Death tells us the story of Liesel Meminger, a young girl abandoned by her mother, haunted by the memory of her dead brother, living in Germany from 1939 to 1943. She is sent to live with Rosa and Hans Hubermann as a foster child. Her life on Himmel Street is anything but heaven.
Death has some haunting quotes: "Five hundred souls. I carried them in my fingers, like suitcases. Or I'd throw them over my shoulder. It was only the children I carried in my arms."
Death leads us through Liesel's life - learning to read, her best friend Rudy, hiding Max Vandenberg in their basement, stealing books from the mayor's library, Hans Hubermann publicly showing mercy to a Jew walking to Dachau, Hans being sent to the army, the bombing of Himmel Street and the destruction of her life. Death takes all that are dear to her, yet lets her live.