Young adult · Historical
The Book Thief
Bestseller: about 16 million copies (estimate)Narrated by Death, this novel follows Liesel, a girl placed with foster parents in Nazi Germany, who steals books and learns to read as her family hides a Jewish man in the basement.
Facts last checked 2026-10-16
- First published
- 2005
- Pace
- Medium
- Length
- Long
- Pages
- 552
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you want a moving, unusual Second World War story built around the love of books.
Skip this if you can't take a narrator who foreshadows deaths, or a sad ending.
The feel
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Quick answers about The Book Thief
- What is The Book Thief about?
- Narrated by Death, this novel follows Liesel, a girl placed with foster parents in Nazi Germany, who steals books and learns to read as her family hides a Jewish man in the basement.
- Who should read The Book Thief?
- Read it if you want a moving, unusual Second World War story built around the love of books. Skip it if you can't take a narrator who foreshadows deaths, or a sad ending.
- How long and how fast is The Book Thief?
- It is a medium-paced, long read of about 552 pages, first published in 2005.
- Does The Book Thief have content warnings?
- Content we flag: War, Death, Genocide, Grief, Child death.
- Can I borrow The Book Thief for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends The Book Thief; the borrow button above searches it for you.
- What should I read after The Book Thief?
- Readers who liked it often move on to All the Light We Cannot See, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, The Nightingale.
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Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Amazon | Check price | Buy new from Amazon |
| Ebook | ||
| Kobo | Check price | Buy ebook from Kobo |
| Google Play Books | Check price | Buy ebook from Google Play Books |
| Audiobook | ||
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
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If you loved The Book Thief
-
All the Light We Cannot See Another war story about a child's life in occupied Europe, written in short, lyrical chapters.
-
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas A shorter, simpler story of children in wartime Germany, with a harsher ending.
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The Nightingale Another emotional Second World War novel, centred on sisters in France.
Young adult
