Zusak is the son of an Austrian father, who was a house painter, and a German mother. He is the youngest of four children. In an interview for the Sydney Morning Herald, Zusak said that when he was growing up he heard stories about Nazi Germany, the bombing of Munich, and Jews being marched through the small German town in which his mother lived. These stories inspired him to write The Book Thief.

Zusak was inspired to write after reading the books The Old Man and the Sea and What's Eating Gilbert Grape. He started writing when he was sixteen and his first book, The Underdog, was published seven years later.

Zusak lives in Sydney with his wife and daughter. He enjoys surfing and watching movies in his spare time.

• The Book Thief

:2008 Ena Noel Award - the IBBY Australia Ena Noël Encouragement Award for Children's Literature [1]

:2007 Michael L. Printz Honor book [2] by the Young Adult Library Services Association [3]

:2006 Kathleen Mitchell Award 2006 (literature)

• The Messenger/I Am The Messenger

:2007 Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis

:2006 Michael L. Printz Award Honor book

:2006 Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book

:2005 Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year-Children

:2003 Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award

:2003 New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature

• When Dogs Cry/Getting the Girl

: Honour Book for - Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year (Older Children) 2002

• Fighting Ruben Wolfe

: Honour Book for - Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year (Older Children) 2001

: shortlisted for - New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature