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|title=The Book Thief

|sort=Book Thief

|buy=Yes

|borrow=Yes

|pages=592

|publisher=Bodley Head Children's Books

|isbn=978-0370329215

}}

Death narrates ''The Book Thief'', which is the story of Liesel Meminger, a young German girl put up for fostering after her communist father disappears, her young brother dies and her mother is left unable to take care of her daughter. Liesel finds herself fostered with Hans and Rosa Hubermann, kind but rough people. Hitler has come to power and life is not easy, especially for those like Hans Hubermann who have neglected to join the Party. As war closes in and the times become even more difficult, Liesel steals books and learns to read, the Hubermanns hide a Jewish man in their basement and air strikes begin. Through it all, the narrator, Death, continues with his gruesome task of separating souls from bodies.

Another book for older children that confronts prejudice and is full of imagery is [[The Fire Eaters]] by David Almond and Sonya Hartnett's [[The Silver Donkey]] has an equally unusual take on children and war.

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