Summary of Part 1

By: Talarence Logwood

It began in January 1939.  On a snowy night, Liesel Meminger, her mother, and brother were on a train to meet her foster parents.  Liesel felt like her mother neglected her.  Liesel saw her brother die, and was left in a state of shock.  She was sad to see the gravediggers bury her brother.   Right before Liesel left the grave sight, she stole the Grave Digger's Handbook.  Later in the part, Liesel met her foster parents.  Rosa was loving, but very stern at times.  She used profanity when Liesel didn't take baths.  Her husband Hans was more kindly affectionate.  He taught her how to roll cigarettes.  This is how their love started.  Liesel had nightmares about her brother for the first few months.  Liesel kept the Grave Digger's Handbook as a reminder of her mother and brother.  When school started Liesel was forced into a much younger class with children who just started learning the alphabet.  Hans played his accordion at the bar everyday.  Rosa's income came from the laundry of others.  She often times made Liesel deliver the laundry to the mayor's house.  Liesel lives on a poor street called Himmel  Street.  The kids play soccer there with trashbags.  At school Liesel gets persecuted, but her friend Rudy that walks home from school comforted her.  They persecuted her, because she couldn't read.  One night after Liesel had a nightmare Hans found the Grave Digger's Handbook.  He agreed to read it to her.   After every night mare Hans read to Liesel and taught her how to read with sand paper and pencil.