The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is my book of the year! I read it earlier this summer and sent a recommendation by text to my friends - "some books touch your soul, this one took mine and danced with it!" David, my youngest son, read this book (probably his first - I know I'm a failure as a Mum and a Librarian!) for his personal study for English Higher and even he cried...he even admitted to his pals and his teacher that he'd shed a few tears. Death is the narrator of the story about a young girl growing up in Germany during the Holocaust which at first might seem sombre and depressing. This book is funny, heart rending, unique and life changing! I would recommend it to a good reader in S2/3 as well as for Personal Study.