The Book Thief, by Markuz Zusak

  Laura L. recommended this to me, and once again I am blown away by a Young Adult title. This is one of the most imaginative and creative books I have read. 'Death' is the narrator, and every paragraph contains lyrical and poetic writing. It took me a long time to read it because I would keep going back over sections just for the joy of the writing. However the subject matter - a small German village during WWII - was pretty depressing and sad. The first half  seemed to drag, but by the time I got halfway through, I didn't want to put it down. And although it is very sad, it ends on a hopeful note. The characters were so real and admirable, even Death! Adam's girlfriend read it in high school, and I can see this as a wonderful book to study, since it is chock full of imagery, themes, history, personification and all the elements that make English teachers go crazy! As an aside for teachers and media specialists, this book has an AR level of 5.1. I would say it is much too graphic for a 5th grader, and some teachers who only want their students to read on "their level" may miss out on a very thought provoking book by thinking it is not hard enough. I also liked reading a book about the Germans during the war, and how much in bondage they were. If you are looking for a fun, light book, this is not it - but it may change your views of some things. I understand a movie may also be in the works.