Anne Frank Books

This is the definitive edition of The Diary of a Young Girl, which details the experiences of Anne Frank as a Jewish girl whose family fled Nazi occupation during World War II. 

Anne’s story is written in diary format and provides details of the months leading up to her time in hiding, background about her family and the political situation in Germany and then the Netherlands. The diary depicts Anne’s short life from her hiding place in the Annexe until she was discovered in 1944. It also gives details about those she was in hiding with and the very brave people who kept them safe.

The book is now considered a classic and is accessible for secondary school children – with language and themes appropriate for children in Key Stage. The book could be used in schools in a wider teaching context or for children to read in their own time, although discussion around the events of the book is always recommended. Anne’s is no ordinary diary and the gravity of the historical and political context needs to be keenly felt, particularly as our children grow up in an age where it would seem they need to be alert to hate crimes, extreme political movements and discrimination in various forms.

Nonetheless, her story is a remarkable and eye-opening one that – despite its dark historical context – also celebrates acts of courage in the face of adversity, making it a key text for readers in Key Stage 3.