10 Days Anne Frank~What a powerful book! To be honest I’ve read a few books on Anne Frank~The Diary of Anne Frank and Anne Frank Remembered~and they are all powerful stories. Most people know the story of Anne Frank but if you don’t you really should pick up one of these three novels and learn a bit about this really amazing girl.
Anne Frank was a young girl of eleven when the first stirrings of war began. Her parents are whispering a lot and her father seems nervous. He’s usually the calm one, the one in control. Anne is becoming scared that something is wrong. She knows that her father is worried because The Netherlands have surrendered to the German army and there are German soldiers out in the streets, but to her Nazis are just the bad guys she hears about when listening to the radio up until now. Mr. Frank regrets not sending his girls, Anne and Margot, to England where they would have been safe.
The year is now 1942, Anne is about to be thirteen years old. She’s living in a world where she has to go to a new school that is designed to keep the Jewish children away from all the others. She doesn’t see her old friends anymore~the one’s that aren’t Jewish. She must also wear a star on all her clothes now distinguishing her as a Jew. They were pretty much forbidden to do anything that might put them in contact with non-Jews.
It’s still 1942 and the Frank family is now going into hiding in the Secret Annex. This is a hidden space in the building where Mr. Frank has his business. They’ve got the ammenities like bathroom, kitchen, bedrooms but the one thing they don’t have is freedom. During the day they must be very quiet so that the workers don’t hear them and they can’t leave~it would jeopardize their safety in the annex.
Eventually in 1944, The Franks and the others hiding with them are found. They are first taken to Westerbork, a work camp. They are known as ‘Criminal Jews’ because they had gone into hiding instead of surrendering in the beginning of the war meaning they receive less food and are not permitted to stay together as a family. Later they are transported in horrible conditions on a train to Auschwitz. Anne never sees her father again.
The conditions are horrible, the work is hard. Auschwitz was built to kill people as quickly and efficiently as possible~up to 2000 at a time. By 1945 Anne is very ill as is her sister Margot. A typhus epidemic has been spreading throughout the camp. Anne hasn’t seen her mother for a while; she presumes she is already dead. With the Allied forces only weeks away from liberating the camp, both Anne and her sister pass away. Anne Frank was fifteen years old.
The reading level for this book is geared towards 9-12 year olds but reads just fine for an adult audience as well. This story is told to us as the events of these 10 Days being the days that not only changed Anne’s world, but ours as well. I’ve read quite a few novels now on the Holocaust and I’m always just as horrified and heartbroken each time I read something else~the pain for the Jewish people who endured this doesn’t go away. I am so sorry that these atrocities happened to them and again reading more of Anne’s story just drives that home again. With this book you really get more of a view of how Anne felt about what was going on around her. Later, her father who did survive, will be given Anne’s diary. Finally he will feel strong enough to read it and know that he has to get Anne’s story published~just as she would have wanted.
Finally, to end this post I’d like to share the description on the back cover…
‘A Wrenching Decision
~to flee Germany,
A Chilling Letter
~that sent her family into Hiding,
The gift of her one true confidante-
~her Diary
A Sickening Betrayal
~to the Nazis,
~and a tragedy in the concentration camps
~just before Liberation.
These days and five others shook Anne’s world—and yours.’
May we never forget the horrors suffered by these brave people and may we never have to see something like this happen again.
Another review of this novel is over at Diary of an Eccentric. Both Anna and The Girl give us their views on this heartbreaking story.
This sounds like a great addition to Anne Frank’s legacy. I know some people don’t understand why one ordinary girl gets so much attention, but her story is universal to so many others who went through similar experiences. And hers is a story that we should never forget.
My daughter was sitting here reading your review with me, and she is very interested in reading it. I think it really hits home when kids see a protagonist their own age. The Anne Frank story is so heartbreaking, but one everyone should read. Thanks Dar!
I’ll have to look for this one. I re-read The Diary of Anne Frank from time to time. It can be difficult to read but it’s a story we should never forget.
“I’ve read quite a few novels now on the Holocaust and I’m always just as horrified and heartbroken each time I read something else~the pain for the Jewish people who endured this doesn’t go away.”
I couldn’t agree more.
Books like these are heartbreaking, but so so important. Great review, Dar! I’ve posted this on War Through the Generations.
–Anna
Diary of an Eccentric
I read The Diary of Anne Frank but it has been so long ago that I think that I should reread it. This sounds like a good read as well.
I added this to my wishlist with Anne reviewed it, but I’ve yet to get it. Thank you for reminding me that I really should, Dar.
I did see one of the movies of Anne Frank back in middle school but I still haven’t gotten around to reading her diary. I just know that its going to break my heart and I have the feeling it will put me in a book reading slump as well so I’ve been putting it off.
Its been ages since I read The Diary of Anne Frank, I need to re-read that one, but I know it will make me sad.
This one does sound great. Excellent review.
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/
excellent review Dar. This is a book all young people should read, so no one ever forgets.
Oh Gosh Dar…. don’t know how I missed this powerful and important review. I read excerpts from the Diary of Anne Frank in Middle school and High school. But you know as a kid it did not have the powerful and dramatic effect on me as it does now. My whole heart just weeps for the concentration camp victims, survivors, families.. I guess I can never ever get used to the fact that this could happen in my life time.
It is a must read for all people of all ages.
I’d love to read this one and I would like my daughter to also. Thanks for the review, Dar.
Thanks everyone for commenting on this post. This is a really important book and for those who want to read it with their kids, that’s a great idea. I think it’s so important for kids to learn about this kind of thing.
I haven’t seen the movie of Anne Frank in a long time but I think it’s time I watched it again. I think my library has a copy. It’s just as heartbreaking as the book although I find with books my imagination really runs rampant.
I read Anna and The girl’s review of this book, which I incidentally got for the girl and was thrilled about how detailed it was.
I read this book is 2 hours such a great read
Good book
Good book