Anne Frank: The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography

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and his brothers were involved in the banking industry, and how Edith's family name, Hollander, was taken because they originally made their home in the Netherlands.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.