Activity Options-- The Book Thief-- Choose THREE

1. Fill in the gaps! Creative writing Sequel

Writing Situation: Write an alternate ending/sequel telling what happens to Liesel in the years between her reunion with Max and her death many years later.

Writing Directions: Imagine what happened and write 3-4 pages using language features and strong details.

Presentation : Present your final copy typed and maybe with a visual element.

2. Map- making Writing Situation: We learn a lot about the town of Molching in the book. The town is

apparently based off on a real town called Olching. Places of interest in the novel include Munich, Dachau, Molching, Himmel Street, Mayor’s House, Hubermann’s house, Rudy’s house, Bomb Shelter, Hubermann’s basement, Apple farm, Frau Diller’s Candy shop, Munich Street, Stuttgart, Vienna(Austria), Poland, Cologne, and Stalingrad.

Writing Directions: Create a map showing at least five of these key places, with a description and plot points for each. Include more if you would like!

Presentation : Consider the real life location that is the inspiration for the book, and draw a map that is to scale. Include headings for each location, and draw a sketch of each place. Also, include a title for your map.

3. Poems Writing Situation: The Book Thief is very poetic, and uses different types of writing

to develop different ideas. Sometimes there are short lists or breaks from the narrative to give facts or information. However, there are aspects that could be developed or considered more deeply in separate poems. Find some of these spots or characters that you could hear more from as inspiration for your own poems.

Writing Directions: Write at least three poems that relate to the book. Look back at your list of poems (for the menu assignment) to get inspiration about different types of poems. They can be about issues raised by the novel, from the point of view of the characters, or link the book to current events.

Presentation: Present your final poems entries with organization and visual impact on one piece of paper.

4. Quote Poster Writing Situation: The Book Thief focuses a lot on the power of

words—what the characters say, read, and write shape their lives and their world.

Writing Directions: Choose three quotes from The Book Thief that you think are important and present them in a poster form – include

visuals, information about context and connections/ relevance, and what chapter it is from. Presentation: Present your final poster with headings and visual impact on one piece of paper.

5. Diary

Writing Situation: In this section we hear more directly from Death, with the use of his diary. His diary tells us about what is he doing when he is not with the Hubermans, and we hear directly from him.

Writing Directions: Choose one character and write at least three diary (or blog!) entries from his/her perspective. Feel free to write like the character and aim to use that character’s voice to explore what they are concerned about, who they are thinking of, and what they are looking forward to.

Presentation: Present your final diary entries with headings, organization, and visual impact on one piece of paper.

6. Texting/ Email—non-direct communication Writing Situation: Many people attempt to communicate with each other in this novel.

I wonder what they would say to each other if they knew no one could overhear them, or if they were anonymous.

Writing Directions: Choose five important points throughout the novel, and write at least two text messages or emails from characters at this point in the story. Think about questions they would ask, what they would say to each other, and coming up with more information than provided in the book. Use text speech and emoticons-- emojis even.

Presentation: Present your final text/ email messages with headings, organization, and visual impact on one piece of paper.

7. Picture Book Tribute Writing Situation : The Standover Man is a book within a book, which tells an

autobiographical story that is a moving tribute to someone important in Max’s life. It uses illustrations and few words to show the importance of Liesel and tell the trajectory of Max’s life up to the current moment.

Writing Directions : Write an illustrated short story that tells about someone important in your life, and shows the reader why they are special to you.

Presentation: Create a booklet of at least five pages, combining words and images to tell your story.

8. Personification creative Writing Writing Situation : In the beginning of the novel, we are introduced to our

unconventional narrator, who is an idea made into a person. Death feels very human-like emotions and explains his actions and motivations. The author creates this character to introduce us to themes and ideas in a different way, and give us a unique perspective on the events in the book.

Writing Directions : Choose an idea to personify. It could be a feeling, a theory, a concept, or an event. Describe a day in the life of this idea as if the idea was a person. What do they have for breakfast? What are they scared of? What do they look forward to? Do they have friends or family? Where do they live? How do they survive? What are they excited about?

Presentation: Write about a page.

9. Research Poster Writing Situation : In these first two sections, we are introduced to a number of

historically relevant events and characters. I noticed references to Jesse Owens, air raids, communism, Hitler Youth/ BDM, the Nazi party, kristallnacht, and Adolf Hitler, but there might have been even more references that I missed.

Writing Directions : Choose one thing referenced in this section, and use internet or physical sources to research and learn more about it. Write at least three paragraphs explaining what information you discover about your topic, and also making a connection to its appearance in the book.

Presentation: Present your paragraphs with at least three photos and in an attractive display appropriate for hanging in the hallway.