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Quick answer: If you loved The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, try All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys and Number the Stars by Lois Lowry.
The Book Thief is loved by teens and adults alike and is often read in high school. The books below share its World War II settings, young protagonists, moving friendships and love of words and stories. Some are written for teens and some for adults, and several are heartbreaking.
Table of Contents
Why Readers Love The Book Thief
The Book Thief is narrated by Death, who tells the story of Liesel Meminger, a girl who steals books and learns to read in Nazi Germany. Markus Zusak’s unusual narrator, the loving foster father Hans Hubermann and the Jewish man hidden in the basement have made it a modern classic. It’s a heartbreaking story about the power of words and small acts of kindness. If you loved its voice, its history or its heart, these picks fit.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick below shares at least one thing readers loved about The Book Thief: its characters, its mood, its setting or the questions it raises. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious choices, and we noted the genre and who each book suits best in the table, so you can scan for the right fit before you read the blurbs.
We kept every description spoiler-free and flagged mature content where it matters, since some of these books are written for adults and others suit teens. If you’re not sure where to start, the tips near the end of this list match each pick to what you loved most. The FAQ at the bottom answers the questions readers ask most often.
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Genre | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| All the Light We Cannot See | Anthony Doerr | Historical fiction | Young lives in wartime |
| The Nightingale | Kristin Hannah | Historical fiction | Courage and sacrifice |
| Between Shades of Gray | Ruta Sepetys | YA historical fiction | Untold stories |
| Code Name Verity | Elizabeth Wein | YA historical fiction | Friendship and twists |
| Salt to the Sea | Ruta Sepetys | YA historical fiction | Multiple narrators |
| Number the Stars | Lois Lowry | Middle-grade novel | Younger readers |
| The Diary of a Young Girl | Anne Frank | Diary | Real voices |
| The Boy Who Dared | Susan Campbell Bartoletti | Historical fiction | Resistance |
| Lilac Girls | Martha Hall Kelly | Historical fiction | Women in wartime |
| Night | Elie Wiesel | Memoir | Essential history |
| The Librarian of Auschwitz | Antonio Iturbe | Historical fiction | The power of books |
| Mischling | Affinity Konar | Literary fiction | Twins and survival |
| I Am David | Anne Holm | Children’s novel | Escape stories |
| The War That Saved My Life | Kimberly Brubaker Bradley | Middle-grade novel | Healing in wartime |
| I Am the Messenger | Markus Zusak | YA fiction | More Zusak |
1. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
A blind French girl and a German orphan’s paths converge in occupied France. It won the Pulitzer Prize.
2. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Two French sisters resist the Nazis in very different ways.
3. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
A Lithuanian girl and her family are deported to a Siberian labor camp.
4. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
A captured British spy writes her confession for the Gestapo. It’s a story of friendship with a big twist.
5. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Four refugees head for the doomed ship Wilhelm Gustloff in 1945.
6. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
A Danish girl helps her Jewish friend escape. It’s gentle and brave.
7. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
Anne Frank’s diary from hiding in Amsterdam.
8. The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Based on a true story of a German teen who spoke out against Hitler.
9. Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
Three women, including a concentration camp prisoner, are linked by the war.
10. Night by Elie Wiesel
Wiesel’s memoir of surviving Auschwitz as a teenager.
11. The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe
A girl in Auschwitz secretly guards a handful of books. It’s based on a true story.
12. Mischling by Affinity Konar
Twin girls survive Josef Mengele’s experiments. It’s harrowing.
13. I Am David by Anne Holm
A boy escapes a camp and travels across Europe looking for home.
14. The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
A girl escapes her abusive mother when London’s children are evacuated.
15. I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
An underage cab driver receives mysterious playing cards with missions.
How to Pick Your Next Read After The Book Thief
- Want another Pulitzer winner? All the Light We Cannot See.
- Want YA history? Ruta Sepetys’s books.
- Want books about books? The Librarian of Auschwitz.
- Reading with younger kids? Number the Stars.
- Want more Zusak? I Am the Messenger.
- Take care. Several are very sad.
Reading These Books With Teens
The Book Thief is often a teen’s first serious book about the Holocaust, and many of the picks above make good next steps. For younger teens, Number the Stars and Between Shades of Gray are powerful but accessible. Older teens may be ready for All the Light We Cannot See or The Nightingale. Reading together and talking about the history makes these books even more meaningful, and visiting a Holocaust museum or its website can add context.
Related: The Book Thief book club discussion questions and what age The Book Thief is appropriate for.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I read after The Book Thief?
Try All the Light We Cannot See, The Nightingale, Between Shades of Gray or Code Name Verity.
What is a YA book like The Book Thief?
Between Shades of Gray, Salt to the Sea and Code Name Verity are acclaimed YA historical novels.
Is there a book about books in World War II?
The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe is based on a true story.