Books meaning to Liesel

[Annie Potter]

How do you think the story would alter if Liesel didn't have a love for books? And why do you think Liesels sudden interest for books arose after her brothers death? Do you think it was a distraction for her or that reading made her feel like she wasn't alone in everything? In a way, books saved Liesels life, because during the raid, Liesel was down in the basement working on her own personal book, so luckily the bombs didn't kill her unlike Hans, Rosa and Rudy unfortunately. 

[Sara S.]

It is hard to imagine the novel without Liesel's desire to read. Possibly the first section of the novel to change would be Liesel and Hans Hubberman's connection. When Hans Hubberman discovered "The Grave Digger's Handbook," after Liesel wet the bed, Liesel's yearning to read caused him to begin their "midnight classes." As Papa taught Liesel, they gained an unbreakable connection. I think that Liesel's love of reading arose after her brother's death because it was a book, and not another object, that was her only token of her sibling. Her emotional attachment to the book might be what sparked her interest in learning to read as she began her life on Himmel Street.

[simonplotkin]

Liesel's love for books arose from the war. Civilians during that time were all looking for distractions from the horrors happening all around them. For Hans it was the accordion and smoking, for Max his drawings, and for Liesel her books. They were so difficult to come by that every time she acquired one it was like she had found a brand new adventure to go on. Their rarity made them more special to her. If she had not needed books, she would not have read them. Her struggles could all be overcome by reading. This mindset fueled her to steal "worthless" books when everyone else was taking as much food as they could carry. "...Arthur laughed, in three quick snorts. His pimples shifted position. 'You can't eat books, sweetheart.'" Liesel survived off books as much as she did food.