Trying to make sense of the horrors of World War II, Death relates the story of Liesel--a young orphaned German girl whose book-stealing and story-telling talents help sustain her foster family, their neighbors, and the Jewish man they are hiding in their basement in war-torn Munich. But when the Nazis close in on her Jewish friend, Liesel must witness one of the most heart-wrenching and terrifying experiences of the Holocaust.
Though Liesel begins the story as a nine-year-old and we follow her through her childhood, the content of the story is quite complex and full of adult content simplified through the eyes of a child. Tweens interested in learning about Nazi Germany and Holocaust history, as well as those who have ever experienced issues of abandonment and/or finding themselves will enjoy this story. It can be powerful and emotional at times, but extremely rewarding. Death's commentary and Max's drawings add a special touch to the story as a whole.
