By her brother's graveside, Liesel finds her life changed when she finds a book, partially hidden in the snow. This is her first act of thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with her foster father's help, learns to read. Soon, she's stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever she finds them. But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jewish man in the basement, Liesel's world is both opened up and closed down.