Who was Anne Frank? by Ann Abramson and Nancy Harrison

Inspirational. High- Spirited. Meaningful. 
Realistic. Admirable.

Who was Anne Frank?

Written by Ann Abramson.
Illustrated by Nancy Harrison.

Published by Penguin Young Readers Group, 2007.

"In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart."
-Anne Frank

Inspired by Anne Frank's diary, this motivating and easy-to-read bibliography for young readers introduces readers to a young Jewish girl name Anne Frank and her family. Anne's life is known to the world because of her diary that was saved and published so that people could hear her story. Set during World World II primarily in Europe, Jewish families, including Anne Frank's family, were condemned for their religious and cultural background by German Führer, Adolf Hitler. Although forced to be captured by Nazi soldiers and sent away to concentration camps, Frank's family, accompanied by family friends, resort to hiding from the Nazis in the Secret Annex. Hidden for almost two years and living in complete silence, Frank and other families were unfortunately uncovered by unknown witnesses and were sent to Auschwitz. Anne and her sister and mother died, leaving Otto Frank the only survivor of the family. Left with no family, he was, however, given Anne's diary from Miep Gies, who saved her diary found in the Secret Annex. Anne Frank desired to be a journalist and hoped that her diary would be published for everyone to see. As her wishes, her father published her diary, being "one of the best-loved books in the world" (Abramson, ). Even though Frank, in her last years of hiding, suffered through many challenges that no normal child would, she still believed that, "people are really good at heart" (Abramson, ).

Extras: The bibliography includes black and white illustrations, maps, and diagrams that gives students a visual image of when and where the book was set. Who was Anne Frank? is also a part of a Who was Series, published by Penguin Young Readers Group, which are books that provide informational bibliographies of a variety of past and current, prominent and interesting figures. All these series include fun and visual illustrations that depict the figure. For more information, click here.

Literary Genre: Diversity, Nonfiction, History & Social Studies
Reading Level: Lexile Framework 660L, Grade 3
Suggested Delivery: Independent Read or Small Group Read
ISBN-13: 978-0448444826

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Teachers... Here are some resources to help 

you teach Who was Anne Frank?

Back of the Secret Annex

Electronic Resources:

Official Homepage of the Anne Frank House - This link is an excellent source that discovers the inside life of Anne Frank and her family. One can view the background and history of Anne Frank and her family, receive a virtual tour of the Secret Annex, book tours to visit the Anne Frank Museum, view the timeline of Anne Frank's life and the events in world, read parts of her diary, and view photographs of the victims during the hiding. Great to review during or after reading so that students are able to visualize the conditions that Anne Frank and her family endured.

PBS: The Diary of Anne Frank - This link provides a more in-depth view of the movie, The Diary of Anne Frank, based on Anne Frank's diary. It also provides a bibliography of Anne Frank; book reviews on how Anne Frank was a writer, who cast the characters in the movie, and a variety of teaching resources. Great to review after reading.

More Info: Anne Frank - This link provide students more information about Anne Frank and her family during World War II. Great for students to review during or after reading.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum - This link is an excellent source that uncovers the unfortunate event: the Holocaust during World War II, but also commemorates the victims that suffered through it. It also provides teachers information on how to book tours to visit the museum and a variety of teaching resources on how and why to teach about the Holocaust. Great for teachers to review before reading so that teachers are confident and aware of what to teach about the Holocaust.

Map of Germany

Research Tools: WWII & Holocaust - This link provides a variety of resources for teachers to educate about the Holocaust during World War II. Great for teachers to review before reading.

Key Vocabulary: frenzy, outspoken, spoil, mild-mannered, synagogue, Hanukkah, menorah, World War I & II, Nazi, socialists, democracy, resentful, government, Anti-Semitism, pectin, constellation, tolerance, justice, resistance, ghettos, concentration camp, spectacles, Jewish, curfew, annex, bare, foreign, quarrels, clattered, scarce, prime minister, coordinate, polio, publishers

Teaching Suggestions:

1. Use this text to develop understanding of tolerance in people's culture, background, heritage, race and ethnicity; to show that people are diverse.
2. Use this text in Social Studies to compare and contrast events in Germany and the United States. Was any of the events in Germany happening within the United States?
3. Use this text in Geography to pinpoint where Anne Frank and her family moved to hide from the Nazis.

Comprehension Strategies:

• Before Reading: 
• Introduce to students that they will entering a topic that is very sensitive to some people and to history itself. Briefly have students preview the suggested online sources to have students familiarize with Anne Frank and to grab their interest. Ask students if they ever heard these topics or have them participate in a Think-Pair-Share. Also, discuss with students the vocabulary words that will be used in the story. Although the text is easy to read, introducing content-specific vocabulary will give student's a better understanding of the meaning of the text. This will also activate student's prior knowledge.
• During Reading: 
• Have students create a timeline of the events that occur in Anne Frank's life and the world. Have student make text-to-world connections of the importance of the events in the world during this time period and how each event effected Anne Frank and her family's life, and overall, the Jewish population.



Anne Frank's Diary - "Kitty"

• After Reading: 
• Have students watch "The Diary of Anne Frank" movie. After watching the movie, ask students to compare and contrast how accurate the information is in the movie versus the bibliography. Have students split into small groups and discuss if it was an accurate portrayal of Anne Frank and her life. In addition, have the small group analyze how Anne Frank might have felt when being an outcast and having to hide because of one's religious or ethnic background. Encourage students to use examples from the movie, i.e. facial expressions or gestures.

Student Writing Activity: Students will imagine that they are Anne Frank and that she is still alive after World War II. They have been receiving letters from people all over the country because of her published diary. Many of the people wrote to her asking her to describe her life in the Secret Annex. Thus, students will pretend to be Anne Frank and describing the life that Anne Frank endured during her time in hiding. Provide students with a set of key vocabulary words to use in their writing.

Anne Frank and her family. 
From right to left: Margo, Otto, Anne, and Edith Frank

Abramson, A., & Harrison, N. (2007). Who was Anne Frank?. New York: Penguin Young Readers Group.