to fire an orphan.
mother?
Hans tells Liesel that writing letters home to her mother is a good idea, and gives her
permission to do so. Rosa, on the other hand, thinks writing letters is a waste of time because
no one even knows if Liesel's mother is alive. When she catches Liesel stealing money to pay for
72
postage stamps, she beats the girl with a wooden spoon.
To celebrate the birthday of the Fuehrer, the citizens of Molching decide to host a bonfire
burning all the vulgar books that the Fuehrer might not approve of. LIesel is initially excited by
all of this, and all of Rosa and Hans' extended family come home for the celebration.
12. Why is the relationship between Hans and Hans Jr. strained?
Hans Jr. is a devout member of the Nazi party and is deeply embarrassed that his father, Hans,
hasn't joined the party yet. Hans insists that he's on the waiting list, but that the party is still
deciding on his application. Hans Jr. is deeply embarrassed by the fact that Hans once helped a
Jewish man in danger of losing his house.
13. What reaction does Liesel have when she overhears someone use the word "Communist"
at the bonfire?
When Liesel overhears the word "Communist" at the bonfire, she feels like she's been kicked in
the stomach. She realizes that this is what her mother was, and why she was taken away from
her. When she confronts Hans about whether or not her mother was a Communist, he refuses
to answer her truthfully.
While at the bonfire, Liesel sees that not all of the books are burning properly. She snatches
one book, "The Shoulder Shrug" from the top of the pile and hides it in her shirt. The book
burns her skin, but Liesel claims that the pain makes her feel alive.
15. How does Liesel react when she realizes the mayor's wife saw her steal the book from the
bonfire?
When Liesel realizes that it was the mayor's wife who saw her steal the book, she is terrified of
73
being turned in. She stops going to the mayor's house to pick up laundry for as long as she can.
When she can avoid the family no longer, she brings Rudy with her for moral support, but is
shocked when the mayor's wife does not accuse her of theft.
16. When Frau Hermann invites LIesel inside her house, what does she show the young girl?
When Frau Hermann invites Liesel inside, she takes her upstairs and shows her the vast library
kept there. Liesel is overwhelmed with the sheer volume of books, and walks through touching
each of the book's spines. Frau Hermann tells her she may come over any time to read the
books.
17. How is the mysterious young man in Stuttgart described when the reader sees him for the
first time?
The young man in Stuttgart is described as living in the shadows, curled up into a ball on the
floor. He is starving and doesn't know where his next meal is coming from. He is clearly in
hiding, but the reader does not know from whom, or why.
18. Whose name is written on the inside covers of the books kept in Frau Hermann's library?
While reading aloud one day, Liesel sees the name of a boy written on the inside cover of the
books. Frau Hermann admits that the books once belonged to her son, who has died. She is
clearly in deep grief for the son she lost and has not been able to cope.
19. How do the Hubermann and Steiner families stretch the food they have during the
recession so no one goes hungry?
Rosa Hubermann makes one giant pot of pea soup each week to feed her family. When the
Steiner family loses all their Jewish customers and struggles to make ends meet, Liesel and
Rudy take to stealing food from unsuspecting farmers to help feed their families. Apples are
their booty of choice when pirating.
74
Frau Diller is an adamant member of the Nazi party. She also runs a candy shop in the
neighborhood where Liesel and Rudy play. When the two find a coin on the street, they run to
Frau Dillard's shop to buy candy. They hadn't tasted anything so sweet in all their lives.
21. How do Liesel and Rudy manage to steal a food basket from a church?
Liesel and Rudy plot their attack for weeks, icing down the sidewalk where the food delivery
boy walks. The delivery boy arrives, slips on the ice as planned, but ends up getting hurt far
worse than Liesel and Rudy planned for. Starving, Liesel and Rudy steal the food basket, and
leave the injured delivery boy writhing on the ice.
city?
In the middle of the night, the young man is given a copy of Adolf Hitler's book, "Mein Kampf".
Inside the book is an identity card and a key. He boards a train and travels to an address where
he is told help is waiting. The house turns out to be that of the Hubermanns. He uses the key to
enter the house without knocking and alerting the neighbors.
23. Who was Erik Vandenberg?
Erik Vandenberg was a Jewish soldier Hans Hubermann fought beside during WWI. He was the
accordion teacher Hans credited with saving his life. He was also Max Vandenberg's father.
When one of the sergeants asked for a soldier with good handwriting to stay behind during a
particular mission, Erik Vandenberg volunteered Hans. During the mission, all of Hans' troop
members were killed, and he forever credited Erik with saving his life.
75
As a child, Max was frequently bullied because he was Jewish. He got into fights constantly with
the same boy, Walter Kugler. Even though Walter usually won his fights against Max, he began
to feel endeared to Max because he was such a tenacious fighter. The two soon became
friends.
26. How did Erik Vandenberg's widow respond when Hans Hubermann came knocking at her
door?
When Hans Hubermann came knocking on Erik Vandenberg's door, he had the hopes of
returning Vandenberg's accordion. Vandenberg's widow, however, wanted nothing to do with
the instrument. Hans felt so indebted to the woman that he gave her his home address and
promised to help her and her family whenever possible.
27. How does Max escape from Stuttgard after the war breaks out?
For six months, Max hides in the basement of a dirty building. Occasionally, Walter Kruger is
able to come and bring food for him. Kruger finds Hans' address in Max' mother's belongings
and makes his way to Hans' house. He pleads with Hans to help Max hide out, and Hans
accepts.
28. How is Max greeted by the Hubermann family when he arrives on their doorstep?
The Hubermanns are extremely nervous to have Max in their house, but they greet him warmly.
Rosa makes Max a bowl of pea soup and he eats so much that he becomes ill. He falls asleep on
Liesel's bed and sleeps there for three days straight.
When Max arrives, he spends his first few days sleeping in Liesel's room. This, however, is too
dangerous, so they move him to a cleared space in the basement. They cover the entrance with
Hans' paint cans and old drape cloths.
76
At first, Max is embarrassed that he has no gift for Liesel on her birthday. Then, he paints over
the pages of the book "Mein Kampf" and writes a new storybook for Liesel on its pages, entitled
"The Standover Man", about a man who is haunted by a past he cannot escape.
Max frequently dreams that he is a boxer in the ring with Hitler. He has this dream over and
over. Hitler always wins. Max comes to feel that he will never be able to beat Hitler in the
boxing match because he is Jewish and therefore inferior.
During the first summer that Max is staying with the Hubermann family, Liesel reads the same
book, "The Whistler" over and over. Frau Hermann offers to give the book the Liesel, but she
refuses. A few days later, Liesel breaks into the Hermann house and steals the book for herself.
Frau Hermann finally convinces Liesel to take a copy of the book "The Whistler". At the same
time, she hands Liesel a note explaining that she has to fire Rosa from her laundry service.
Liesel hurls the book back at Frau Hermann and begins shouting that Frau Hermann is a
pathetic old woman who hasn't been able to get over the death of her son.
34. How does the Hitler Youth Organization leader treat Rudy when he sees him on the street
outside the church?
The Hitler Youth Organization leader is very cruel to Rudy, going out of his way to embarrass
him. He forces Rudy to his knees on the cement outside the church and begins to beat him. He
asks Rudy where Hitler was born, and Rudy purposefully answers the question wrong, drawing
the wrath of the leader, who cuts Rudy's hair with his pocket knife.
77
Viktor steals Liesel's copy of the "The Whistler" and throws it into the river just to be cruel.
Rudy wades out into the river and fetches it back. When he returns, he asks Liesel for a kiss. She
thinks about it, but turns him down. He never asks Liesel to show him affection again.
36. Why does Liesel bring snow into the basement during winter?
Liesel brings snow into the basement so Max can experience the changing weather and so the
two can build a snowman. A few days later, Max falls terribly ill, and Rosa believes it is because
of the cold caused by the snow.
Rosa is terrified that Max will die, not only because it would be a great loss for the family, but
because they will have no way of disposing of his body. Because Max is in hiding, they cannot
simply bring his body to the local cemetery to be buried. It could be very dangerous for the
entire family.
When Max is very sick, Liesel and Rosa make a plan that if he is to wake up while Liesel is in
school, Rosa will come to school and shout at Liesel for something. One day, Rosa shows up at
school and shouts at Liesel for using her hairbrush. Through this interaction, Liesel knows that
Max is awake.
39. How does Liesel save Max from being discovered when the men are trolling the
neighborhood inspecting basements?
The men are patrolling the neighborhood inspecting basements to decide which ones are fit to
be used as bomb shelters. Liesel knows that the men will soon arrive at her house and that they
will discover Max there. She fakes an injury during her soccer game and races home to warn
Max.
78
40. Why does Hans suddenly begin working again during the summer of 1942?
In 1942, the threat of air raids become real, and everyone in the neighborhood wants Hans to
come over and paint their windows black. Hans has so much work, he runs out of black paint
and has to start mixing other random colors together to try and achieve the dark color.
Most people in the neighborhood don't have a lot of money, so they often pay Hans in wares
rather than cash. One day, he is paid with bottles of champagne, which he allows Liesel to drink
with him. Liesel thinks the champagne is so sweet, she swears she will never drink it again lest
she be disappointed.
At the Hitler Youth carnival, Rudy signs himself up for four different foot races. He wins the first
three easily, but begins to tire. He sees his old organization leader and is terrified of losing in
front of him, so he purposefully gets himself disqualified from the fourth race. He quickly
leaves, satisfied with having won three races.
Throughout the summer, Liesel continues to break into Frau Hermann's library to steal books.
One day, a copy of a Dictionary and Thesaurus is propped on the window ledge with a note
from Frau Hermann. Frau Hermann knows Liesel is stealing from her, and wishes the two could
repair their relationship so they could continue reading together.
When the air raid drill goes off, the Hubermanns race to the neighbor's house and cram
themselves, along with twenty other people, into the bomb shelter. When everyone is
panicked, Liesel begins to read aloud, calming everyone. While the family is gone, Max sneaks
out of the basement to take a look at the sky. It is the first time he has been out of the
basement in nearly two years.
79
45. Why is Max forced to leave the Hubermann house?
While Jewish prisoners are being paraded through town one day, Hans hands a starving man a
piece of bread. People in the neighborhood witness this act, and Hans knows he will soon be
arrested for sympathizing with the Jews. He knows that when he is arrested, they will search his
house and Max will be discovered. He hurries home to tell Max he must leave immediately.
46. Why do two men from the Nazi party suddenly show up at Rudy's home to speak with his
parents?
Two men from the Nazi party arrive at Rudy's home after hearing about his athletic prowess at
the Nazi carnival. They would like to offer him a full-ride scholarship to a new school for Hitler.
Rudy's parents have heard about such schools and are weary to let their son attend.
47. How does Rudy react to the physical he is forced to undergo at the Nazi school?
Rudy is mortified at the physical examination he undergoes at the Nazi school. He is forced to
strip down naked in front of a doctor, a nurse, a school administrator, and two other boys who
are also being examined. The experience haunts him for the rest of his life.
Hans waits for weeks, sure the Nazi party is going to knock at his door at any moment and
arrest him. He is shocked to learn instead that he has finally been accepted into the party, and
that he is expected to enlist in the army to fight in the war. That night, Hans goes out with Herr
Steiner to get drunk.
The LSE is a small troop of men who are sent into cities after bombs have fallen to put out fires.
This is the troop Hans fights with, and it is extremely dangerous. He is somewhat jealous of the
fact that Herr Steiner gets to sit in a small office and tailor the damaged suits of fallen soldiers,
a much safer task.
80
"The Word Shaker" is a book that Max wrote for Liesel before he was sent away from the
Hubermann household. In the book, a young girl walks around the neighborhood shaking trees
for Hitler. The young girl climbs up a tree that is about to be cut down, and is later joined by a
young Jewish man. The two sit in the tree, watching it bend, confident that it will never break.
51. What happens when Frau Hermann finally confronts Liesel about stealing from her
library?
Frau Hermann leaves Christmas cookies out for Liesel during the holiday season. As Liesel is
stealing from the library, Frau Hermann enters and confronts her. She tells Liesel that she, not
her husband, owns the library and that women can be empowered to do whatever they want in
this world. This statement has extreme impact on Liesel.
Hans beats one of his fellow soldiers in a friendly game of poker, but the beaten man is very
disgruntled and steals Hans' seat on the truck ride home. The truck blows a tire and crashes,
and the disgruntled poker player dies. Hans believes he owes this man his life.
53. Why does Frau Holtzapfel suddenly stop going to the bomb shelter during air raid drills?
A few weeks after Hans breaks his leg, Michael Holtzapfel returns home to tell his mother, Frau
Holtzapftel, that his brother, the Frau's other son, has died at Stalingrad. Frau Holtzapfel
becomes so deeply depressed that she doesn't care if she lives or dies, and she refuses to enter
the bomb shelter during air raid drills.
Upon exiting the bomb shelter during an air raid drill, everyone sees a small fire in the distance.
An American airplane pilot has gone down and is gravely injured. Rudy tries to shield Liesel
from the dying man, but she is determined to see him. Rudy gives the man a teddy bear, hoping
it will comfort him has he reaches death.
81
Michael Hotzapfel dies a few weeks after Hans returns home. His body is found hanging in a
shop downtown. Before he killed himself, Michael wrote a letter to his mother apologizing for
his actions and stating that he could no longer live with the knowledge that his brother was in
the grave. Hans was the one to deliver the bad news to Frau Holtzapfel.
56. What happens when Liesel sees Max being marched through town with a Jewish prisoner
parade?
When Liesel sees Max in the crowd of prisoners, she runs to him and tries to march next to him.
A guard pulls her away, but Liesel returns and tries to speak with Max. The guard becomes irate
and starts beating Liesel with a whip. Rudy runs to Liesel's rescue and pulls her away from the
guard.
57. What gift does Frau Hermann give to Liesel after the stealing has stopped?
When Liesel decides to quit stealing from Frau Hermann, she writes a letter of apology. The
letter is so moving, Frau Hermann comes to Liesel's home with a blank notebook and tells the
girl that she has a real gift for writing. Liesel takes the notebook and writes in it furiously. The
book she pens is entitled "The Book Thief".
58. What happens on the tenth night of Liesel's writing?
On the tenth night, a bomb hits Himmel Street. There are no survivors, except Liesel, who was
writing in the basement and was safe during the blast. Liesel makes her way upstairs and
watches in horror as all of her loved ones are pulled from the wreckage. She kisses Rudy's dead
body and returns Hans' accordion to his corpse.
59. Where does Liesel stay when she can no longer stay with the Hubermanns?
Frau Hermann makes her way down to Himmel Street after the bombing and takes Liesel back
home with her. Liesel is completely despondent and refuses to eat or bathe. Frau Hermann
slowly helps Liesel heal from her pain and raises the girl as if she were her own daughter.
82
60. How does Liesel die?
Liesel dies as a very old woman in Sydney, Australia, surrounded by her children and
grandchildren. When Death comes for her, Liesel is ready, waiting for him to arrive. Death has
carried a copy of the book "The Book Thief" in his pocket ever since Liesel left it on Himmel
Street during the bombings. Death admits that Liesel's book made him feel "haunted".
83
Multiple Choice
Prologue, A Mountain Range of Rubble, and Part One, The
Grave Digger's Handbook
1. Who places Liesel Meminger in foster care?

(a) Her father.
(b) Her aunt.
(c) Her grandfather.
(d) Her mother.
2. Who is the narrator of this novel?

(a) Fate.
(b) Love.
(c) Hope.
(d) Death.
3. How does the reader know Liesel's brother is sick?

(a) He is moaning.
(b) He is sweating.
(c) He is coughing.
(d) He is sneezing.
4. How are Liesel and her brother traveling to the foster care system?
(a) By ship.
(b) By train.
(c) By taxi.
(d) By airplane.
5. How many armed guards escort Liesel when she helps to bury her dead brother?
(a) Three.
(b) Five.
(c) Two.
(d) Four.
84
6. To which German city is Liesel being relocated by the foster care system?
(a) Munich.
(b) Hamburg.
(c) Berlin.
(d) Stuttgard.
7. Which of the following adjectives best describes Rosa Hubermann?

(a) Cruel.
(b) Shy.
(c) Vulgar.
(d) Warm.
8. Which of the following instruments does Hans Hubermann play?

(a) Bagpipes.
(b) Banjo.
(c) Accordian.
(d) Harp.
9. Which of the following activities does Hans Hubermann convince Liesel to do after she has
been in the house for a few weeks?
(a) Take a bath.
(b) Eat porridge.
(c) Change her clothes.
(d) Walk the dogs.
10. Why does Liesel struggle in school?

(a) Because she cannot do math.
(b) Because she cannot spell.
(c) Because she cannot read.
(d) Because she has no friends.
11. What is the BDM?

(a) Band of German Girls.
(b) Girl Scouts.
(c) Hitler's Youth Organization.
(d) Cooking Club.
12. What does Rosa do for a living?

(a) She is a factory worker.
(b) She is a seamstress.
(c) She is a laundress.
(d) She is a midwife.
85
13. What does Liesel clean off the door frame every day, left by Frau Hollapfel?
(a) Chicken feathers.
(b) Eggs.
(c) Newspaper clippings.
(d) Spit.
14. What sport does Liesel regularly play with the neighborhood kids?
(a) Football.
(b) Dodgeball.
(c) Soccer.
(d) Baseball.
15. Which of the following sports is Rudy most interested in?

(a) Track and Field.
(b) Gymnastics.
(c) Swimming.
(d) Rugby.
16. What does Rudy use to darken his body in the hopes of emulating Jesse Owens?
(a) Coal.
(b) Paint.
(c) Magic Marker.
(d) Dirt.
17. Which of the following characters teaches Liesel how to read?

(a) Max.
(b) Hans.
(c) Rudy.
(d) Rosa.
18. What does Hans Hubermann do for a living?

(a) He is a musician.
(b) He is a mechanic.
(c) He is a painter.
(d) He is a teacher.
86
19. At which holiday does Liesel finish reading "The Gravedigger's Handbook"?
(a) Christmas.
(b) Thanksgiving.
(c) Independence Day.
(d) Easter.
20. What is the name of the street where Liesel lives with the Hubermann family?
(a) Himmel Street.
(b) Fimmel Street.
(c) Mimmel Street.
(d) Gimmel Street.
21. What does Hans sell in order to buy Liesel two new books?
(a) Locks of his hair.
(b) His paintings.
(c) Homemade candles.
(d) Hand-rolled cigarettes.
22. Why is Rosa fired by various customers while Liesel is learning how to read?
(a) Becuase she has been caught stealing.
(b) Because of the declining economy.
(c) Because customers don't approve of Liesel's education.
(d) Because she is terrible at her job.
23. Why does Liesel steal money from Rosa?

(a) To pay for new shoes.
(b) To pay for a train ticket.
(c) To pay for postage stamps.
(d) To pay for books.
24. How does Rosa react when she realizes Liesel is stealing from her?
(a) Rosa makes her scrub the floor with a toothbrush.
(b) Rosa forgives her.
(c) Rosa ignores her.
(d) Rosa beats her.
87
25. To which of the following institutions is the Fuehrer most closely tied?
(a) Religion.
(b) Entertainment.
(c) Education.
(d) Politics.
26. What event does the city stage in celebration of the Fuehrer's birthday?
(a) A bonfire.
(b) A feast.
(c) A carnival.
(d) They ignore the birthday completely.
27. How does Liesel feel about the scheduled book burning?
(a) She is nervous.
(b) She is outraged.
(c) She is excited.
(d) She is confused.
28. Why is Hans Jr. embarrassed to be seen with his father?

(a) Because his father is an atheist when it is fashionable to be Catholic.
(b) Because his father aligns himself with Hitler.
(c) Because his father is uneducated and illiterate.
(d) Because his father has not yet joined the Nazi party.
29. Which of the following books does Hans Jr. think is the most valuable book ever written?
(a) The Bible.
(b) The Shoulder Shrug.
(c) The Gravedigger's Handbook.
(d) Mein Kampf.
30. Which of the following political parties does Liesel think her mother belonged to?
(a) Demoncrats.
(b) Communists.
(c) Socialists.
(d) Republicans.
31. Which body part does Liesel's school friend break while attending the book burning?
(a) His ankle.
(b) His nose.
(c) His arm.
(d) His neck.
88
32. What part of her body is burned when Liesel steals a copy of "The Shoulder Shrug"?
(a) Her back.
(b) Her neck.
(c) Her ribs.
(d) Her fingertips.
33. Where does Liesel sit and wait for Hans to come and pick her up from the book burning?
(a) At the church.
(b) At the school.
(c) At the library.
(d) At the hospital.
34. How does Liesel describe the sensation of being burned at the book burning?
(a) As feeling nothing at all.
(b) As enlivening.
(c) As painful.
(d) As deadening.
35. From where does the shadow witness Liesel stealing a book from the bonfire?
(a) From a window.
(b) From an allyway.
(c) From atop a building.
(d) From a passing automobile.
36. How does Rosa feel about Liesel writing letters to her mother?
(a) Rosa feels it is a waste of time.
(b) Rosa is offended that Liesel still wants contact with her birth mother.
(c) Rosa forbids Liesel to pick up a pen.
(d) Rosa does not know about the letters.
37. How does Hans react when he finds out Liesel stole a book from the bonfire?
(a) He beats her.
(b) He forces her to go back and return it.
(c) He never finds out.
(d) He understands why she stole it and does not punish her.
89
38. Who sees Liesel steal the book from the bonfire?
(a) Adolf Hitler.
(b) Rudy.
(c) The mayor's wife.
(d) Hans. Jr.
39. Which of the following customers is Liesel so afraid of that she skips over her house
whenever possible?
(a) Frau Hansel.
(b) Frau Hollapfel.
(c) Frau Hermann.
(d) Frau Hubermann.
40. How does Liesel react when she sees Frau Hermann's library?
(a) She is outraged.
(b) She is overwhelmed.
(c) She is disgusted.
(d) She is saddened.
41. Which of the following mysterious characters is described as living in the dark shadows of
Stuttgart?
(a) A young man.
(b) A young woman.
(c) An old woman.
(d) An old man.
42. When the mysterious character living in the shadows is brought food and keys, which
character is the mystery character urged to locate?
(a) Max Vandenberg.
(b) Liesel Meminger.
(c) Rudy Steiner.
(d) Hans Hubermann.
43. Which book does Liesel spend all of her time reading during her first summer with the
Hubermann family?
(a) The Nose Twitch.
(b) The Shoulder Shrug.
(c) The Leg Cramp.
(d) The Stomach Ache.
90
44. Which of Frau Hermann's relatives dies, leaving her deeply depressed?
(a) Her grandfather.
(b) Her mother.
(c) Her sister.
(d) Her son.
45. Which of the following adjectives does Liesel use to describe Frau Hermann during the
summer she spends reading with her?
(a) Selfish.
(b) Crazy.
(c) Angry.
(d) Kind.
46. Which of the following activities do Rudy and Liesel spend the summer doing?
(a) Stealing.
(b) Sewing.
(c) Shopping.
(d) Swimming.
47. What does Rudy's father, Herr Steiner, do for a living?

(a) He is a taxi driver.
(b) He is a tailor.
(c) He is an actor.
(d) He is a doctor.
48. What type of soup does Rosa Hubermann make once a week to feed her family?
(a) Tomato soup.
(b) Minestrone soup.
(c) Chicken noodle soup.
(d) Pea soup.
49. What type of fruit do Rudy and Liesel steal from local farmers?
(a) Tomatoes.
(b) Apples.
(c) Oranges.
(d) Bananas.
91
50. What does Liesel purchase with the coin she finds on the street outside Frau Dillard's
house?
(a) A new dress.
(b) Toothpaste.
(c) Potatoes.
(d) Candy.
51. What book does the mysterious young man take on the train with him while traveling
cross country?
(a) Mein Kampf.
(b) Moby Dick.
(c) The Quran.
(d) The Bible.
52. Outside of which building do Rudy and Liesel ice the sidewalk so they can steal a basket of
food?
(a) The church.
(b) The school.
(c) The market.
(d) The apple farm.
53. How long do Liesel and Rudy work with the gang leader before he moves away?
(a) Three days.
(b) Three weeks.
(c) Three months.
(d) Three years.
54. How does the mysterious young man get into the Hubermann household?
(a) He has a key.
(b) He breaks a window.
(c) He digs a tunnel.
(d) He kicks in the door.
55. Where was Hans Hubermann stationed when he fought in WWI?

(a) Canada.
(b) Spain.
(c) England.
(d) France.
92
56. Which branch of the armed forces did Hans Hubermann fight in during WWI?
(a) The navy.
(b) The army.
(c) The air force.
(d) The marines.
57. What ethnicity was Erik Vandenberg?

(a) He was Jewish.
(b) He was Swedish.
(c) He was Canadian.
(d) He was German.
58. What instrument did Erik Vandenberg play?

(a) The accordian.
(b) The bagpipes.
(c) The banjo.
(d) The harmonica.
59. Why was young Hans Hubermann asked to stay behind during his fight of WWI?
(a) Because he had a good sense of direction.
(b) Because he had good handwriting.
(c) Because he had a nice singing voice.
(d) Because he was the best looking.
60. How many soldiers survived the battle Hans Hubermann sat out during WWI?
(a) One.
(b) None.
(c) Three.
(d) Two.
61. Who did Hans credit with saving his life during WWI?
(a) Rosa.
(b) Max Vandenberg.
(c) Erik Vandenberg.
(d) Adolf Hitler.
62. How did Erik Vandenberg's widow react when Hans brought her husband's instrument
home to her?
(a) She didn't recognize it.
(b) She didn't answer the door.
(c) She cherished it forever.
(d) She didn't want it.
93
63. What did Hans give to Erik Vandenberg's widow with the hopes of being able to help her
family one day?
(a) His photograph.
(b) His phone number.
(c) His address.
(d) His social security card.
64. Where did Max Vandenberg grow up?

(a) Munich.
(b) Struttgard.
(c) Hamburg.
(d) Berlin.
65. Why was Max Vandenberg bullied as a child?

(a) Because he was small.
(b) Because he had a speech impediment.
(c) Because he was Jewish.
(d) Because he was poor.
66. How many fights did Max Vandenberg get in with his nemesis, Walter Kugler?
(a) Four.
(b) Twenty-seven.
(c) Thirteen.
(d) Nine.
67. As a child, who saved Max from the Gestapo when they were removing Jews from the
neighborhood?
(a) Tommy Mullins.
(b) Liesel Memimger.
(c) Walter Kugler.
(d) Rudy Steiner
68. How long is Max in hiding before being moved to Hans Hubermann's house?
(a) Six weeks.
(b) Six months.
(c) Six years.
(d) Six days.
94
69. In which room of the Hubermann household does Max hide while he is living with them?
(a) In the basement.
(b) In the attic.
(c) In the cellar.
(d) In the library.
70. Upon arriving safely to the Hubermann household, how long does Max sleep,
uninterrupted?
(a) Three days.
(b) Nine days.
(c) Five days.
(d) Seven days.
71. What inanimate object does Max credit with saving his life?
(a) A pocket watch.
(b) A book.
(c) A wooden spoon.
(d) A tennis shoe.
72. What does Max give to Liesel for her birthday?

(a) A new dress.
(b) A doll.
(c) A bouquet of flowers.
(d) A book.
73. Which of the following school subjects does Liesel practice regularly with Max?
(a) Reading.
(b) Writing.
(c) Debate.
(d) Multiplication.
74. Which of the following acts does Max request from Liesel?
(a) A shave.
(b) A manicure.
(c) A haircut.
(d) A sponge bath.
95
75. What book does Liesel read over and over in Frau Hermann's library?
(a) The Whistler.
(b) The Dancer.
(c) The Banker.
(d) The Sleeper.
76. How does Liesel react when Frau Hermann offers a book to her as a gift?
(a) She graciously accepts it.
(b) She is confused by the offer.
(c) She ignores the offer completely.
(d) She refuses it.
77. What object does Liesel regularly fish out of the trash bins to bring home to Max?
(a) Food scraps.
(b) Discarded clothing.
(c) Newspapers.
(d) Metal cans.
78. Which of the following things does Liesel describe for Max using the most colorful
language she can think of?
(a) The night sky.
(b) The ocean.
(c) The weather.
(d) The rain forests.
79. Which sport does Max regularly dream he is participating in with Adolf Hitler?
(a) Fencing.
(b) Boxing.
(c) Rowing.
(d) Swimming.
80. Which nation does Max dream will eventually rise up and beat Hitler to the ground?
(a) England.
(b) Germany.
(c) Canada.
(d) Israel.
96
81. Which of the following emotions does Max feel comfortable expressing only in his
journal?
(a) Loneliness.
(b) Fear.
(c) Anger.
(d) Envy.
82. Which of the following tools does Max use to keep records of his emotions in the journal?
(a) A pencil.
(b) An inkpen.
(c) Crayons.
(d) Paint.
83. How does Liesel react when she catches a glimpse into Max's journal?
(a) She is excited.
(b) She is saddened.
(c) She is shocked.
(d) She is outraged.
84. What does Liesel shout to Frau Hermann when the Frau fires Rosa from her laundry
service?
(a) That the Frau is fat.
(b) That the Frau is a traitor.
(c) That the Frau is pathetic.
(d) That the Frau is ugly.
85. How does LIesel feel after her outburst against Frau Hermann?
(a) Apathetic.
(b) Pleased.
(c) Guilty.
(d) Confused.
86. Which of the following ailments afflicts Tommy Muller?

(a) He is mute.
(b) He is blind.
(c) He is lame.
(d) He is deaf.
97
87. Which of the following characters stands up for Tommy Muller when he is being abused?
(a) Liesel.
(b) Max.
(c) Hans.
(d) Rudy.
88. When Rudy is punished in Hitler Youth camp, what is he made to do?
(a) Jumping jacks.
(b) Push-ups.
(c) Press-ups.
(d) Sit-ups.
89. How does Viktor Chemmel compare to the last gang leader Liesel worked with?
(a) Viktor is more violent.
(b) Viktor is much kinder.
(c) Viktor is much crueler.
(d) Viktor is much more fair.
90. Why doesn't Viktor Chemmel like or respect Liesel?

(a) Because of her gender.
(b) Because of her race.
(c) Because of her weight.
(d) Because of her religion.
91. After their raid with Viktor Chemmel, how many apples are Liesel and Rudy given as
payment?
(a) Twenty apples each.
(b) Five apples each.
(c) One apple each.
(d) Ten apples each.
92. How do Rudy and Liesel break into the mayor's house?
(a) Through the servant's entrance.
(b) Through the wine cellar.
(c) Through the window.
(d) Through an unlocked door.
98
93. What does Liesel steal from the mayor's house the first time she breaks in?
(a) Petty cash.
(b) Food.
(c) A book.
(d) Lacy underwear.
94. What does Liesel accidentally leave behind in the mayor's house while she is robbing him?
(a) Her shoes.
(b) Her gloves.
(c) Her hat.
(d) Her jacket.
95. What excuse does Rudy give the shopkeeper when he is caught stealing apples from the
market?
(a) That he forgot his wallet.
(b) That he is actually a misguided prince.
(c) That this is all a big misunderstanding.
(d) That his family is starving.
96. What question does the Hitler Youth leader ask Rudy on the street before beating him in
front of his friends?
(a) Where was Hitler born?
(b) What is Hitler's middle name?
(c) What is Hitler's favorite food?
(d) Where did Hitler go to college?
97. What does the Hitler Youth leader use to cut Rudy's hair in the middle of the street?
(a) A pair of scissors.
(b) A pocket knife.
(c) A switchblade.
(d) A broken glass.
98. What does Rudy ask Liesel for after he rescues her book from the river?
(a) An apple.
(b) A kiss.
(c) A gun.
(d) Money.
99
99. What does Liesel bring into Max's room on Christmas Eve?
(a) Snow.
(b) Presents.
(c) Candles.
(d) A feast.
100. Which character fears that Max has caught an incurable cold?
(a) Liesel.
(b) Rosa.
(c) Hans.
(d) Rudy.
101. During what month of the year does Max collapse in the basement?
(a) January.
(b) November.
(c) April.
(d) July.
102. Which of the following items is NOT something Liesel gives to Max hoping it will heal
him from his sickness?
(a) A feather.
(b) A soccer ball.
(c) A description of a cloud.
(d) A bouquet of flowers.
103. How many gifts does Liesel bring to Max in total during his time of sickness?
(a) Eight.
(b) Eleven.
(c) Seventeen.
(d) Thirteen.
104. What is the title of the book Liesel steals from Frau Hermann's library while Max is sick?
(a) The Dream Catcher.
(b) The Whistler.
(c) The Shoulder Shrug.
(d) The Gravedigger's Handbook.
100
105. What does Rosa shout at Liesel for, signaling to her that Max has awoken from his
coma?
(a) For tracking mud through the kitchen.
(b) For using her hairbrush.
(c) For forgetting to hang up the laundry.
(d) For leaving the milk out to spoil.
106. During what month of the year does Liesel resume playing soccer with her neighborhood
friends?
(a) March.
(b) June.
(c) December.
(d) September.
107. Why are men trolling the neighborhood where Liesel lives during her soccer game?
(a) They are collecting donations to benefit the Hitler Youth organization.
(b) They are handing out pamphlets about the Nazi party.
(c) They are searching for hidden Jews.
(d) They are inspecting basements that may be converted into bomb shelters.
108. How does Liesel manage to warn Max about the men trolling the neighborhood, who
may discover him?
(a) She does not warn Max, and he is discovered.
(b) She shouts to him using their secret code for danger.
(c) She warns Hans, who hurries home to hide Max.
(d) She fakes an injury and runs home.
109. During what year do the air raids begin in Munich?

(a) 1939.
(b) 1947.
(c) 1942.
(d) 1951.
110. What color do Hans' neighbors ask him to paint their windows?
(a) Black.
(b) Blue.
(c) White.
(d) Tan.
101
111. Which of the following adjectives does Liesel use to describe the process of mixing
paint?
(a) Dizzying.
(b) Complicated.
(c) Amusing.
(d) Misleading.
112. What alcoholic beverage is Hans paid in, which he allows Liesel to drink with him?
(a) Wine.
(b) Champagne.
(c) Vodka.
(d) Beer.
113. How does Liesel describe the alcoholic drink she sips with Hans?
(a) Tasteless.
(b) Disgusting.
(c) Sweet.
(d) Bitter.
114. How many races does Rudy sign up for during the Hitler Youth carnival?
(a) One.
(b) Three.
(c) Four.
(d) Two.
115. How many races does Rudy WIN during the Hitler Youth carnival?
(a) One.
(b) Four.
(c) Three.
(d) Two.
116. Which of the following items is NOT something Frau Hermann leaves on her windowsill
for Liesel to collect?
(a) Liesel's shoes.
(b) A dictionary.
(c) A thesaurus.
(d) A note.
102
117. How does Frau Hermann react when she realizes that Liesel is stealing from her?
(a) She is confused.
(b) She is saddened.
(c) She is angered.
(d) She is apathetic.
118. Who is Rudy most terrified of seeing him fail?

(a) Liesel.
(b) His Hitler Youth division leader.
(c) Adolf Hitler.
(d) His parents.
119. Which of the following characters does NOT get up in the middle of the night during the
air raid sirens?
(a) Rosa.
(b) Hans.
(c) Max.
(d) Liesel.
120. Where are Liesel and her family expected to hide out during the air raid drills?
(a) In the local swimming pool.
(b) In their own basement.
(c) In their neighbor's basement.
(d) In the church basement.
121. Which of her belongings does Liesel bring into the bomb shelter with her during air
raids?
(a) Her dolls.
(b) Her books.
(c) Her shoes.
(d) Her dresses.
122. How long has Max been hiding in the basement before he sees the sky?
(a) Two years.
(b) Six months.
(c) One year.
(d) Four years.
103
123. What does Frau Holtzapfel offer to trade Liesel in exchange for reading sessions?
(a) Milk.
(b) Coffee.
(c) Bread.
(d) Apples.
124. What does Hans offer to the starving Jewish soldier he sees being marched through the
streets?
(a) Milk.
(b) An apple.
(c) Eggs.
(d) Bread.
125. To which concentration camp is the starving prisoner being relocated?

(a) Dachau.
(b) Treblinka.
(c) Majdanek.
(d) Auschwitz.
126. With what weapon are both Hans and the starving prisoner beaten by the guard?
(a) A pistol.
(b) A whip.
(c) A rope.
(d) A stone.
127. What does Rudy hear when he eavesdrops on the conversation between the Nazi party
and his parents?
(a) That his mother is going to jail.
(b) Rudy does not eavesdrop on the conversation.
(c) That his father is being drafted into the military.
(d) That Hitler has been assassinated.
128. How do Rudy's parents feel when the Nazi party offers Rudy a full scholarship to one of
their training schools?
(a) They are confused.
(b) They are honored.
(c) They don't want him to go.
(d) They are unsure about whether or not the school is a good fit for Rudy.
104
129. Why is the Nazi party interested in giving Rudy a full scholarship to their school?
(a) Because of his athletic prowess.
(b) Because of his academic achievements.
(c) Because of his outbursts against Hitler.
(d) Because of his race.
130. Which of the following characters is NOT in the room with Rudy when he has to strip
naked for the Nazi physical?
(a) A school official.
(b) A doctor and nurse.
(c) Two other boys being examined.
(d) His father.
131. How does Rudy feel after the Nazi physical?

(a) Humiliated.
(b) Proud.
(c) Confused.
(d) Anxious.
132. What punishment does Hans receive for helping the starving Jew from the parade?
(a) He is beaten.
(b) He is fined.
(c) He is not punished.
(d) He is sent to jail for six weeks.
133. How does Hans learn that he has been accepted in the Nazi party?
(a) A letter arrives.
(b) Nazi soldiers knock on his door.
(c) He gets a phone call.
(d) A sign is posted in town.
134. How does Hans react to the news that he is going to be drafted to the war?
(a) He stoically accepts his fate.
(b) He tries to run away from home.
(c) He begins to pray.
(d) He gets drunk.
135. Which of the following characters is drafted to the war at the same time as Hans?
(a) Max Vandenberg.
(b) Herr Steiner.
(c) Rudy Steiner.
(d) Hans Jr.
105
136. What confession does Rudy make to Liesel when they run away from home together?
(a) That he cries himself to sleep at night.
(b) That he is in love with her.
(c) That he does not miss his father.
(d) That he hates Hitler.
137. After Hans is drafted to the war, what sound does Liesel hear at night that wakes her
from sleep?
(a) The wind howling.
(b) A woman weeping.
(c) An accordion.
(d) Bombs exploding.
138. Which of the following units is Hans assigned to in the war?

(a) VED.
(b) GRT.
(c) BAW.
(d) LSE.
139. What is Hans' major responsibility during the war?

(a) Mapping enemy movement.
(b) Administering medical aid.
(c) Putting out fires.
(d) Feeding the troops.
140. Which of the following actions does Hans cease doing once he arrives on the war front?
(a) Showering.
(b) Writing letters home.
(c) Praying.
(d) Smoking.
141. Which of the following food items does Liesel leave around town in case the Jewish
prisoners get hungry?
(a) Apples.
(b) Milk.
(c) Bread.
(d) Eggs.
106
142. What title does Max give to his journal before skipping town?
(a) The Dream Carrier.
(b) The Standover Man.
(c) The Book Thief.
(d) The Word Shaker.
143. According to Max's dreams, what is Liesel meant to shake in opposition to Hitler?
(a) Hands.
(b) Church pillars.
(c) Her hips.
(d) Trees.
144. During their only Christmas together, what does Liesel give to Rudy as a gift?
(a) A ring.
(b) A suit.
(c) A bicycle.
(d) A teddy bear.
145. What food item does Liesel find on Frau Hermann's desk around Christmas time?
(a) Chocolate muffins.
(b) Christmas cookies.
(c) Fruit cake.
(d) Cherry pie.
146. According to Frau Hermann, who owns the library in her house?
(a) She does.
(b) Hitler does.
(c) Her husband does.
(d) God does.
147. In what German city is Hans stationed during the war?

(a) Essen.
(b) Rhine.
(c) Hellweg.
(d) Cologne.
107
148. What card game does Hans regularly play with his troops?
(a) Poker.
(b) Gin.
(c) Go-Fish.
(d) Rummy.
149. During what month of the year does Frau Holtzapfel's son come home from the war?
(a) November.
(b) April.
(c) August.
(d) January.
150. In which Russian city did Frau Holzapfel's son die?

(a) Tsaritsyn.
(b) Volga.
(c) Krasnov.
(d) Stalingrad.
151. What does the disgruntled card player steal from Hans after their game?
(a) His letters from Liesel.
(b) His seat in the car.
(c) His food ration card.
(d) His photos of Rosa.
152. How does the disgruntled card player die?

(a) By a roadside bomb.
(b) From a heart attack.
(c) By a sniper shot.
(d) In a car accident.
153. When the disgruntled card player dies, what part of Hans' body is broken?
(a) His leg.
(b) His nose.
(c) His arm.
(d) His neck.
154. In what month of the year does Hans return home from the war?
(a) December.
(b) July.
(c) April.
(d) October.
108
155. Why does Rudy pack a toolbox?
(a) To join the war effort.
(b) To fix his father's car.
(c) To break into houses.
(d) To run away with Liesel.
156. Which of the following characters does NOT try to bully Frau Holtzapfel into the air raid
shelter when she refuses to go?
(a) Michael.
(b) Rosa.
(c) Liesel.
(d) Rudy.
157. Who is the first character to see the fire in the distance upon emerging from the air raid
shelter?
(a) Rosa.
(b) Rudy.
(c) Michael.
(d) Liesel.
158. What ethnicity is the pilot whose plane has crashed near the river?
(a) British.
(b) American.
(c) Canadian.
(d) German.
159. What does Rudy give to the dying pilot in the hopes of comforting him during death?
(a) A teddy bear.
(b) A blanket.
(c) A hug.
(d) A Bible.
160. What job does Hans take upon returning home from the war?
(a) A teaching job.
(b) A desk job.
(c) He is unemployed.
(d) A police job.
109
161. Who does Liesel continue to search for during the prisoner parades through town?
(a) Max.
(b) Her mother.
(c) The prisoner Hans tried to help.
(d) Hans.

(a) He commits suicide.
(b) He drowns in the river.
(c) He has a heart attack.
(d) His mother smothers him.
163. Who does Michael write a letter to shortly before his death?
(a) His brother.
(b) Liesel.
(c) His mother.
(d) Hitler.
164. Where is Michael Holtzapfel's body found?

(a) In a shop.
(b) His body is never found.
(c) At the local cemetery.
(d) By the riverbed.
165. Who breaks the news to Frau Holtzapfel that her son has died?
(a) Hans.
(b) Liesel.
(c) Rudy.
(d) Rosa.
166. What does Liesel attempt to do with Max when she sees him being paraded through
town?
(a) Eat.
(b) Dance.
(c) Pray.
(d) March.
167. In which German city is Max captured?

(a) Berlin.
(b) Munich.
(c) Struttgard.
(d) Hamburg.
110
168. Who saves Liesel from being beaten to death by the German soldier guarding Max?
(a) Hans.
(b) Rudy.
(c) Rosa.
(d) Frau Hermann.
169. What is Frau Hermann's first name?

(a) Irene.
(b) Ilsa.
(c) Ilizabeth.
(d) Ingrid.
170. What gift does Frau Hermann claim Liesel has?

(a) Dancing.
(b) Painting.
(c) Singing.
(d) Writing.
171. What is the name of the book Liesel writes after seeing Max in the parade?
(a) The Book Thief.
(b) The Dream Collector.
(c) The Last Color.
(d) The Standover Man.
172. In which room of the house is Liesel hiding during the final air raid?
(a) In the basement.
(b) In the bathroom.
(c) In the cellar.
(d) In the attic.
173. Which of the following characters is NOT killed during the final air raid?
(a) Frau Hermann.
(b) Frau Hubermann.
(c) Frau Steiner.
(d) Frau Holtzapfel.
111
174. What does Liesel give to Rudy when she sees his dead body in the rubble?
(a) A kiss.
(b) A teddy bear.
(c) A single rose.
(d) A notebook.
175. Who ends up with Hans' accordion at the end of the novel?
(a) Hans.
(b) Hans Jr.
(c) Liesel.
(d) Rosa.
176. Which of the following actions is the only thing Liesel will do after the final air raid?
(a) Read.
(b) Sleep.
(c) Eat.
(d) Bathe.
177. For which character does Liesel end up working at the end of the novel?
(a) Frau Holtzapfel.
(b) Herr Steiner.
(c) Mayor Hermann.
(d) Hans Jr.
178. In which country does Liesel die?

(a) Canada.
(b) Mexico.
(c) Australia.
(d) Russia.
179. What does Death have in his pocket when he comes to claim Liesel?
(a) The Book Thief.
(b) The Whistler.
(c) The Gravedigger's Handbook.
(d) The Final Color.
180. What happens to Max at the end of the novel?

(a) He takes his own life in the concentration camps.
(b) He escapes the concentration camps.
(c) He is killed in the concentration camps.
(d) Liesel does not know what happened to him.
112
Multiple Choice Key
1. D 11. A 21. D 31. A 41. A 51. A
2. D 12. C 22. B 32. C 42. D 52. A
3. C 13. D 23. C 33. A 43. B 53. B
4. B 14. C 24. D 34. B 44. D 54. A
5. C 15. A 25. D 35. B 45. D 55. D
6. A 16. A 26. A 36. A 46. A 56. B
7. C 17. B 27. C 37. D 47. B 57. A
8. C 18. C 28. D 38. C 48. D 58. A
9. A 19. A 29. D 39. C 49. B 59. B
10. C 20. A 30. B 40. B 50. D 60. B
61. C 71. B 81. C 91. C 101. A 111. B

62. D 72. D 82. D 92. C 102. D 112. B
63. C 73. A 83. C 93. C 103. D 113. C
64. B 74. C 84. C 94. A 104. A 114. C
65. C 75. A 85. C 95. D 105. B 115. C
66. C 76. D 86. D 96. A 106. B 116. A
67. C 77. C 87. D 97. B 107. D 117. B
68. B 78. C 88. B 98. B 108. D 118. B
69. A 79. B 89. C 99. A 109. C 119. C
70. A 80. B 90. A 100. B 110. A 120. C
121. B 131. A 141. C 151. B 161. A 171. A

122. A 132. C 142. D 152. D 162. A 172. A
123. B 133. A 143. D 153. A 163. C 173. A
124. D 134. D 144. B 154. C 164. A 174. A
125. A 135. B 145. B 155. C 165. A 175. A
126. B 136. D 146. A 156. D 166. D 176. B
127. B 137. C 147. A 157. B 167. C 177. B
128. C 138. D 148. A 158. B 168. B 178. C
129. A 139. C 149. D 159. A 169. B 179. A
130. D 140. B 150. D 160. B 170. D 180. B
113
Short Answer Questions
114
115
116
117
118
whenever possible?
Stuttgart?
119
Hubermann family?
120
house?
51. What book does the mysterious young man take on the train with him while traveling cross
country?
food?
121
home to her?
family one day?
122
neighborhood?
uninterrupted?
123
124
78. Which of the following things does Liesel describe for Max using the most colorful language
she can think of?
81. Which of the following emotions does Max feel comfortable expressing only in his journal?
84. What does Liesel shout to Frau Hermann when the Frau fires Rosa from her laundry service?
125
payment?
126
market?
127
102. Which of the following items is NOT something Liesel gives to Max hoping it will heal him
from his sickness?
105. What does Rosa shout at Liesel for, signaling to her that Max has awoken from his coma?
128
friends?
108. How does Liesel manage to warn Max about the men trolling the neighborhood, who may
discover him?
111. Which of the following adjectives does Liesel use to describe the process of mixing paint?
129
116. Which of the following items is NOT something Frau Hermann leaves on her windowsill for
Liesel to collect?
119. Which of the following characters does NOT get up in the middle of the night during the air
raid sirens?
130
121. Which of her belongings does Liesel bring into the bomb shelter with her during air raids?
streets?
131
and his parents?
132
137. After Hans is drafted to the war, what sound does Liesel hear at night that wakes her from
sleep?
133
134
135
shelter?
136
town?
137
138
139
Short Answer Questions Key
Her mother.
Death.
He is coughing.
By train.
Two.
Munich.
Vulgar.
140
Accordian.
Take a bath.
Because she cannot read.
Band of German Girls.
She is a laundress.
Spit.
Soccer.
141
Track and Field.
Coal.
Hans.
He is a painter.
Christmas.
Himmel Street.
Hand-rolled cigarettes.
142
Because of the declining economy.
To pay for postage stamps.
Rosa beats her.
Politics.
A bonfire.
She is excited.
Because his father has not yet joined the Nazi party.
143
Mein Kampf.
Communists.
His ankle.
Her ribs.
At the church.
As enlivening.
From an allyway.
144
Rosa feels it is a waste of time.
He understands why she stole it and does not punish her.
The mayor's wife.
whenever possible?
Frau Hermann.
She is overwhelmed.
Stuttgart?
A young man.
Hans Hubermann.
145
Hubermann family?
The Shoulder Shrug.
Her son.
Kind.
Stealing.
He is a tailor.
Pea soup.
Apples.
146
house?
Candy.
51. What book does the mysterious young man take on the train with him while traveling
cross country?
Mein Kampf.
food?
The church.
Three weeks.
He has a key.
France.
The army.
147
He was Jewish.
The accordian.
Because he had good handwriting.
None.
Erik Vandenberg.
home to her?
She didn't want it.
family one day?
His address.
148
Struttgard.
Because he was Jewish.
Thirteen.
neighborhood?
Walter Kugler.
Six months.
In the basement.
uninterrupted?
Three days.
149
A book.
A book.
Reading.
A haircut.
The Whistler.
She refuses it.
Newspapers.
150
78. Which of the following things does Liesel describe for Max using the most colorful
language she can think of?
The weather.
Boxing.
Germany.
81. Which of the following emotions does Max feel comfortable expressing only in his
journal?
Anger.
Paint.
She is shocked.
service?
That the Frau is pathetic.
151
Guilty.
He is deaf.
Rudy.
Push-ups.
Viktor is much crueler.
Because of her gender.
payment?
One apple each.
152
Through the window.
A book.
Her shoes.
market?
That his family is starving.
Where was Hitler born?
A pocket knife.
A kiss.
153
Snow.
Rosa.
January.
102. Which of the following items is NOT something Liesel gives to Max hoping it will heal
him from his sickness?
A bouquet of flowers.
Thirteen.
The Dream Catcher.
105. What does Rosa shout at Liesel for, signaling to her that Max has awoken from his
coma?
For using her hairbrush.
154
friends?
June.
They are inspecting basements that may be converted into bomb shelters.
108. How does Liesel manage to warn Max about the men trolling the neighborhood, who
may discover him?
She fakes an injury and runs home.
1942.
Black.
111. Which of the following adjectives does Liesel use to describe the process of mixing
paint?
Complicated.
Champagne.
155
Sweet.
Four.
Three.
116. Which of the following items is NOT something Frau Hermann leaves on her windowsill
for Liesel to collect?
Liesel's shoes.
She is saddened.
His Hitler Youth division leader.
119. Which of the following characters does NOT get up in the middle of the night during the
air raid sirens?
Max.
156
In their neighbor's basement.
121. Which of her belongings does Liesel bring into the bomb shelter with her during air
raids?
Her books.
Two years.
Coffee.
streets?
Bread.
Dachau.
A whip.
157
and his parents?
Rudy does not eavesdrop on the conversation.
They don't want him to go.
Because of his athletic prowess.
His father.
Humiliated.
He is not punished.
A letter arrives.
158
He gets drunk.
Herr Steiner.
That he hates Hitler.
137. After Hans is drafted to the war, what sound does Liesel hear at night that wakes her
from sleep?
An accordion.
LSE.
Putting out fires.
Writing letters home.
159
Bread.
The Word Shaker.
Trees.
A suit.
Christmas cookies.
She does.
Essen.
160
Poker.
January.
Stalingrad.
His seat in the car.
In a car accident.
His leg.
April.
161
To break into houses.
Rudy.
shelter?
Rudy.
American.
A teddy bear.
A desk job.
Max.
162
He commits suicide.
His mother.
In a shop.
Hans.
town?
March.
Struttgard.
Rudy.
163
Ilsa.
Writing.
The Book Thief.
In the basement.
Frau Hermann.
A kiss.
Hans.
164
Sleep.
Herr Steiner.
Australia.
The Book Thief.
He escapes the concentration camps.
165
Oral Reading Evaluation Sheet
Name: _________________________ Period: _______________________
5 = Above Average 3 = Average 1 = Below Average
Audibility - Projecting your voice so your audience can hear and understand you.
5 4 3 2 1
Pronunciation - Ability to recognize words before you say them and pronounce all the sounds
correctly.
5 4 3 2 1
Articulation - Using your tongue, mouth and lips to pronounce all the sounds correctly.
5 4 3 2 1
Vocal Variety/Expression - Using appropriate pitch, volume and flow.
5 4 3 2 1
Rate - Reading a speed, or pace that is easy to follow.
5 4 3 2 1
Comments:
166
Reading Assignment Sheet
Name: _________________________ Period: _______________________
Reading Assignment Date Assigned Date Due Date Completed
To Page: _____ __________ __________ __________
To Page: _____ __________ __________ __________
To Page: _____ __________ __________ __________
To Page: _____ __________ __________ __________
To Page: _____ __________ __________ __________
To Page: _____ __________ __________ __________
To Page: _____ __________ __________ __________
To Page: _____ __________ __________ __________
To Page: _____ __________ __________ __________
167
Writing Evaluation Form
Name: _________________________ Period: _______________________
5 = Above Average 3 = Average 1 = Below Average
Clear thesis or position Strong conclusion
5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1
Relevant supporting arguments Grammar
5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1
Transitions between paragraphs Spelling
5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1
Clarity of expression Punctuation
5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1
Comments:
168
One Week Quiz A
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Part Nine, The Last
Human Stranger.

(a) December.
(b) April.
(c) October.
(d) July.
house?
(a) Potatoes.
(b) Toothpaste.
(c) A new dress.
(d) Candy.
food?
(a) The school.
(b) The market.
(c) The church.
(d) The apple farm.

(a) He is a tailor.
(b) He is a doctor.
(c) He is a taxi driver.
(d) He is an actor.
(a) Her gloves.
(b) Her shoes.
(c) Her jacket.
(d) Her hat.
169
discover him?
from his sickness?
170
Multiple Choice Questions Key
1. B
2. D
3. C
4. A
5. B

A kiss.
discover him?
She fakes an injury and runs home.
Kind.
from his sickness?
A bouquet of flowers.
171
Two Week Quiz A
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Part Seven, The
Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus.

whenever possible?
(a) Frau Hubermann.
(b) Frau Hollapfel.
(c) Frau Hansel.
(d) Frau Hermann.
(a) Vodka.
(b) Beer.
(c) Wine.
(d) Champagne.
(a) Communists.
(b) Socialists.
(c) Republicans.
(d) Demoncrats.

(a) Thanksgiving.
(b) Independence Day.
(c) Christmas.
(d) Easter.

(a) Education.
(b) Politics.
(c) Religion.
(d) Entertainment.
172
family one day?
173
1. D
2. D
3. A
4. C
5. B

Kind.
Her books.
family one day?
His address.
Black.
Himmel Street.
174
Four Week Quiz A
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Part Four, The
Standover Man.

(a) Warm.
(b) Cruel.
(c) Shy.
(d) Vulgar.
(a) His neck.
(b) His nose.
(c) His arm.
(d) His ankle.
(a) Munich.
(b) Hamburg.
(c) Berlin.
(d) Stuttgard.
4. What book does the mysterious young man take on the train with him while traveling cross
country?
(a) Moby Dick.
(b) Mein Kampf.
(c) The Bible.
(d) The Quran.
(a) Mimmel Street.
(b) Gimmel Street.
(c) Fimmel Street.
(d) Himmel Street.
175
neighborhood?
176
1. D
2. D
3. A
4. B
5. D

neighborhood?
Walter Kugler.
Her ribs.
Rosa beats her.
Hans.
He is a tailor.
177
Four Week Quiz B
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Part Ten, The Book
Thief.

1. Which of the following characters is NOT in the room with Rudy when he has to strip naked
for the Nazi physical?
(a) A doctor and nurse.
(b) His father.
(c) Two other boys being examined.
(d) A school official.

(a) Trees.
(b) Hands.
(c) Church pillars.
(d) Her hips.
(a) Tomato soup.
(b) Minestrone soup.
(c) Pea soup.
(d) Chicken noodle soup.
streets?
(a) Milk.
(b) Bread.
(c) Eggs.
(d) An apple.
(a) Communists.
(b) Demoncrats.
(c) Republicans.
(d) Socialists.
178
payment?
179
1. B
2. A
3. C
4. B
5. A

She is saddened.
payment?
One apple each.
A teddy bear.
Coffee.
Stalingrad.
180
Eight Week Quiz A
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Part Two, The
Shoulder Shrug.

(a) Newspaper clippings.
(b) Spit.
(c) Eggs.
(d) Chicken feathers.

(a) Rugby.
(b) Gymnastics.
(c) Swimming.
(d) Track and Field.
(a) His paintings.
(b) Homemade candles.
(c) Hand-rolled cigarettes.
(d) Locks of his hair.
(a) As painful.
(b) As enlivening.
(c) As feeling nothing at all.
(d) As deadening.
(a) Magic Marker.
(b) Paint.
(c) Coal.
(d) Dirt.
181
182
1. B
2. D
3. C
4. B
5. C

Soccer.
Accordian.
Christmas.
Her mother.
Rosa beats her.
183
Eight Week Quiz B
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Part Three, Mein
Kampf.

(a) Hamburg.
(b) Berlin.
(c) Munich.
(d) Stuttgard.
(a) Paint.
(b) Magic Marker.
(c) Dirt.
(d) Coal.

(a) The mayor's wife.
(b) Adolf Hitler.
(c) Rudy.
(d) Hans. Jr.
(a) Three days.
(b) Three months.
(c) Three weeks.
(d) Three years.
(a) A carnival.
(b) A bonfire.
(c) They ignore the birthday completely.
(d) A feast.
184
185
1. C
2. D
3. A
4. C
5. B

He is coughing.
Take a bath.
Track and Field.
He understands why she stole it and does not punish her.
He is a painter.
186
Eight Week Quiz C
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Part Four, The
Standover Man.

(a) Fimmel Street.
(b) Himmel Street.
(c) Gimmel Street.
(d) Mimmel Street.
house?
(a) Potatoes.
(b) A new dress.
(c) Candy.
(d) Toothpaste.

(a) Because she cannot read.
(b) Because she cannot do math.
(c) Because she cannot spell.
(d) Because she has no friends.

(a) Fate.
(b) Love.
(c) Death.
(d) Hope.

(a) He was German.
(b) He was Canadian.
(c) He was Swedish.
(d) He was Jewish.
187
188
1. B
2. C
3. A
4. C
5. D

He is coughing.
She is excited.
He has a key.
A bonfire.
Soccer.
189
Eight Week Quiz D
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Part Five, The
Whistler.

(a) The Dancer.
(b) The Whistler.
(c) The Sleeper.
(d) The Banker.
(a) Confused.
(b) Pleased.
(c) Guilty.
(d) Apathetic.
Stuttgart?
(a) A young woman.
(b) An old man.
(c) An old woman.
(d) A young man.
(a) Himmel Street.
(b) Gimmel Street.
(c) Mimmel Street.
(d) Fimmel Street.
(a) At the hospital.
(b) At the library.
(c) At the school.
(d) At the church.
190
3. How did Erik Vandenberg's widow react when Hans brought her husband's instrument home
to her?
191
1. B
2. C
3. D
4. A
5. D

Her ribs.
Coal.
home to her?
She didn't want it.
Rosa beats her.
He has a key.
192
Eight Week Quiz E
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Part Eight, The
Word Shaker.

(a) Easter.
(b) Thanksgiving.
(c) Independence Day.
(d) Christmas.

(a) Hans.
(b) Rosa.
(c) Rudy.
(d) Liesel.
3. What is the BDM?

(a) Band of German Girls.
(b) Girl Scouts.
(c) Hitler's Youth Organization.
(d) Cooking Club.
4. Which of the following emotions does Max feel comfortable expressing only in his journal?
(a) Envy.
(b) Loneliness.
(c) Anger.
(d) Fear.
(a) Liesel.
(b) Hans.
(c) Max.
(d) Rudy.
193
194
1. D
2. B
3. A
4. C
5. D

He was Jewish.
Trees.
Struttgard.
At the church.
Hans Hubermann.
195
Eight Week Quiz F
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Part Nine, The Last
Human Stranger.

(a) The Gravedigger's Handbook.
(b) The Whistler.
(c) The Shoulder Shrug.
(d) The Dream Catcher.

(a) Because his father is an atheist when it is fashionable to be Catholic.
(b) Because his father is uneducated and illiterate.
(c) Because his father aligns himself with Hitler.
(d) Because his father has not yet joined the Nazi party.
(a) Max Vandenberg.
(b) Rosa.
(c) Erik Vandenberg.
(d) Adolf Hitler.
(a) Her dolls.
(b) Her shoes.
(c) Her dresses.
(d) Her books.
(a) He stoically accepts his fate.
(b) He gets drunk.
(c) He tries to run away from home.
(d) He begins to pray.
196
197
1. D
2. D
3. C
4. D
5. B

She does.
Hand-rolled cigarettes.
Germany.
Because of her gender.
The army.
198
Eight Week Quiz G
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Epilogue, The Last
Color.

Liesel to collect?
(a) A thesaurus.
(b) Liesel's shoes.
(c) A dictionary.
(d) A note.
(a) She ignores the offer completely.
(b) She refuses it.
(c) She is confused by the offer.
(d) She graciously accepts it.

(a) Essen.
(b) Hellweg.
(c) Cologne.
(d) Rhine.
from his sickness?
(a) A bouquet of flowers.
(b) A soccer ball.
(c) A feather.
(d) A description of a cloud.

(a) Irene.
(b) Ilizabeth.
(c) Ingrid.
(d) Ilsa.
199
food?
market?
200
1. B
2. B
3. A
4. A
5. D

The mayor's wife.
food?
The church.
market?
That his family is starving.
Rosa beats her.
Hans.
201
Mid-Book Test - Easy
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

whenever possible?
(a) Frau Hollapfel.
(b) Frau Hubermann.
(c) Frau Hermann.
(d) Frau Hansel.
(a) He kicks in the door.
(b) He breaks a window.
(c) He digs a tunnel.
(d) He has a key.
(a) She is saddened.
(b) She is outraged.
(c) She is overwhelmed.
(d) She is disgusted.
(a) Angry.
(b) Crazy.
(c) Kind.
(d) Selfish.
5. Which of the following things does Liesel describe for Max using the most colorful language
she can think of?
(a) The night sky.
(b) The rain forests.
(c) The ocean.
(d) The weather.
202
(a) Coal.
(b) Magic Marker.
(c) Dirt.
(d) Paint.

(a) Fate.
(b) Hope.
(c) Death.
(d) Love.
(a) They ignore the birthday completely.
(b) A feast.
(c) A carnival.
(d) A bonfire.

(a) Because he was small.
(b) Because he had a speech impediment.
(c) Because he was Jewish.
(d) Because he was poor.

(a) Harp.
(b) Bagpipes.
(c) Accordian.
(d) Banjo.

(a) The accordian.
(b) The harmonica.
(c) The bagpipes.
(d) The banjo.

(a) Max.
(b) Hans.
(c) Rudy.
(d) Rosa.
203
(a) Rudy.
(b) Hans.
(c) Liesel.
(d) Max.

(a) Spain.
(b) England.
(c) France.
(d) Canada.
service?
(a) That the Frau is a traitor.
(b) That the Frau is fat.
(c) That the Frau is ugly.
(d) That the Frau is pathetic.
204
205
Multiple Choice Answer Key
1. C 11. A
2. D 12. B
3. C 13. A
4. C 14. C
5. D 15. D
6. A
7. C
8. D
9. C
10. C
Short Answer Key

She is shocked.
Paint.
The army.
A book.
206
She refuses it.
207
Final Test - Easy
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

(a) American.
(b) Canadian.
(c) German.
(d) British.
(a) That he is in love with her.
(b) That he hates Hitler.
(c) That he does not miss his father.
(d) That he cries himself to sleep at night.

(a) His body is never found.
(b) In a shop.
(c) At the local cemetery.
(d) By the riverbed.

(a) His mother smothers him.
(b) He commits suicide.
(c) He has a heart attack.
(d) He drowns in the river.
5. Which of the following characters does NOT get up in the middle of the night during the air
raid sirens?
(a) Hans.
(b) Liesel.
(c) Rosa.
(d) Max.
208
(a) Proud.
(b) Anxious.
(c) Humiliated.
(d) Confused.

(a) Administering medical aid.
(b) Putting out fires.
(c) Feeding the troops.
(d) Mapping enemy movement.
(a) She is apathetic.
(b) She is confused.
(c) She is angered.
(d) She is saddened.

(a) To join the war effort.
(b) To run away with Liesel.
(c) To break into houses.
(d) To fix his father's car.

(a) Struttgard.
(b) Hamburg.
(c) Munich.
(d) Berlin.
(a) An apple.
(b) Money.
(c) A kiss.
(d) A gun.
(a) Presents.
(b) A feast.
(c) Snow.
(d) Candles.
209
(a) His Hitler Youth division leader.
(b) His parents.
(c) Liesel.
(d) Adolf Hitler.
(a) Milk.
(b) Apples.
(c) Coffee.
(d) Bread.
(a) Her hips.
(b) Church pillars.
(c) Trees.
(d) Hands.
210
211
1. A 11. C
2. B 12. C
3. B 13. A
4. B 14. C
5. D 15. C
6. C
7. B
8. D
9. C
10. A
Short Answer Key

January.
In a car accident.
For using her hairbrush.
Poker.
212
He gets drunk.
213
Mid-Book Test - Medium
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay
questions.

(a) Adolf Hitler.
(b) Rudy.
(c) Hans. Jr.
(d) The mayor's wife.
home to her?
(a) She cherished it forever.
(b) She didn't want it.
(c) She didn't recognize it.
(d) She didn't answer the door.
(a) Discarded clothing.
(b) Food scraps.
(c) Newspapers.
(d) Metal cans.

(a) He was Swedish.
(b) He was Canadian.
(c) He was German.
(d) He was Jewish.
(a) Football.
(b) Baseball.
(c) Soccer.
(d) Dodgeball.
214
215
the bonfire?
216
mother?
217
1. D
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. C
Short Answer Key

Stealing.
Rosa beats her.
He has a key.
Vulgar.
None.
218
Short Essay Answer Key
at the bonfire?
When Max arrives, he spends his first few days sleeping in Liesel's room. This, however, is too
dangerous, so they move him to a cleared space in the basement. They cover the entrance with
Hans' paint cans and old drape cloths.
At first, Max is embarrassed that he has no gift for Liesel on her birthday. Then, he paints over
the pages of the book "Mein Kampf" and writes a new storybook for Liesel on its pages, entitled
"The Standover Man", about a man who is haunted by a past he cannot escape.
219
Rudy is infatuated with Olympic runner, Jesse Owens. To show his admiration, Rudy attempts
to blacken his entire body by rubbing a lump of coal on his skin. His father warns him that
admiring a black man could have catastrophic effects on the family.
As a child, Max was frequently bullied because he was Jewish. He got into fights constantly with
the same boy, Walter Kugler. Even though Walter usually won his fights against Max, he began
to feel endeared to Max because he was such a tenacious fighter. The two soon became
friends.
When one of the sergeants asked for a soldier with good handwriting to stay behind during a
particular mission, Erik Vandenberg volunteered Hans. During the mission, all of Hans' troop
members were killed, and he forever credited Erik with saving his life.
mother?
Hans tells Liesel that writing letters home to her mother is a good idea, and gives her
permission to do so. Rosa, on the other hand, thinks writing letters is a waste of time because
no one even knows if Liesel's mother is alive. When she catches Liesel stealing money to pay for
postage stamps, she beats the girl with a wooden spoon.
220
Final Test - Medium
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay
questions.

(a) They are handing out pamphlets about the Nazi party.
(b) They are inspecting basements that may be converted into bomb shelters.
(c) They are searching for hidden Jews.
(d) They are collecting donations to benefit the Hitler Youth organization.

(a) Dachau.
(b) Auschwitz.
(c) Majdanek.
(d) Treblinka.
(a) His arm.
(b) His nose.
(c) His leg.
(d) His neck.

(a) In a shop.
(b) At the local cemetery.
(c) By the riverbed.
(d) His body is never found.
5. Which of the following characters is NOT in the room with Rudy when he has to strip naked
for the Nazi physical?
(a) His father.
(b) A school official.
(c) A doctor and nurse.
(d) Two other boys being examined.
221
222
223
224
1. B
2. A
3. C
4. A
5. A
Short Answer Key

Rosa.
1942.
Hans.
A teddy bear.
The Word Shaker.
225
Throughout the summer, Liesel continues to break into Frau Hermann's library to steal books.
One day, a copy of a Dictionary and Thesaurus is propped on the window ledge with a note
from Frau Hermann. Frau Hermann knows Liesel is stealing from her, and wishes the two could
repair their relationship so they could continue reading together.
The LSE is a small troop of men who are sent into cities after bombs have fallen to put out fires.
This is the troop Hans fights with, and it is extremely dangerous. He is somewhat jealous of the
fact that Herr Steiner gets to sit in a small office and tailor the damaged suits of fallen soldiers,
a much safer task.
Michael Hotzapfel dies a few weeks after Hans returns home. His body is found hanging in a
shop downtown. Before he killed himself, Michael wrote a letter to his mother apologizing for
his actions and stating that he could no longer live with the knowledge that his brother was in
the grave. Hans was the one to deliver the bad news to Frau Holtzapfel.
"The Word Shaker" is a book that Max wrote for Liesel before he was sent away from the
Hubermann household. In the book, a young girl walks around the neighborhood shaking trees
for Hitler. The young girl climbs up a tree that is about to be cut down, and is later joined by a
226
young Jewish man. The two sit in the tree, watching it bend, confident that it will never break.
Most people in the neighborhood don't have a lot of money, so they often pay Hans in wares
rather than cash. One day, he is paid with bottles of champagne, which he allows Liesel to drink
with him. Liesel thinks the champagne is so sweet, she swears she will never drink it again lest
she be disappointed.
Hans waits for weeks, sure the Nazi party is going to knock at his door at any moment and
arrest him. He is shocked to learn instead that he has finally been accepted into the party, and
that he is expected to enlist in the army to fight in the war. That night, Hans goes out with Herr
Steiner to get drunk.
entire family.
When Max is very sick, Liesel and Rosa make a plan that if he is to wake up while Liesel is in
school, Rosa will come to school and shout at Liesel for something. One day, Rosa shows up at
227
school and shouts at Liesel for using her hairbrush. Through this interaction, Liesel knows that
Max is awake.
228
Mid-Book Test - Hard
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay
topics.

2. What is the BDM?
229
the bonfire?
230
8. What objects are given to the mysterious young man in Stuttgart to help him escape the city?
231
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Rudy and Liesel have an interesting and dynamic relationship from the moment they meet.
First, describe how Liesel and Rudy meet. Then, describe how the relationship between these
two children changes over the course of the novel. Choose at least two major incidents from
the novel and explain how these incidents affected the relationship between the children.
Essay Topic 2
When Hans sees the starving Jewish prisoner being marched through town, he makes a snap
decision that permanently affects his family. What are the pros to Hans' decision regarding the
Jewish soldier? What are the cons? When the pros and cons are balanced, do you think Hans'
decision regarding the soldier is a good one? Why or why not?
Essay Topic 3
The book burning at the opening of the novel is an event that has a profound effect on Liesel
and her relationship with the written word. First, describe why the Nazis were hosting a book
burning in the first place, and what they hoped to accomplish during this event. Then, explain
what inadvertent lessons Liesel learned by attending the event. From Liesel's perspective, was
the book burning a success? Why or why not?
232
Short Answer Key
France.
2. What is the BDM?
Band of German Girls.
His ankle.
He was Jewish.
Accordian.

233
While at the bonfire, Liesel sees that not all of the books are burning properly. She snatches
one book, "The Shoulder Shrug" from the top of the pile and hides it in her shirt. The book
burns her skin, but Liesel claims that the pain makes her feel alive.
During her first few weeks in school, Liesel performs poorly because she cannot read. She finds
herself getting into fights on the playground because other children make fun of her illiteracy
and the fact that she is in foster care.
Liesel finishes reading her copy of "The Gravedigger's Handbook" a few days before Christmas,
which is a huge accomplishment for her. Hans wants to buy Liesel a new book, but he doesn't
have the money. He sells some of his hand-rolled cigarettes and raises enough to buy her two
new books for Christmas. She is overjoyed.
at the bonfire?
234
At the opening of the novel, Liesel, her mother, and her young brother are being transported to
Munich, Germany by a group of armed guards. Liesel's mother is being taken away for being a
communist, and Liesel and her brother are going to be placed in foster care.
city?
In the middle of the night, the young man is given a copy of Adolf Hitler's book, "Mein Kampf".
Inside the book is an identity card and a key. He boards a train and travels to an address where
he is told help is waiting. The house turns out to be that of the Hubermanns. He uses the key to
enter the house without knocking and alerting the neighbors.
Liesel thinks that Rosa is incredibly vulgar and has a foul mouth, but is pleased to realize that
she is not cruel. When she meets Hans, she is immediately drawn to him and has a feeling that
he has a warm heart.
235
Final Test - Hard
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay
topics.

Liesel to collect?
236
237
238
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Many characters in this novel suffer from recurring nightmares. Choose two characters who
suffer from nightmares and describe the visions they have. How do these recurring nightmares
affect the way these characters interact with the world and each other?
Essay Topic 2
Both Liesel and Hans have an artistic talent that brings peace to stressful situations. First,
describe both Liesel and Hans' talents. Then, describe at least one situation when these
characters use their artistic skill in the attempts to calm a crowd. What is the effect of their
attempts?
Essay Topic 3
Ilsa Hermann is a woman devastated by loss in her life. First, explain the loss Ilsa Hermann
experiences. Then, describe how she attempts to cope with this loss. How does the loss in Ilsa
Hermann's life affect her relationship with Liesel?
239
Short Answer Key
Liesel to collect?
Liesel's shoes.
He is not punished.
The Word Shaker.
They are inspecting basements that may be converted into bomb shelters.

Viktor steals Liesel's copy of the "The Whistler" and throws it into the river just to be cruel.
Rudy wades out into the river and fetches it back. When he returns, he asks Liesel for a kiss. She
thinks about it, but turns him down. He never asks Liesel to show him affection again.
240
Frau Hermann leaves Christmas cookies out for Liesel during the holiday season. As Liesel is
stealing from the library, Frau Hermann enters and confronts her. She tells Liesel that she, not
her husband, owns the library and that women can be empowered to do whatever they want in
this world. This statement has extreme impact on Liesel.
At the Hitler Youth carnival, Rudy signs himself up for four different foot races. He wins the first
three easily, but begins to tire. He sees his old organization leader and is terrified of losing in
front of him, so he purposefully gets himself disqualified from the fourth race. He quickly
leaves, satisfied with having won three races.
Upon exiting the bomb shelter during an air raid drill, everyone sees a small fire in the distance.
An American airplane pilot has gone down and is gravely injured. Rudy tries to shield Liesel
from the dying man, but she is determined to see him. Rudy gives the man a teddy bear, hoping
it will comfort him has he reaches death.
Frau Hermann finally convinces Liesel to take a copy of the book "The Whistler". At the same
time, she hands Liesel a note explaining that she has to fire Rosa from her laundry service.
Liesel hurls the book back at Frau Hermann and begins shouting that Frau Hermann is a
pathetic old woman who hasn't been able to get over the death of her son.
entire family.
241
During the first summer that Max is staying with the Hubermann family, Liesel reads the same
book, "The Whistler" over and over. Frau Hermann offers to give the book the Liesel, but she
refuses. A few days later, Liesel breaks into the Hermann house and steals the book for herself.
When the air raid drill goes off, the Hubermanns race to the neighbor's house and cram
themselves, along with twenty other people, into the bomb shelter. When everyone is
panicked, Liesel begins to read aloud, calming everyone. While the family is gone, Max sneaks
out of the basement to take a look at the sky. It is the first time he has been out of the
basement in nearly two years.
242

The Book Thief Lessonplan

Transféré par

Informations du document

Description originale:

Titre original

Copyright

Formats disponibles

Partager ce document

Partager ou intégrer le document

Options de partage

Avez-vous trouvé ce document utile ?

Ce contenu est-il inapproprié ?

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

The Book Thief Lessonplan

Transféré par

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

The Book Thief Lesson Plans

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Target Grade: 7th-12th (Middle School and High School)

Browse The Book Thief Lesson Plan:

 Introduction  Short Essay Questions

Lesson Plan Calendars

Character and Object Descriptions

Fun Classroom Activities

Essay Questions/Writing Assignments

These 20 Essay Questions/Writing Assignments can be used as essay questions on a test, or as

Short Essay Questions

One Week Lesson Calendar

Before the unit begins:

 Homework Assignment: Read through Part Three, Mein Kampf

Review Chapter Review Chapter Review Chapter Review Chapter Test

Two Week Lesson Calendar

Before the unit begins:

 Homework Assignment: Read through Part Two, The Shoulder Shrug

Students Read 1 Fun Activity 1 In-Class 1 Fun Activity Homework

Review Chapter Review Chapter Review Chapter Review Chapter Test

Four Week Lesson Calendar

Before the unit begins:

Review Review Chapter Review Review Chapter Review Chapter

Review Review Chapter Review Daily Lesson 30 Test

Eight Week Lesson Calendar

Before the unit begins:

Review Chapter Daily Lesson 1 Review Review Chapter Quiz

Daily Lesson 4 Review Chapter Quiz Review Review Chapter

Daily Lesson 8 Quiz Review Chapter Review Quiz

Review Chapter Review Review Review Test

Daily Lesson 15 Review Chapter Review Review Review Chapter

Review Review Review Chapter Review Quiz

Review Chapter Daily Lesson 24 Review Review Chapter Quiz

Review 1 In-Class Collect essay Review Test

Daily Lesson 28 Homework Daily Lesson 29 Daily Lesson 30

Part Three, Mein Kampf

Part Four, The Standover Man

Part Five, The Whistler

Part Six, The Dream Carrier

Part Seven, The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus

Part Eight, The Word Shaker

Part Ten, The Book Thief

Epilogue, The Last Color

The Shoulder Shrug

The Dream Carrier

The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus

The Standover Man

The Word Shaker

The Book Thief

Lesson 3 (from Prologue, A Mountain Range of Rubble, and

Lesson 4 (from Part Two, The Shoulder Shrug)

Part Two, The Shoulder Shrug

Lesson 5 (from Part Two, The Shoulder Shrug)

Part Two, The Shoulder Shrug

Lesson 6 (from Part Two, The Shoulder Shrug)

Part Two, The Shoulder Shrug

Part Three, Mein Kampf

Lesson 8 (from Part Three, Mein Kampf)

Part Three, Mein Kampf

Lesson 9 (from Part Three, Mein Kampf)

Part Three, Mein Kampf

Lesson 10 (from Part Four, The Standover Man)