Anne Frank

Children's Literature - Kathie M. Josephs

As part of a series called "Bio-Graphics," this biography is well written and the format is certainly reader friendly. Students do not always think of nonfiction as being for casual reading; however, this biography will capture the reader's interest from the first page. This is a shortened version of the diary of a famous young Jewish girl called Anne Frank, but it does hit the highlights. Anne certainly influenced the world, and her diary has been translated into more than 30 languages. It is important for young people to read and understand how a sixteen-year-old made such an impact with this diary and know it will remain as a testimonial for generations to come. This book is written in graphic format, which is a favorite of mine! It makes it perfect for students who are reluctant readers and never seem to finish a book on their own. Young adults who want to read anything they can get their hands on will also enjoy the graphics and fast paced text. The full-color graphics make an enormous impact on the story. Vocabulary has been well selected, and this book is an excellent resource that could be used for writing a summary or a book report. At the end of the book, the author includes a timeline, a list of additional books on the subject, a glossary, and web sites. The timeline is very interesting and gives information such as the fact that Anne received the diary on her thirteenth birthday in 1942. This book is good for both boys and girls and should be added to classroom libraries as well as personal libraries. Reviewer: Kathie M. Josephs