When we flew away : a novel of Anne Frank, before the diary

Title:

Author:

Summary:

A beautiful novel exploring the little-known story of Anne Frank's life before she went into hiding – from bestselling, award-winning author Alice Hoffman and published in cooperation with the Anne Frank House. In soaring prose, bestselling author Alice Hoffman brings Anne Frank to life on the page, drawing from her extensive research in Europe and the United States, to depict her experiences from the moment the Nazis invade the Netherlands until her family is forced into hiding in the annex of her father's office building at 263 Prinsengracht, in Amsterdam. As state-sponsored discrimination turns ordinary people into monsters, the Jews of the Netherlands are caught in an inescapable swell of violence and hate, and Anne is shaped as both a young woman and as a writer who will change the world.-- Goodreads

Audience:

Ages 8-12. Scholastic Inc.

Grades 4-6. Scholastic Inc.

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

xi, 282 pages ; 22 cm

Genre:

Historical fiction.

Biographical fiction.

Program Information:

Accelerated Reader AR MG 6.1 8.0 Accelerated Reader Quiz #551126.

Personal Subject:

Frank, Anne, 1929-1945-Juvenile fiction.

Subject Term:

Sisters -- Juvenile fiction.

Jewish children in the Holocaust -- Juvenile fiction.

Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Juvenile fiction.

Geographic Term:

Amsterdam (Netherlands) -- Juvenile fiction.

Publisher:

Scholastic Press,

Publication Date:

2024

ISBN:

9781338856941

Publication Information:

New York : Scholastic Press, 2024.

Call Number:

J HOFFMAN

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003751701	New Juvenile Fiction	HOFFMAN	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

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Summary

Bestselling author Alice Hoffman delivers a stunning novel about one of contemporary history's most acclaimed figures, exploring the little-known details of Anne Frank's life before she went into hiding.

Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl has captivated and inspired readers for decades. Published posthumously by her bereaved father, Anne's journal, written while she and her family were in hiding during World War II, has become one of the central texts of the Jewish experience during the Holocaust, as well as a work of literary genius.

With the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, the Frank family's life is turned inside out, blow by blow, restriction by restriction. Prejudice, loss, and terror run rampant, and Anne is forced to bear witness as ordinary people become monsters, and children and families are caught up in the inescapable tide of violence.

In the midst of impossible danger, Anne, audacious and creative and fearless, discovers who she truly is. With a wisdom far beyond her years, she will become a writer who will go on to change the world as we know it.

Critically acclaimed author Alice Hoffman weaves a lyrical and heart-wrenching story of the way the world closes in on the Frank family from the moment the Nazis invade the Netherlands until they are forced into hiding, bringing Anne to bold, vivid life.

Based on extensive research and published in cooperation with the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, When We Flew Away is an extraordinary and moving tour de force.

Perfect for Alice Hoffman fans and readers of every age.

"Adding new poignance to a story whose ending we already knew, Alice Hoffman has deftly recreated the child Anne Frank with all her wit, mischief, and uncertainties. This fictionalized account of the increasingly desperate years that preceded the famous diary breaks readers' hearts one more time. But it reminds us of how important it is to remember and honor all that was lost." -- Lois Lowry, Newbery Award-winning author of Number the Stars

"We can highly recommend Alice Hoffman's novel of Anne Frank's life, set in the dramatic and terrible circumstances of those first war years. We hope it will persuade young readers that contributing to a better world is both necessary and possible." --Ronald Leopold, Executive Director, Anne Frank House

Author Notes

Alice Hoffman is the highly acclaimed author of over thirty novels for readers of all ages, including The Dovekeepers , The World That We Knew -- winner of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, The Marriage of Opposites , Practical Magic , Incantation , The Foretelling , and most recently, The Invisible Hour . Her previous novels for Scholastic Press are Aquamarine , which was made into a major motion picture, Indigo , Green Witch , and Green Angel , which Publishers Weekly , in a starred review, called "achingly lovely." She lives outside of Boston.

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 3--7--It's May 1940, and readers meet 10-year-old Anne Frank and her sister Margot on their walk home from school, while also learning about the rising Nazi influence in Germany that prompted the family to immigrate to Amsterdam when Anne was four. The Franks believed they would be safe in the neutral Netherlands and did not pursue other immigration opportunities while borders were still open to Jewish refugees. Despite neutrality, Nazis invaded the Netherlands, and Anne and her family's world began to change as Jews lost basic rights. Facts about the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands are presented straightforwardly and simply, and are jarring to read regardless of readers' familiarity with the Holocaust. Watching Anne and Margot try to navigate their changing world is painful, particularly for readers who are familiar with the Franks' tragic fate. Equally heartrending is the pain and guilt Anne's parents feel for not leaving Amsterdam when they had a chance. This ambitious and beautifully written fictionalized prequel of Anne's life before the Annex allows readers to see her from others' perspectives. Her spirit and optimism despite the horror around her ring as true in the novel as they do in her diary. Hoffman's extensive research and work with the Anne Frank Foundation help preserve the family's story and introduce Anne to a new generation. The book will appeal to strong middle grade readers who enjoy realistic and historical fiction and lends itself to classroom use. Most characters are based on real people; all are white, of European descent, and most are Jewish. VERDICT A story that needs to be remembered, this works equally well as an introduction to Anne Frank as it does as a fictional supplement to readers already familiar with her diary. Adult support of readers' questions and emotional responses to the book may be needed.--Juliet Morefield

Publisher's Weekly Review

In collaboration with the Anne Frank House, Hoffman (The Invisible Hour, for adults) presents a thoroughly researched fictionalized account of Anne Frank's life. Starting in 1940 and leading up to the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands in 1942, the author chronicles the years during which Anne lived happily with her family in Amsterdam. Following the Nazi Party's takeover of Germany and her family's subsequent move to the Netherlands, Anne's biggest concerns involve her mother's "disapproving when Anne talked too much or acted as if she knew the answers to most questions" and her own insecurities surrounding her older sister's seeming perfection. But Anne is buoyed by her beloved grandmother and her father's continual nurturing of her curiosity and creativity. Via lyrical and chatty third-person narration, Hoffman crafts a sympathetic three-dimensional rendering that showcases new facets of a figure whom readers may only know one side of. Depictions of historical events such as Germany's defeat of the Netherlands heighten the novel's tense atmosphere. Though the conclusion is inescapable, the moments of joy Anne and her family experience throughout serve to emphasize Anne's belief that writing "could make people understand you." Ages 8--12. (Sept.)