The Grim Reaper serves as the immortal, omniscient narrator of the story. He approaches his job of collecting souls with a world-weary detachment, yet maintains a fascination with humanity. The sheer volume of casualties during the war years leaves him demoralized. He becomes particularly interested in Liesel's story as a way to understand the human capacity for both beauty and destruction.

Liesel is a nine-year-old orphan sent to live with foster parents in the Munich suburb of Molching. Following the tragic loss of her brother, she arrives traumatized and plagued by nightmares. Despite initially lacking the ability to read, she possesses an intense, instinctual attraction to books that drives her to steal them. She slowly learns to wield the written word as a tool for comfort and connection.

Rudy is Liesel's energetic, lemon-haired neighbor. He is constantly hungry and obsessed with the American Olympic athlete Jesse Owens, even painting himself black in tribute. Living in Nazi Germany, Rudy maintains a rebellious streak and a strong sense of loyalty to those he cares about. He continually asks Liesel for a kiss, though she routinely refuses.

Hans is Liesel's kind-hearted, silver-eyed foster father. He works as a house painter and plays the accordion, using his music to soothe Liesel after her nightmares. Unlike many in his community, Hans quietly resists the ruling political party and maintains a strong moral compass. He patiently teaches Liesel how to read by painting letters on the basement wall.

Rosa is Liesel's squarely built, abrasive foster mother. She supplements the family income by washing and ironing clothes for the wealthier residents of Molching. She communicates primarily through curses and physical discipline, brandishing a wooden spoon to maintain order. Beneath her prickly, combative exterior, she possesses a fierce capacity for love and loyalty toward her family.

Max is a young Jewish fist-fighter seeking refuge from persecution. Exhausted, starving, and plagued by guilt over leaving his family behind, he arrives at the Hubermann home relying on a promise made decades earlier. He spends his days concealed in the basement, where he channels his trauma into creating illustrated stories over the painted-out pages of *Mein Kampf*.

Ilsa Hermann is the mayor's wife, a quiet woman who lives in a large house on a hill above Molching. She remains in a state of perpetual mourning for her son who died in World War I, punishing herself by keeping her home freezing cold. Observing Liesel's love for reading, she allows the young girl access to her extensive personal library.

Alex is Rudy's father and a local tailor in Molching. He is a practical man who joins the ruling political party strictly for business reasons to support his large family. He tries to teach his son the realities of surviving in their dangerous political climate, hoping to keep him out of trouble.

Frau Holtzapfel is Rosa Hubermann's long-standing nemesis on Himmel Street. She regularly demonstrates her disdain by spitting on the Hubermanns' front door. As the war intensifies and air raids begin, she demonstrates a surprising interest in the stories Liesel reads, offering a truce in exchange for reading sessions.

Hans Junior is the son of Hans and Rosa Hubermann. Unlike his father, he is an enthusiastic and fervent supporter of the ruling political regime. His fanaticism creates a deep ideological divide within the family, causing him to view his father's quiet resistance as cowardice.

Trudy is the adult daughter of Hans and Rosa Hubermann. She is described as placid and quiet, preferring to avoid the loud political arguments that frequently erupt between her brother and father.

Werner is Liesel's younger brother. He falls suddenly ill and passes away during the train ride to Munich, leaving Liesel with profound trauma. His memory haunts her through recurring nightmares during her early months in Molching.

Liesel's biological mother is a destitute woman whose husband disappeared due to his suspected communist affiliations. Unable to care for her children financially or protect them politically, she makes the agonizing decision to place them in the foster care system.

Frau Diller is a strict, rule-abiding shopkeeper in Molching. She is a rigid supporter of the ruling party, refusing to serve any customer who does not offer the mandatory political greeting upon entering her store.

Pfiffikus is an eccentric older man living in Molching. He is known throughout the community for his foul mouth and tendency to whistle while walking through town.

Sister Maria is a stern disciplinarian who teaches at the school in Molching. She routinely bypasses Liesel during reading exercises due to the young girl's poor literacy skills, inadvertently prompting Liesel's schoolyard fight.

Ludwig is a classmate of Liesel who relentlessly bullies her about her inability to read. His harassment culminates in a physical altercation in the schoolyard where Liesel severely beats him.

Franz Deutscher is an aggressive and demanding youth group leader. He singles Rudy out for harsh physical punishments in the mud when the boy steps out of line or tries to defend weaker members of the troop.

Tommy is a physically weaker boy in the neighborhood who struggles to keep up with the demands of the youth group. Rudy often attempts to defend him from the cruelty of their troop leader.

Arthur is the original leader of the local gang of teenage thieves. He oversees operations to steal apples and farm produce, showing a degree of fairness and camaraderie when distributing the stolen goods to his followers.

Viktor is the tyrannical new leader who replaces Arthur Berg. Unlike his predecessor, Viktor is sadistic and greedy, bullying the younger members, hoarding the stolen food, and holding grudges against anyone who defies his authority.

Walter is a young man from Stuttgart who grew up repeatedly fighting Max Vandenburg in street matches. Over thirteen bouts, their rivalry blossomed into a deep friendship, prompting Walter to risk his own safety to help hide Max from the authorities.

Erik is a Jewish soldier who served alongside Hans in the First World War. He taught Hans how to play the accordion and saved Hans's life by volunteering him for a writing assignment on a day when the rest of their unit faced a deadly battle.

Michael is Frau Holtzapfel's adult son who returns home from the brutal winter battles of Stalingrad. He arrives with severe physical injuries, including three missing fingers, and suffers from deep psychological trauma after witnessing his brother's death.

Robert is Frau Holtzapfel's son who loses his life fighting in the snows of Stalingrad. His death deeply shatters his family, plunging his mother into grief and leaving his surviving brother with intense trauma.

Reinhold is a young, ill-tempered member of Hans Hubermann's air raid clean-up crew. He develops a petty grudge against Hans after repeatedly losing his cigarette rations to him during card games.

Mayor Hermann is the mayor of Molching and the husband of Ilsa Hermann. He is a prominent political figure in the town, though he primarily features in the story through his wife's actions and the library housed in their mansion.