The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

Brother and sister, Leisel and Werner Meminger are on their way to being left with a foster family by their mother.  

Rosa and Hans Hubermann are barely making a living but will receive a small monetary subsidization for Leisel and her brother. Only Leisel makes it to the door.

Leisel becomes best friends with the neighbor next door Rudy Steiner.  She grows to love her "Papa" and at some point even her "Mama" who calls her names from the onset.  When they hide Max in the basement, Leisel makes a new friend.

I was half way through the story before I realized who the narrator was.

I saw the movie and liked the book much better.  The book talks more about her book thievery.  Maybe for sake of time, that was not dwelt on as much in the movie as it was in the book.     

Even though Leisels’ book thievery is what the story is about, the underlining tale is about Germany during the reign of Hitler and how small towns coped.