“I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.”
If you found yourself profoundly moved by The Book Thief – its haunting depiction of Nazi Germany, its unforgettable characters, and its poetic, powerful narration – you’re far from alone. Having sold over seventeen million copies, this bestselling novel by Markus Zusak has left a lasting imprint on readers across the globe. Whether it was the emotional depth, the unique narrator, or the way it captured both hope and heartbreak during WWII, The Book Thief is one of those rare stories that linger with you. If you’re now wondering what to read after The Book Thief, this is the list for you. We here at What We Reading have pulled together the best books like The Book Thief that mirror its historical setting, coming-of-age themes, and emotional resonance. From other WWII novels to poignant young adult historical fiction, these stories promise to captivate anyone who loved Zusak’s masterpiece.
The Book Thief Summary
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a heartfelt book set in Nazi Germany during the Second World War. The story follows Liesel Meminger, a young girl sent to live with her foster parents in the small town of Molching. Amid the horrors of war, Liesel finds solace in books – first stealing them, then learning to read with the help of her gentle foster father, Hans Hubermann. As the war rages on, Liesel’s world is defined by air raids, loss, and the quiet resistance of those around her. Her life takes a turn when her family hides a Jewish man named Max in their basement, forging a deep friendship that changes them both.
Narrated by Death, the book presents a unique and haunting perspective on the fragility and resilience of life. With lyrical prose and unforgettable characters, The Book Thief is a powerful depiction of love, words, and the enduring human spirit in the darkest of times.
All The Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr
Kicking off our list of the best books like The Book Thief is Anthony Doerr’s bestselling historical fiction novel, All The Light We Cannot See. The story begins with twelve-year-old Marie-Laure, a girl from Paris, fleeing the French capital with her father following the German occupation. The two of them relocated to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie’s reclusive uncle lives in a tall house by the sea.
Elsewhere, in a German mining town, Werner Pfennig is an orphan growing up with his sister. He becomes highly skilled at constructing and fixing instruments, a talent that is soon identified by the German war machine and used to track down the Allied resistance. As Marie and Werner’s story converges in surprising and heartfelt ways, Doeer captures the beautiful ways in which people find a way of being good to one another, even when all hope and odds appear stacked against it.
Check Out The Best Books Like All The Light We Cannot See
The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas – John Boyne
John Boyne’s The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a classic historical fiction novel set during the Second World War, told through the innocent eyes of an eight-year-old German boy named Bruno. When Bruno’s family moves to a house near a concentration camp, where his father serves as a commandant, he discovers a strange “farm” behind a barbed wire fence. There, he meets Shmuel, a boy wearing striped pyjamas, and an unlikely friendship soon grows between the pair.
As their bond deepens, Bruno remains obliviously unaware of the horrific realities of Shmuel’s life, and the story builds to a devastating finale. Like The Book Thief, this novel captures the horrors of the Holocaust through the lens of youth and innocence, presenting a deeply emotional and thought-provoking reading experience.
A Monster Calls – Patrick Ness
Conor has the exact same dream every night. Ever since his mother first fell ill, ever since she began the treatments that don’t quite seem to be working. But tonight is different. Tonight, when he wakes, there’s a visitor at his window. It is ancient, elemental, a force of nature. And it is looking for the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth.
In his Carnegie Medal-winning work, A Monster Calls, Patrick Ness weaves an extraordinary and heartbreaking tale of mischief, healing, and, above all else, the courage it takes to survive. If you loved The Book Thief, A Monster Calls is a YA fantasy read all about love, loss, and the enduring power of hope.
The Librarian Of Auschwitz – Antonio Iturbe
Based on the experiences of real-life prisoner Dita Kraus, The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe is the incredible story of a girl who risked her life to keep the magic of books alive during some of the darkest times in history.
Fourteen-year-old Dita is one of the many imprisoned by the Nazis at Auschwitz. Taken, alongside her mother and father, from the Terezin ghetto in Prague, Dita is adjusting to the constant terror that is life inside the camp. When Jewish leader Freddy Hirsch asks Dita to take charge of the eight precious volumes the prisoners have snuck past the guards, she agrees. And so, Dita becomes the unofficial librarian of Auschwitz. If you’re looking for what to read next after finishing The Book Thief, Iturbe’s tale presents another dive into one of the darkest chapters in human history and the extraordinary story of courage and hope.
Sarah’s Key – Tatiana De Rosnay
Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay is a deeply moving historical novel that weaves together the past and present through a dual timeline. In 1942, during the Vel’ d’Hiv roundup in Nazi-occupied Paris, ten-year-old Sarah Starzynski locks her younger brother in a cupboard to keep him safe, never imagining that she won’t be able to return. As she is taken away alongside thousands of other Jewish families, Sarah’s desperate efforts to get back to him form the heart-wrenching thread of the story.
Sixty years into the future, American journalist Julia Jarmond is investigating the roundup for an article and happens upon a shocking personal connection to Sarah’s story. As she digs further, she is forced to confront hidden truths about her family and the lingering impact of history. Like The Book Thief, Sarah’s Key explores the emotional toll of the Second World War, revealing both personal and historical tragedies with grace and intensity.
The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini
Another one of the best books like The Book Thief, Khaled Hosseini’s bestselling novel, The Kite Runner, tells the incredible story of an unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant. Covering the 1970s to early 2000s, the story orbits around Amir, a privileged boy from Kabul, and his complex relationship with Hassan, the son of his father’s servant. A single act of betrayal during a kite-flying competition changes the entire course of both their lives.
Years on, now living in the United States, Amir is called back to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan to confront his past and seek redemption. Similar to The Book Thief, The Kite Runner is an exceptionally moving coming-of-age story set during turbulent historical times, blending intimate personal drama with sweeping political change.
Salt To The Sea – Ruta Sepetys
While the Titanic and Lusitania are both infamous, the single greatest tragedy in maritime history is the far less-known sinking in the Baltic Sea by a Soviet submarine the Wilhelm Gustloff on January 30th 1945. The German cruise liner was supposed to ferry wartime personnel and refugees to safety from the advancing Red Army. The ship was overcrowded with over 10,500 passengers – the intended capacity was roughly 1,800 – and more than 9,000 individuals would lose their lives.
It is this harrowing tragedy that novelist Ruta Sepetys immerses readers in her historical fiction book like The Book Thief, Salt to the Sea. In this fictionalised but exceptionally accurate work, Sepetys introduces readers to four distinct voices as their stories converge on the decks of this doomed vessel.
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close – Jonathan Safran Foer
In a vase in a closet, a couple of years after his father died on 9/11, nine-year-old Oskar discovers a key. The key belonged to his father, he was certain of that. But, which of New York’s 162 million locks does it open?
Thus begins a quest that takes Oskar – inventor, letter-writer and amateur detective – across New York’s five boroughs, and into the jumbled lives of friends, relatives, and total strangers. He gets heavy boots, he gives himself little bruises, and he inches ever nearer to the heart of a family mystery that stretches back over five decades. But will it take him any closer to, or further away from, his lost father? Similar to The Book Thief, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close offers a child-eye view of tragedy, blending heartache with moments of wonder and humour through its unconventional narrative and emotional depth.
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Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
