Book Review: Anne Frank by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon

Anne Frank: The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon

Anne Frank's story of hiding in occupied Amsterdam from the Nazis has had several treatments in several different mediums (all based on the diary that she wrote while in hiding). I was excited to discover this graphic-novel treatment at my local library. While most versions focus on the time hiding in the attic, this book gives a full overview of Anne's life, starting with the marriage of her parents. The story moves at a good pace, describing their life in Germany, their flight to the Netherlands, their hiding from the Nazis in the attic of the father's business. The book also covers the period after their discovery, when the family is sent to the concentration camps where all but the father dies. The last ten pages tell the story of her father's discovery of the diary and how it became famous.

Anne's life story is well told. In addition to the overview of her life, the authors added some "snapshots" which are sidebars describing historic events (like the Nazi rise to power or Kristallnacht) or important information (like a world map showing the Allies, Axis, and neutral countries during World War II). I found this book compelling reading and definitely recommend it.