Anne Frank The Anne Frank House authorized graphic biography

The authors of the comics adaptation of The 9/11 Report (2006) offer a well-documented and insightful biography of history's most famous child diarist. Beginning a generation before Anne's birth in 1929 and continuing through the literary and multimedia means by which her diary has been introduced to readers aronud the globe, the story moves with unrushed pacing that gives the harrowing end to Anne's brief life a palpable context that will touch even those familiar with her story. Jacobson and Colon relied on a plethora of photographic and written documents, including the unexpurgated version of Anne's diary, part of which had been suppressed by her father during his lifetime. Panel arrangements effectively show simultaneous events happening in the life of the family and in the world, while brief snapshots provide enough historical information to make motives, fears, and expectations sensible to anyone unfamiliar with the Holocaust's machinery. More than simply poignant, this biography elucidates the complex emotional aspects of living a sequestered adolescence as a brilliant, budding writer. Naturally, this book has significant appeal for teens as well as adults.--Goldsmith, Francisca Copyright 2010 Booklist

Jacobson and Colon-the collaborators on The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation-revisit an earlier tragedy. Among the most famous diarists of history, Frank and her Holocaust testimonial have become part of the intellectual landscape for the 20th century even for those who haven't read her original words. Not an adaptation of the diary itself, this comprehensive biography begins with Anne's parents, travels through Anne's upbringing prior to and during the Nazi regime and its death camps, and describes her father's survival. Otto learns of the death of his daughter and the rest of the family, finds her diary, and jump-starts Anne's legacy-she had wanted to become a writer. VERDICT This account was created with the full cooperation of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. Historical contexts, maps, charts, and time lines make the story useful for all ages as a starting point for meeting the plucky Anne as not only memorializer of the Holocaust but also a delightful, perceptive heroine in her own right. The color art is attractive and evocative. An essential purchase. See Francisca Goldsmith's recent interview with the authors (http://bit.ly/ftim8K).-M.C. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 6-10-This graphic biography by the creators of The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation (Hill and Wang, 2006) will introduce a new group of readers to the tragic and inspiring world of Anne Frank. Rather than focus solely on her famous diary, Jacobson and Colon trace Anne's history beginning with her parents' early lives, the family's frequent relocations, the move into the Secret Annex, and the final fates of Anne and the other "hiders." Along the way, they add in factual information to contextualize the events. The full-color artwork does a good job of conveying Anne's world, family, and friends. A list of the people appearing in the story would have been helpful, especially when considering that the Dutch and German names will be unfamiliar to most readers. Overall, this is a high-quality, important work that should find a place in most libraries-Douglas P. Davey, Halton Hills Public Library, Ontario, Canada (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.