"The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak Quiz

Answer: Death

Interestingly enough, Death is the narrator. It's mentioned on the back cover of the book. It's not everyday you read a book narrated by Death.

Answer: Nazi Germany

The story starts in 1939, at the beginning of WWII. The story is set in the city of Molching in Nazi Germany.

Answer: Communist

Liesel's mother was arrested because she was accused of being a communist. In Nazi Germany, all communists were arrested and either sent to concentration camps or were executed. In the book, it is written "Kommunist", which is how it is said in German.

Answer: Max

Max is a Jew that the Hubermann's hid. They did it because Hans Hubermann had promised the family of his deceased friend--from the first World War and who had taught him how to play the accordion--many years before that he would help them if they ever needed it. Max was the child of the Jewish family he promised to help. Little did he know he would have to risk his own life (as well as his family's) to help them.

Answer: "The Whistler"

Liesel reads "The Whistler". Her voice soothed the children, and everyone pays close attention to her reading. It takes their mind off the raid, for at any minute they might have been bombed.

Answer: True

When Rudy's family is gathered around the TV watching Jesse Owens win his 4th gold medal, Rudy sneaks out, only after slathering charcoal all over his face, and goes to the track. He runs on the track and pretends he's Jesse Owens. He didn't understand that if the Nazis had found out about that, he would have been taken away from his family and put into a concentration camp.

Answer: "TheStandover Man" and "The Word Shaker"

Max gives Liesel "The Standover Man" and "The Word Shaker". He wrote them both. He gave "The Standover Man" to Liesel for her birthday, and "The Word Shaker" he gave to her mother to before he left to give to Liesel when she was ready to have it.

Answer: Liesel and Alex Steiner

Liesel was the only one ON Himmel Street at the time of the raid that survived, however Alex Steiner (Rudy's father), who was not on Himmel Street at the time of the air raid, lived on Himmel street. Liesel was writing in her book in the basement at the time of the raid and therefore was saved. The sirens were late, and so no one made it to their basements and they all died.

Answer: Sydney

Death goes to Sydney to pick up Liesel's soul. He states that she is one of those souls that sits up waiting for him to come because they accept their fate, because she has lived her life, got married, had children and grandchildren, and then it was time to go.

Answer: true

It is written on the back of the book that Death visits the book thief three times: when her brother dies, when the bombs fall on Himmel Street, and when she herself dies.