Review Detail

Innovation – Most people are familiar with the story of Anne Frank. I thought this was an interesting spin on a well-known story. Peter shared the annex with the Frank family, and this is his (imagined) journal of the events during hiding. A great story told from a boy’s point of view.


• Story – This one sticks to the facts from Anne’s journal for 2/3 of the book. Once the families are discovered, the story shifts to Peter’s time in captivity. Peter’s story is told in alternating points of view. The “past” is shown through the journal entries, while the “present” occurs during his time in the concentration camps.


• Characters – All of the characters were modeled after real people. Their individual stories and personalities are historically accurate. While reading, I felt every emotion Peter had. It was heart-wrenching to imagine what it would be like to become a young man under these circumstances.


• Sticky Fingers – I read this in two nights. I was fully engrossed by the story, up until the final page. I even read the author’s end notes!


• Emotional Connection – Realistic. I felt all of Peter’s emotions as if they were my own.


• Re-readability – I would consider reading this one again and comparing the dates/events to Anne Frank’s diary. The author spent a lot of time making sure the events matched up, so I would like to read Anne’s perspective of these entries.


• Overall –This is a highly original story based on Anne Frank’s diary. It was hard to read at times because of the events being described (not in graphic detail). This would be for older YA readers.