The Book Thief by the numbers
Markus Zusak · first published 2005 · dataset 2026-10-24
Who it is not for: readers below 8th grade: no school list in our data assigns it earlier. At 552 pages it is also longer than the median book listed for grades 9-12 (273), so it is not a quick read.
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Length and reading time
| Pages (dataset edition) | 552 |
|---|---|
| Estimated words | 152,000 |
| Reading time, 300 wpm (fast) | 8 h 26 min |
| Reading time, 250 wpm (average adult) | 10 h 7 min |
| Reading time, 200 wpm (careful / younger reader) | 12 h 39 min |
| Days at 20 minutes a day | 31 |
| Lexile measure | 730L |
At 552 pages, The Book Thief is longer than 99.0% of the 2,330 books on the reading lists we track whose page count we know (2,809 books are tracked in all). It is longer than the median book listed for grades 9-12 (273 pages).
The Book Thief is 552 pages; the median book listed for grades 9-12 is 273 pages and the median of all 2,330 listed books with a page count is 187.
Source: Page counts of 2,330 books on U.S. school reading lists, bookstatistics.com · Dataset snapshot 2026-10-24
Show the numbers
| Book | Pages |
|---|---|
| The Book Thief | 552 pages |
| Median book listed for grades 9-12 | 273 pages |
| Median of all listed books | 187 pages |
Word counts and reading times are estimates: pages × 275 words, divided by the reading speed. Your edition's page count and your own pace will differ.
Where The Book Thief is on school reading lists
4 appearances (0.0% of all 20,804 listings in the dataset), drawn from 4 published lists, in grades 8th–9th. 4 of the 4 carry a link to the published source document.
States (3): Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio.
| Grade | Listings |
|---|---|
| 8th | 1 |
| 9th | 3 |
Sources
- Middleborough High School (MA) — Summer Reading 2025, choose one per incoming grade · checked 2026-10-07
- Chagrin Falls English Department Reading List 2025-2026 - CFMS Advanced English Grade 8 - 3rd quarter all-read · checked 2026-09-21
- Michigan ELA Standards — Holocaust cross-curricular · checked 2026-05-29
- CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 9-10 exemplar · checked 2026-05-29
Questions
How many pages is The Book Thief?
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is 552 pages in the edition recorded in our dataset. Page counts vary by edition and format; at about 275 words per page that is roughly 152,000 words. See how long assigned books are, grade by grade.
How long does it take to read The Book Thief?
About 10 h 7 min at an average adult pace of 250 words per minute (8 h 26 min at 300 wpm, 12 h 39 min at 200 wpm). At 20 minutes a day that is about 31 days. Compare a book of about the same length: Children of Blood and Bone.
Is The Book Thief on school reading lists?
Yes. It appears 4 times on the U.S. school reading lists, award lists and curricula in our dataset, in 3 states plus 1 national-curriculum listing, most often in grades 9-12. That ranks it #2,058 of 2,809 listed books. See the most assigned books, ranked.
When was The Book Thief first published?
The Book Thief was first published in 2005, 21 years ago. See how old assigned books are, decade by decade.
Related
- The Book Thief: reading level, grades and similar booksOn ReadingList, our sister site for school reading lists.
- Books of about the same lengthChildren of Blood and Bone (543 pp.) · The Mysterious Benedict Society (512 pp.) · The Grapes of Wrath (464 pp.) · Little Women (449 pp.)
- The most assigned books, rankedAll 2,809 listed books start here.
- Book length statisticsHow long assigned books are, by grade.
Cite this page
<a href="https://bookstatistics.com/books/the-book-thief/">The Book Thief statistics</a>. Book Statistics, a Figures Bureau site. [The Book Thief statistics](https://bookstatistics.com/books/the-book-thief/). Book Statistics, a Figures Bureau site. [url=https://bookstatistics.com/books/the-book-thief/]The Book Thief statistics[/url]. Book Statistics, a Figures Bureau site.