BookBright
ABOUT THE BOOK
NO SPOILERSThe Book Thief is narrated by Death, who describes himself as distracted by colors and haunted by the humans he collects. He tells the story of Liesel Meminger, a nine-year-old girl in Nazi Germany who arrives on Himmel Street in the fictional town of Molching in January 1939, sent to live with foster parents Hans and Rosa Hubermann after her brother dies on the train and her mother can no longer care for her. Liesel can barely read, but when she picks up a book dropped in the snow at her brother's graveside, something shifts. With Hans teaching her to read in their basement by lamplight, Liesel begins to find meaning in words at a time when words are being used all around her to spread hatred and fear.
Free Battle of the Books questions for The Book Thief
SPOILERSEvery one of these has the same answer, and that is the point. In a real battle the question is read aloud with a dozen other books in play, and students have a few seconds to place it. Here is what a battle might ask about The Book Thief. Use them as a quiz, a trivia round, or BOTB practice.
Where in the book they come from
- Early in the book
In what book is a girl's first snatched volume titled The Grave Digger's Handbook?
✓ Answer
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The black manual Liesel takes from the cemetery snow is The Grave Digger's Handbook, a twelve-step guide to grave digging. She can't even read it yet, but it means everything to her as a memory of her brother.
- First half
In what book does a silent woman lead a girl into a room where shelves cover every wall?
✓ Answer
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Ilsa Hermann, the mayor's grieving wife, invites Liesel into her enormous library. Liesel is overwhelmed by the most beautiful room she has ever seen and begins visiting to read.
- First half
In what book does a man hide a Jew behind drop sheets and paint cans beneath the basement stairs?
✓ Answer
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Hubermanns conceal Max under the basement stairs, building a wall of drop sheets and paint cans. Hans says that if they are going to gamble on a Jew, he would rather gamble on a live one.
- Second half
In what book does a boy win three carnival races then deliberately get disqualified from the fourth?
✓ Answer
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Rudy wins the 1500, 400, and 200 meters, then triggers repeated false starts on purpose to be removed from the 100. He later admits he did it on purpose but never fully explains why.
- Second half
In what book does a man step onto the road during a prisoner march to hand a collapsing prisoner bread?
✓ Answer
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
As Jews are marched toward Dachau, Hans cannot bear to watch a collapsing old man, so he steps forward and offers bread. Both the prisoner and Hans are then whipped for the act of kindness.
- Near the end
In what book does a woman pour cold water over her hungover husband to see if he is alive?
✓ Answer
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The morning after Hans drinks himself into oblivion, Rosa marches a bucket of cold water down to the basement and dumps it on him. It is her rough, loving way of getting him up before he leaves for the war.
