Anne Frank: The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography

Excellent version of how The Diary of a Young Girl came to be. The art isn't amazing, but since the authors created it in cooperation with Anne Frank Huis in Amsterdam, the research is solid and the story, naturally, is extremely heartfelt. The incorporation of historical information alongside the events in the house makes it easier to place each event in the correct context. And, of course, make it all the sadder that the family would probably had been saved had they only been able to keep hidden for just a short while longer. This would make an excellent introduction to the diary (since it also covers the time before and after its writing), although not a replacement - Anne's writing is much too strong for that.

This is a wonderful graphic biography of Anne Frank and her family, endorsed by The Anne Frank Center USA and the Anne Frank House of Amsterdam. Utilizing authentic materials from the Anne Frank House, this graphic biography replicated photos of the Frank family into story, interweaving historical timeline events with the family’s lives. Using “Snapshots”, they gave background information such as Nazi’s eventual growth into political power. The graphics are very well done and rich with details. I particularly liked that the story started with the beginning of Frank Otto and Edith Hollander’s meeting and marriage, laying the background of the family history before moving onto Anne herself, our heroine – full name: Annelies show more Marie Frank. The authors also included quotes about members of the family, beyond Anne, which made them relatable, not just facts.

It’s amazing to be reminded that the families went into hiding for 2+ years. Hats off to the 5 brave individuals who cared for them, provided their food and needs, and arranged presents for holidays and birthdays, kept Frank Otto’s company afloat and returned it to him upon his return. Johannes Kleiman, Miep Gies, Jan Gies, Victor Kugler, Bep Voskuijl – unsung heroes. From Anne: “Never have they uttered a single word about the burden we must be… They come upstairs every day and talk… Put on their most cheerful expressions… And are always ready to do what they can. While others display their heroism in battle or against the Germans, our helpers prove theirs every day by their good spirits and affection.”

After Frank Otto’s release and reading the diary for the first time, he notes, “Never had I imaged the depths of her thoughts and feelings.” From Anne: “I don’t believe the War is simply the work of politicians and capitalists. Oh, no, the common man is every bit as guilty. The time will come when we’ll be people again and not just Jews!” And “… Looking at the sky, the clouds, the moon, and the stars really does make me feel calm and hopeful… Nature makes me feel humble and ready to face every blow with courage!” show less

One of my favorite books from my childhood was The Diary of Anne Frank, so I knew that I would find a graphic biography of her life fascinating. This graphic novel goes above and beyond, detailing her life beginning before the rise of the Nazi Movement to beyond her death and the eventual publishing of her diary. Having her life detailed in picture brought a new meaning and emotion to her story, which is obviously harrowing. The illustrations are excellent here, and the layout reminds me of the comics that you would find in a newspaper, which is a really interesting format. I would love to see this book used in a classroom setting while teaching history either as an addition to The Novel or possibly as a substitution for The Novel, as I show more found it equally as affecting. show less

If you've read "A Diary of Anne Frank," this graphic novel account of the Frank family provides a fresh perspective. If you've never read the diary, this may inspire you to pick it up. Never overwhelming or dry, this work provides the historical background for the times and the stark realities of being Jewish during WW2. It also shows the regular life of the Franks including birthdays, moving to a new home, and social gatherings. Well done!

A biography of the famous Holocaust diarist in graphic-novel format, this book provides additional background and context on Anne Frank's family and historical events of the time. I've read a lot of Anne Frank books and I learned a lot from this one, perhaps because the authors had access to many materials at the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, which commissioned this project. The format makes this important story accessible and inviting to an audience that might not otherwise read the diary or other accounts of Frank's life.

This book first begins with the lives of Anne Frank’s parents that led into the years after World War II. I think the original Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl offers more emotion for readers young or old, whereas this graphic novel lacks the great emotion that comes with Anne's first-person account/narrative. The information is presented in more of a straight-forward impersonal style. I found the maps and diagrams enclosed in this book interesting, and I appreciated the detailed diagrams and images of the annex where Anne and her family hid for 2 years. The “snapshots” shown throughout the book were interesting and provided an abundance of background information, such as: life in Germany during World War I, info on the German show more economic crisis and the rise of the Nazi party, the Wannsee Conference, and the concentration camps. I think the artwork could have been better, however. The art is a realistic approach which is appropriate and disturbing at times, but something about the art could have been more refined or offered more movement. This book also includes a Chronology near the back and suggestions for further reading. I feel that this version of teaching young readers about Anne's sad story and the atrocities that occurred is best for children or people who prefer learning more visually. I think my favorite part of this book was the information given about Anne's father Otto, with real quotes from him. The book gives life to him by describing the type of man he was and the level of respect he drew from those around him. The book reveals how he personally responded to a great many of the letters he received from readers after the first publication of Anne's diary. It was so nice to read about his hopes that Anne's book will have an effect on peoples lives and promote unity and peace, because it has had a profound effect on millions and fortunately doesn't seem to be fading away anytime soon. show less

Most people will already be familiar with the story of Anne Frank from her famous diary in book format. This graphic novel covers her story, one of a girl who hides with her family in a hidden annex at her father's business during World War II. However, it also provides historical background interwoven with details from her diary. I was especially impressed with the snapshot sections which gave readers more background on topics such as the concentration camps and Nuremberg for example. This is an engaging graphic novel. The only thing I didn't particularly like were some of the illustrations; I found that Anne sometimes looked very different from frame to frame. This graphic novel is recommended for anyone interested in the holocaust, show more certainly it would be appropriate for late elementary and all high school students because the text and images make it easy to access the content of the story while the content itself will still appeal to older readers. show less