Customer Reviews

Anne Frank: The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography

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I ordered "Anne Frank" after reading that the author/illustrator team Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon were the same duo who had produced "The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation", which I felt was very well done.

I read the original Anne Frank Diary many years ago and have kept up with the various controversies over its publishing; mainly the "white-washing" the publishers had done - supposedly with the consent of Otto Frank - of its contents. Did Otto rewrite Anne's diary to take out the personal parts? Did the publishers attempt to "universalise" Anne's diary in hopes of making it less "Jewish" and more "commercial" to the wider world? Did Hackett and Goodrich do the same with their Broadway play and subsequent movie? We're talking about the 1950's; the book's message and contents were judged much differently than they are today.

Jacobson and Colon have "updated" the Anne Frank diary and biography to today's sensibilities. Along with parts of the diary, they have written and drawn the life of the Otto Frank family, from its origins in Frankfurt, to their lives in Amsterdam, and, finally, to their fate in the German concentration camps. Only Otto emerged alive. The authors also record the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party and their subsequent take over of the German government in the early 1930's. Jacobson and Colon do not neglect, either, the friends and family and helpers who were the supporting players in the Frank family story. Their book makes harrowing reading, particularly the part about life in Auchwitz and Bergen-Belson. This book could not have been written much earlier than it was. Today's reader is ready for the truth about Anne Frank and her fate and the truth of the world around her.

Anne Frank: The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon is an outstanding example of the power of graphic nonfiction. Beginning with the story of Anne's parents and ending with Anne's legacy, the book provides essential background information about both world history and Anne's family that provide the context for Anne's famous story. Readers of all ages will be immersed in Anne's touching and tragic story.

Middle school teachers and school librarians will be thrilled to find a new way to approach the study of Anne Frank. Pair this graphic biography with the original diary transcriptions and the museum website for a powerful learning experience.

The authors had remarkable access to photo references and other background information not found in other accounts of Frank's life making this book a unique addition to the collection of materials available. Simply outstanding!

As an ardent fan of Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl (Mass Market Paperback) and a keen reader of books on the Holocaust, this non-fiction graphic novel by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon is an excellent depiction of Anne's life story, and was produced under the auspices of the Anne Frank House. There is so much detailed information provided that it addresses almost all questions one would have on the subject of Anne Frank and the Secret Annexe (except that million-dollar question as to who actually betrayed the occupants of the Annexe).

It begins with background information on both Otto and Edith Frank, Anne's parents. It was interesting to read how Otto and his brothers were involved in the banking industry, and how Edith's family name, Hollander, was taken because they originally made their home in the Netherlands. Readers get to read about how Otto and Edith met, married, and had both Margot (Anne's older sister), and Anne of course. Together with the more salient historical information, readers are also given insights as to the distinct personalities of both Margot and Anne, who apparently showed their different personalities since they were babies (Margot hardly cried and was a quiet baby, Anne was constantly crying and demanding attention)! Anne's maturing into a self-possessed young woman (after a phase of adolescence angst) is also well-illustrated here.

The chapters of the book are well-organized in chronological order, and lots of detailed information provided for each period and event being narrated. The chapter titles are:
A Hopeful Beginning
Annelies Marie Frank
The Growth of Nazism
Amsterdam
Under German Rule
The Diary
The Eight Hiders
The New Year
Discovery
The Story Lives On

The illustrations are rich and amazingly detailed, many painstakingly copied from actual archival photographs that lend authenticity and credibility to the story unfolding within these pages. It is a very real and very human story, of a time that was so enveloped in darkness, where human beings committed unimaginable atrocities against other human beings because of bigotry and hatred. Anne Frank's story is one that will always hold universal appeal, and even now, decades after her death and the publication of her diary, her story bears repeating and remembering, especially for the younger generation. As Anne herself mentioned in her diary, "I don't believe 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!" The graphic novel format also makes Anne's story and the Holocaust more accessible to the present generation.

The book ends with a chronology of events and suggestions for further reading. To that list I would like to add a couple of films and a documentary that will enhance one's understanding of Anne Frank and the times she lived in:
Anne Frank Remembered
Anne Frank - The Whole Story
The Diary of Anne Frank

Nearly seven decades after her death, Anne Frank continues to teach the world about the ways of humanity. Ironically, in the midst of having every basic human dignity slowly stripped away, Frank shone a light on the small things that define a young life: becoming a woman, fighting with her mother, getting her first kiss, and dreaming of what her future would hold. She dreamed of a life as writer. Sadly, she would die before ever reaching womanhood. But her legacy would last permanently.

Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colón, the masterful team behind the graphic adaptation of The 9/11 Report and Vlad the Impaler, have now crafted Anne Frank, a remarkably thorough and tender biography written in conjunction with the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. This is not an adaptation of Frank's famous diary; instead, it's her life story told through diligent research and incorporating quotes from the diary. We get a full description of Frank's background, beginning with a family tree of both her parents and continuing on over the years as the winds of war begin to sweep through Europe.

Anne Frank is a wonderful history book perfect for all ages. It would be a great accompaniment to a reading of Frank's diary, or it stands on its own and tells the complete story of Frank's life.

-- John Hogan

The format, comic book graphic art style telling of this story serves to enhance the horrific tale. I have never reviewed a book before and am not a talented writer but I feel compelled to comment on this book. I wanted to peruse the book to see if it was suitable for my grandchild who is now nine years old. I may wait a little for that but I could not put the book down. The realism and at the same time incredibleness seem to piggy back each other and emphasize each other. I would call it a "must" read.

This is a masterful work. The narrative by Sid Jacobson and art by Ernie Colon are just fantastic. I heartily recommend it for anyone who enjoys history from the non-dry perspective.

I grew up on Ernie Colon in the pages of RICHIE RICH comic books, where he was an illustrator for some time, but never knew who the artist was who produced my favorite renditions of the series' characters. Years later, I discovered the mind-blowing DC Comics' maxiseries AMETHYST, PRINCESS OF GEMWORLD and became an instant fan of the romantic lines and lush visuals of its artist, Ernie Colon. At some point, looking back on my old issues of RICHIE RICH, I put two and two together and realized, "You know, this looks a lot like the kind of art that Ernie Colon produces." And, sure enough, after doing some digging on the internet, I realized I was right.

In addition to this rendition of Ann Frank's story, I also recommend the other works that the Jacobson-Colon team has produced, which cover the stories of the 9/11 report, Vlad the Impaler, and Che Guevara. They reveal things about the subject matter I honestly never knew before.

I was fascinated by the great deal of historical detail in this text. This is not a graphic representation of Anne Frank's diary albeit it has some parts from that text. This text gives a thorough, I mean thorough background of this Anne's diary. First, there is Anne's family and cultural background. The text includes biographical details since her birth. This book also includes the historical background of Hitler's rise to power in Germany, the subsequent anti-Jewish laws passed, and how this affected Anne's family as well as Jews all over Europe. The book will include family trees and maps where necessary. It also continues the story after Anne's death, telling us what happened or may have happened to all those who lived with her. At the end of the book there is a chronology of events in Anne's life and a bibliography of sources about Anne Frank. This book is a must in a history class or a language arts classroom that deals with this subject. I highly recommend it. This is definitely a good combination of graphics and history.

I really enjoyed this graphic biography of Anne Frank and her family. The book covers more than just Anne Frank herself...it covers her family and friends as well. It also provides the context to Anne's life (Nazi rise to power, WW2 battles that the family followed, etc.) It's a great refresher of the history of the events surrounding Anne's life.

I really liked the graphic novel style of the biography. I believe this format is an excellent choice for history subjects like this. It could introduce these subjects to a wider audience.

I never would have thought that I would encounter the "The Diary of Anne Frank" in comic book format. For a book rooted in such a horrific period in time, the topic seems almost off limits to a graphic novel, but I must admit that I was thoroughly impressed with the level of tact and skill that Sid Jacobson and Ernie Col'n employed in "Anne Frank: The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography". Their version of the story provide a new level of depth and emotion by providing snapshots of how the story unfolded (they also supplement Anne's story with historical pretext that shows the rise of the Nazi party and the events that led to Anne's residence in the annex).

Jacobson and Col'n provide a masterfully illustrated version of the story that allows readers to experience Anne's plight from a different angle. The dialog is also easy to follow allowing for ample character development and allowing the story to unfold at a natural pace. While a graphic novel is perhaps not an appropriate substitute for the actual diary, it allows readers to grasp Anne's story at a younger age and provides a hook to pull them into the realities of the Nazi Party.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking to expose younger readers to "The Diary of Anne Frank" or even to older readers looking to spark their interest on the topic.