Part 1: A Gravedigger's Handbook

Arrival on Himmel Street

Weird. Himmel means Heaven. Foreshadowing? Also, it is really interesting how the cemetery welcomed him "like an old friend". Is this because death is all around the cemetery? Death is a really interesting character. In the introduction, it was all about him. Now, what happened to Death? It is all about Liesel now. Wonder why?

But why take steal a book? Wow! Liesel. What an interesting name. I am taking an educated guess that Liesel will be the main character. So far, she has been described as a girl with a permanent shock. Hmm.

An observation

It is interesting how, in his observation, he states that in a pair, one is always more dominant than the other. Is this true in everything? It seems like one is always a foil character, making the other one look a certain way.

I also see this kind of foiling in Sherlock Holmes. For example, Watson is "bigger" and dumb, compared to Sherlock who is strong, thin, and very intelligent. It seems like a common theme in well written books. If I ever write a book, I know what I am going to do!

Growing up a Saumensch

The bath... Why does Liesel refuse to take one? Hans seems like he loves Liesel... or is it the cigarettes? Is this section foreshadowing? What a strange connections between Hans and Liesel. Mama seems kind of strict, the opposite of Hans. Foil character?

I also find it almost sad that Saumensch is a part of the everyday vocabulary, like the is to ours. Saumensch means pig person. How sad. Calling everyone a pig person. I would feel so negative and gloomy.

I'm mama number two

Is this the right thing to say? She just got abandoned by her mother and now "Mama" is forcing her to call her the name of the loving person that left her so suddenly? Mama is very uptight and doesn't seem to care about anything to do with Liesel. 

I would find it so hard to call another person who I barely knew "mom". That title is for her, and I couldn't imagine being forced to call someone else mom. It would just make me miss her even more.

The Woman with the Iron Fist

Poor Liesel. Having to see her brother die is one thing, but seeing it over and over in a dream, seeing a glimpse of hope, realizing your in a dream, thinking you can wake up and give your brother a hug, and then actually waking up, just to the same sorrows, seen the day before. Knowing it is real must be hard to take. On a lighter note... Papa. I wonder how is accordion playing really is. Also, Mama seems to be annoyed by everything. Accordion playing, rich people, her job... does she like anything???

A small question and its answer

Yuck! Leisel is like a maid for Mama. Having to go to work with her, cleaning up after a train of hatred. Well Mama, that train left a long time ago. But, another train carried a girl, who would become your maid. Poor Liesel.

Why is she required to do this? Mama's argument, Mama's mess. Poor Liesel. Will this happen throughout the book? It is so sad. Her mom leaves, her brother dies, she becomes a maid for her knew mom? That must be hard.

 The Kiss

What a weird character. Rudy Steiner. Even weirder, Frau means women. There is some symbolism here. Another translation... Pfiffikus means crafty thing. Is Pfiffikus going to be a key character, a crafty one? I can't believe that Liesel blocked that ball. Is Rudy mad or impressed or both? 

I also agree with the fact that the only thing worse than a boy who hates you, is a boy who loves you. This is so true because when a boy loves you, he can't leave you alone. This will probably go for Liesel, too. Rudy probably won't leave Liesel alone. He will embarrassingly hug her or say bye every single day.

One day, Liesel you'll be dying to kiss me

I wouldn't be so sure. He says that now, but he'll say it a thousand more. When another girl moves in and blocks his soccer kick, he'll be saying that again. Why is Rudy always so confident? Is it just being a kid? Taking risks? Or is it his personality? Will he always be like that? 

The Jesse Owens Incident

Well this is just funny. Rudy is always to sure of himself. He better watch out. If anything like that happens again, he could be "taken away". And Hitler, refusing to shake Jesse Owens hand, how rude! I also  saw some more translations. Kaufmann Shoe Shop. Kaufmann means merchant. Hmm. Is the author trying to make it as easy as possible?

I also can't believe he did this. It is like no children know about politics. I knew about politics at that age, why don't they? Yeah, I get that it was a hard time, but I feel like everyone should know what is going on in the world at the time. 

The moon and the clouds watching tightly...

Major personification here. But it shows a lot of feeling. If the moon and the clouds were watching tightly, who else was? Could this mean trouble? I wonder how many people know of this incident. Hmm. 

This is a really emotional personification phrase that really captures the true mood. I think Zusak fits this sentence in exactly at the right time. If he had put it in anywhere else, it wouldn't have had the same power that it did with that placement. Zusak seems to know exactly where to put phrases to set the mood.

The Other Side of Sandpaper

What a cute connection between Liesel and Hans. Weird, but sweet. Hans is okay, not exactly okay but you know what I mean, with Liesel having an accident and finding a book she's been hiding? I wonder why Hans is so undereducated... Is there a logical reason? Also, I love Hans artwork. It is so inspiring! 

I think it is interesting that Hans is a painter, yet his drawings look like this:

Metallic eyes, melting

Wow... metallic eyes. What a brave phrase. Melting as in tears. Liesel is so lucky to have Papa. He understands her, unlike Mama. 

This phrase is so strong. It shows so much emotion. Three words is all you need.

The Smell of Friendship

This relationship between Hans and Liesel just grows stranger and stranger. In a good way. of course, but still strange. Also, friendship has a smell? I wonder how it smells. Like papa? Cigarettes and dirt? Hmm.

Though the relationship is strange, it is also cute. Kind of like those odd animal friends you see online. Cute but strange. The example I use below is how I think of Hans and Liesel. The picture below is a picture of Suryia (the orangutang) and Roscoe (the dog). Suryia guides Roscoe, but they are great friends. In my mind, Hans is Suryia, sort of guiding Liesel who is Roscoe.

Like cigarettes and kerosene 

I wonder why Rosa and Hans got married. They are so different. She hates everything she does and even says he stinks. Literally! Oh! What is kerosene? I have a guess, but I still have to look it up. Is it like a drink or a type of smell that comes with cigarettes? Or even better, friendship?

So, kerosene is a type of fuel or a type of lamp, used especially because it was long lasting. I bet it doesn't smell good because what kind of fuel does?

The Heavyweight Champion of the School- Yard

Let me just start out by saying, HEAVYWEIGHT??? Have you seen Liesel? She is anything but heavyweight. Ok, I know, that's not what it means, but I just had to say that. Also, that must of been really embarrassing to blow it in front of everyone your age. Especially your neighbors.

I wonder how Liesel got the courage to through a punch. I would have never expected that to happen. Especially because she was just embarrassed in front of everyone one. She must be stronger than she sounds.

I like this human idea of the grim reaper. I like the scythe. It amuses me.

When I was annotating this book, I underlined this. Then, I have an arrow that says "wow death". The idea of death amuses him. Maybe he should start using a scythe. Then he could amuse himself. Wow death! WHY is Death amused by this?