The retelling of the Holocaust and its unfathomable horrors reaches new heights in Carol Ann Lee’s Anne Frank and the Children of the Holocaust. Sincere interest and profound honesty provide the backdrop for what is known as one of the worst genocides in the world’s history. The novel begins with descriptions of Otto Frank’s childhood and leads readers on a journey into the occupation of Nazis and eventually the terrors of the concentration camps. Amongst the story of Anne Frank and her family’s ordeal during the Holocaust, the stories of other innocent children are interspersed, underscoring the trauma endured by many families. The use of first-person interviews, journal entries, and black and white photographs creates an intimacy for readers—which allows them to become emotionally attached to every child whose story is retold in this book. Inevitably, the photographs add a face to the names of these children. This mixture of historical facts and personal narratives provides readers with a well-rounded text for studying the Holocaust.

Anne Frank and the Children of the Holocaust accommodates various readers; rookies and well-seasoned veterans are able to fully enjoy this text and all that it has to offer. Lee’s book is, indeed, worthy of purchase, and it will certainly assist students when completing book reports, history projects, and simply expanding their knowledge about the Holocaust. Beautifully written and easily accessible to both middle school students and high school students, this book deserves a place on the non-fiction bookshelves in school libraries around the world. ( )