The Book Theif- Liesel\'s Library PDF

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Descriptions of books in Liesel's Library...

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The Gravedigger's Handbook The Gravedigger's Handbook was the first of many books to cross Liesel Meminger’s path. She found the book on January 13, 1939. Two days prior, her mother, her, and her brother, Werner, were on a train traveling to Molching, a town where Liesel and Werner would live with foster parents until the war was over. On the journey, Lisel fell asleep and when she awakens she learns that her brother has passed away. With Werner in her mother's hands, they step off the train at a township, where he will be buried by a pair of gravediggers. On their way back from the burial, Liesel finds The Gravedigger's Handbook tucked in the snow where a gravedigger's apprentice dropped it. She holds the book near her the entire way to her new foster families home. Liesel learned a tremendous amount of lessons and knowledge from The Grave Digger’s Handbook. For example, she learned how to trust her Papa because no one knew she had the book until Hans found it underneath her mattress when he was changing her sheets. The most important knowledge that she learned was to read and write. Hans taught her everything he knew, so Liesel was thrilled that she could finally read the book that connected her to the last time she saw her mother and brother. The Gravedigger’s Handbook opened many doors for Liesel. It inspired her to read more books because there is a whole world of books with powerful meanings. It, also, gave her the trust she needed in a person, her Papa, in difficult times for her. The book pulled them closer together and built a strong relationship between the two of them. Faust the Dog The second book that Liesel gained is Faust the Dog. After she finished The Gravedigger's Handbook with Hans, she was in desperate need of a new book. Her Papa put aside enough cigarettes to trade in for two new books and gifted them to her on Christmas Eve of 1939 after attending a church service. When Liesel received Faust the Dog it opened her eyes to how much Rosa and Hans cared for her because she knew they were tight on money, but she still was gifted two books. The overall lesson she learned from receiving the books was to be grateful for what you have and receive. This book expanded her vocabulary greatly as she read it. It also gave her a greater appreciation for her Mama and Papa because they sacrificed money they could have used on food or clothing for her and her love for books. The Lighthouse

The Lighthouse was the other book that Liesel's Papa gifted to her for Christmas by trading in his cigarettes. She learned how to be proud of her accomplishments and how to become more independent because this was the first book she read by herself without any help from Hans. The Lighthouse was eye-opening for Liesel because she realized she could be more independent by reading the book by herself. The Shoulder Shrug The Shoulder Shrug was the fourth book Liesel Meminger acquired, but the second book she stole. On April 20, 1940, Hitler’s birthday, Liesel attended the bonfire in which any books or written material that connected a person to the Jewish was burned. After all the books appeared to be burned a group of people gathered all the ashes to dispose of them. As they were doing so, Liesel noticed that there were a few books on the very bottom were still intact, so she quickly grabbed one hoping that no one saw her and tucked the book under her shirt and continued home. On her way home though she noticed that the Mayor's wife saw the whole robbery. The shoulder shrug gave Liesel the first inside look into how harsh the Nazi party was because she stole the book from a book burning when people dispose of reading material that can connect them to anything that may threaten their lives if someone else was to see it. She also learns how to distract herself from her horrendous nightmares. This book plays an important role in Liesel's life on Himmel Street because as she stole the book from the fire Ilsa Hermann watched her from afar and when she would return their laundry she would invite Liesel inside to her library. This gives Liesel the opportunity to read all the books that she had access to in there. Mein Kampf Mein Kampf came into Liesel's life when Hans traded money and a dozen cigarettes for it when he applied to become part of the Nazi party. Although, Liesel did not read the book she learned a lesson that following the crowd may be better than being different. Max acted as if he believed in what he read on the train to the Hubermanns. Hans had to act as if he believed in what the Nazi party said, so that his family would not look suspicious.

Mein Kampf brought Max into Liesel's life and started a forever lasting friendship between them because the book hid the key to Hans and Rosa's home. There Max would stay until he felt he has put the Hubermanns into danger. He was one of Liesel's friends that got her through difficult times and made her feel at home. The Mud Men During Liesel's twelfth birthday, Rosa and Hans wanted to get her something special, so what else than a book. They gifted her The Mud Men. During this birthday, Max did not have enough money to purchase a present for her, so he gave her a hug until he could gift her something. Liesel acquires a lesson that she will use for the rest of her life while reading The Mud Men. She learns that to be happy you have to make the best out of any situation because even though Max did not have anything for her she happily accepted the hug that she offered. She has a greater appreciation for Rosa and Hans than she ever did before because even though they were trying to be stingy with their money they still managed to give Liesel another book for her birthday. The Standover Man The Standover Man was a meaningful book to Liesel. It was gifted to her from Max a week after her birthday in 1941 and was her seventh book in her collection. Max was disappointed when he was unable to give Liesel a present on her birthday, but he made sure to make up for it by making her a book. He painted of Mein Kampf and with white paint and created a thirteen paged book about his past and how he ended up at Himmel Street. Liesel learns a great amount of information about Max as she read The Standover Man. It allowed her to trust him and open up more about herself to him, which allowed their friendship to grow greatly. Liesel gained another friend after reading the book because of how close she felt to Max once she finished. The Whistler When Liesel had the chore of dropping the laundry off at the mayor and his wife’s home to help Rosa, Ilsa Hermann would invite her inside to the home’s library. There Liesel read a chapter or two of The Whistler every time she visited them. Once the family did not have enough money to pay to have their laundry done, they had to fire Liesel's mother. In doing so, Lisel was angry at Ilsa, so when she offered for Liesel to take home the book she refused to do so. In the

fall of 1941, Liesel decided that she would like to have the book, but instead of asking for it she would steal it for revenge with Rudy's help. This was the first of five books that she took from Ilsa Hermann. Liesel reads this book the first time she had to go into hiding because of bomb threats near them. She began to read aloud when she could not concentrate because of all of the other kids and adults talking, screaming, and crying from being scared that they were not going to be fine. It started with a few people listening, then everyone began to pay attention to her and to distract themselves from what was happening. At that moment Liesel realized that words can help and affect others around her in a strong powerful way. The Whistler brought Liesel hope when she read it. The words moved people that were in the shelter and gave them hope that everything was going to turn out fine, so she had hope that it would help Max when he was ill in her bed. The Dream Carrier The Dream Carrier was the second book Liesel and Rudy stole from the Mayor's home, but the ninth book in her collection. It was March of 1942 and Liesel was desperate for another book to read. Rudy was the first to offer to go into the house, but Liesel did not allow him to because he would steal food and then and only then if he had time or hands he would steal a book too. When she enters the library she notices a book called The Dream Carrier. It reminds her of her brother and how he was always in her dreams and it reminds her of Max and hopes that the words will wake him. Liesel recognizes the importance of family when she steals this book from the Mayor's home in revenge for firing Rosa. Liesel also reads this book to Frau Holtzapfel and is able to forget about the negative things in her life. A Song in the Dark A Song in the Dark was the book Liesel stole without any help from anyone. It was the third book she had to crawl through the mayor's library window to steal. She was not in the house for long because she spotted a green book and grabbed it.

While Liesel read The Song in the Dark she was able to understand that happiness can come in even the hardest of times because she would read this book while sitting next to Max as he sketched. Even though they were not talking, she was pleased to be with Max even though the rest of the world has no idea where he was, so she could not share the information with anyone unless she would like him to be taken away from her. The Song in the Dark brought Liesel closer to Max because they bonded just being in each others presence. The Word Shaker The Word Shaker was one of the most important books to Liesel in her pile, considering it was the last gift she would ever receive from Max. She was given this book after she returned home with Rosa when it was safe to come out of their shelter because there was a bomb threat. Rosa felt that it was appropriate timing that she gave Liesel her present that Max left with instructions to give it to Liesel when she was ready, but Rosa believed she always was. Reading The Word Shaker, Liesel learned that kind words are more powerful than hurtful ones because when Liesel's tree finally falls it takes down Hitlers with it and provides a new path for others to follow. She also learns that strong friendships are hard to be broken because when she and Max were up in the tree together others tried to break down their friendship but it was beyond difficult for them to do. This book gave Liesel gain faith that the war will not destroy the world because the good will always win and the evil will always lose in the end. The Last Human Stranger The Last Human Stranger was the final book Liesel stole. She stole the book from the mayor and his wife's home. On her way out, Liesel decided to write a thank you note to Ilsa for allowing her to use the library and books as she pleased. Once she finished she noticed Ilsa standing in the doorway happy to see her there. Liesel learns in there conversation that the library belonged to Ilsa and that she was stealing from her and not the mayor. In knowing who the library belongs to it creates a bond between Liesel and Ilsa again that is stronger and last an extended period of time....