James Thomas Canali

Lifelong friends, they went their separate ways. Now they are together again, though each holds secrets from the others in his heart. They speak of a world shadowed with rumors of war. They speak of tales of strange monsters, creatures of myth, creatures of legend. They do not speak of their secrets. Not then. Not until a chance encounter with a beautiful, sorrowful woman, who bears a magical crystal staff, draws the companions deeper into the shadows, forever changing their lives and shaping the fate of the world.

It's just a small story really, about, among other things, a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak's groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can't resist: books.

Nearly two decades earlier, the tiny town of Auburn was transformed by the presence of a quiet, humble carpenter named Joshua. With gentle actions of love and words of peace, this mysterious man had a profound influence upon everyone he met. Since then, however, many of Joshua's friends have passed away, and a generation has grown up not knowing him. And as the new millennium approaches, some have begun to get anxious, even panicked, about what God intends for them.