Published: 2018
Author: Anne Frank (Original text), Ari Folman (Adapter)
Illustrator: David Polonsky
Genres: Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, History, Comics, Biography, Memoir, Classics, Holocaust, Historical, War
Audience (Grade Levels): Grades 7-12
Number of Stars: 5-Stars
Goodreads Link: Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation
Triggers: Holocaust, war, antisemitism, confinement, death, historical trauma
Review By: MaryAlice Brennan-Steere
Publisher’s Summary
A timeless story rediscovered by each new generation, The Diary of a Young Girl stands without peer. For both young readers and adults it continues to capture the remarkable spirit of Anne Frank, who for a time survived the worst horror the modern world has seen—and who remained triumphantly and heartbreakingly human throughout her ordeal.
Adapted by Ari Folman, illustrated by David Polonsky, and authorized by the Anne Frank Foundation in Basel, this is the first graphic edition of The Diary and includes extensive quotation directly from the definitive edition. It remains faithful to the original, while the stunning illustrations interpret and add layers of visual meaning and immediacy to this classic work of Holocaust literature.
Review
This graphic novel rendition vividly portrays Anne Frank’s humanity and adolescent challenges as she goes into hiding with her family during the Holocaust. David Polonsky, an award winning Israeli artist, captures Anne’s personality vividly through illustrations that are haunting and, at time, humorous. The illustrations allow the reader to visualize the Secret Annex’s layout, with its connecting passages and close quarters. This graphic version includes passages and excerpts that were originally not included in the original publication edited by Anne’s father, Otto Frank. It brings Anne’s words to life in a new way, and is a vibrant addition to her original masterpiece. Ari Folman emphasizes in the endnotes that it was a daunting task to adapt Anne’s diary to graphic form and he did so with the greatest respect for Anne Frank’s legacy. In some sections entire passages of her novel are reproduced with no graphic adaptation. I had read The Diary of Anne Frank as a teenager, and now, as a mother, I have a new appreciation for her legacy and her wise observations about humanity. I am struck anew about how tragic and heartbreaking it is that she, and millions of others, were robbed of their lives.
Classroom & Curricular Connections
- Social Studies / World War II & Holocaust History: This graphic adaptation serves as an invaluable primary-source-adjacent tool for history classrooms. It allows students to visually conceptualize the structural limitations of the Secret Annex, the claustrophobic reality of hiding, and the broader geopolitical context of Jewish persecution during the Holocaust.
- ELA / Literary Analysis: Educators can use this text to compare graphic novel adaptation techniques with original prose. Analyzing where the creators chose to let Polonsky’s illustrations speak and where they kept Anne’s original diary passages un-adapted provides excellent discussion points on narrative pacing and respect for historical source material.
- Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): The book beautifully highlights Anne’s adolescent identity struggles, familial conflicts, and deep philosophical reflections on human nature amidst terror. It provides a bridge for contemporary students to connect with her universal struggles of growing up under extraordinary pressure.
Diversity & Representation
Authorized by the Anne Frank Foundation, this book honors Jewish heritage, history, and the lived realities of those who faced the horrors of the Holocaust. By including previously omitted diary excerpts, this adaptation presents a fully realized, authentic, and unfiltered portrait of a young Jewish girl’s life, thoughts, and humanity, ensuring her legacy continues to resonate across diverse backgrounds.
Readalikes
- The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
- White Bird: A Wonder Story by R.J. Palacio
- Maus by Art Spiegelman
