The Book Thief
by Markus Zusak
- Lexile
- 730L
- Grade range
- Grades 8–11
- Age range
- Ages 13–17
- Pages
- 552
- First published
- 2005
- Genre
- Historical Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9780375842207
About this book
Narrated by Death, the novel follows Liesel, a young German girl in a foster family in Nazi Germany, who steals books, learns to read, and hides a Jewish man in her basement. Zusak's novel appears on middle-school and high-school Holocaust-study reading lists across multiple state DOE frameworks.
Themes
- Holocaust
- courage
- the power of words
- friendship
- loss
Content notes
- war violence
- death
- Holocaust depictions
Common Sense Media recommends age 13+.
Where this book is assigned
Common Core State Standards (ELA)
- recommended· 9th gradesource: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 9-10 exemplar
- recommended· 9th grade · Michigansource: Michigan ELA Standards — Holocaust cross-curricular
Similar grade-level books
Common questions
- What grade level is The Book Thief?
- The Book Thief is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 8–11, with a Lexile measure of 730L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- What is the Lexile level of The Book Thief?
- The Book Thief has a Lexile measure of 730L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.
- What curricula assign The Book Thief?
- The Book Thief appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is The Book Thief banned in schools?
- The Book Thief does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.
- What themes does The Book Thief explore?
- Central themes in The Book Thief include Holocaust, courage, the power of words, friendship, loss. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.