Interesting to read about Anne Frank's life before she went into hiding. Readers get a feel for Amsterdam before the Nazis and why it seemed like a safe option.

Thanks to Scholastic Press for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions below are my own.

Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl was one of those pivotal reads for me as a youth. I have since collected every work I can on the topic and have even visited the Annex in the Netherlands. While the diary itself is perfection, I understand the need to package the story in a way that might be more appealing to today's youth. This is a narrative story of the time leading up to the Frank's going into hiding. It explores not only the increasing restrictions and horrific violence of the Nazis but the relationships between the Frank family. It imagines Anne's strained relationship with her mother, her off and on bonding moments with her sister and her adoration of her father. 

I appreciate the story being written by a Jewish author and someone who could do it justice without indulgence or criticism. It does stop just as they go into hiding so hopefully people will read this will be drawn on to read the original work.

I’ve never read anything by Alice Hoffmann before, and many other reviews talk about her using lyrical language and that being a struggle for them. For me, the early chapters of the book read like a middle grade nonfiction book, describing Anne’s experiences, with little dialogue or direct action portrayed. I think that’s a bit tricky, especially for a book like this that isn’t nonfiction but draws heavily on research and might be hard to distinguish from nonfiction.

The lack of action and dialogue made it hard for me to read this at first, but eventually I really got into imagining Anne’s life in the city of Amsterdam, and that’s what really brought the book to life for me. I think many of us only imagine Anne in hiding during the Holocaust, rarely thinking about the many years of her life before this event that both defined her literary voice and led to her death.

That’s the great joy in When We Flew Away for me: thinking about her daily life before going into hiding. Anne went to bookstores. She ate ice cream. She flirted with boys. She ice skated. And all of these activities and more are things she does in this book.

Like many women, I imagine, Anne Frank’s diary was very important to me as a young person. I first read it in sixth or seventh grade. I read it again before auditioning for the play adaption of it when I was in ninth grade, and I think I’ve probably read it again as an adult. One of the things that’s so remarkable about Anne Frank’s diary is how true to the developmental experiences of a wide variety of Western teenagers across time and place it is. I think many young people reading it can see their own dreams and anxieties, family relationships and hopes for romance, in Anne’s writing.

Because Anne’s writing has been so important to me, I made it a priority to visit the Anne Frank House while I was in Amsterdam. Before you go into the attic, you walk through rooms with video and audio about the time Anne was living in and the expansion of Nazi occupation into the Netherlands. Then you walk through the bookcase hiding a secret door and up a very narrow staircase (typical of staircases in Amsterdam) and find yourself in the attic.

Wandering through the rooms, I was disheartened by how hard it was to feel connected to that time long ago and the people who lived there, even though I was in their space. I was surprised by the things that really made me feel closer to their experience: the pencil lines on the wall tracking Anne and Margot’s heights. The view of a tree through the one place Anne could see the sky.

And of course, seeing the diary itself. That was the most powerful thing of all.

In the same way that seeing these things helped me understand Anne’s experiences, reading this book and thinking about the things I experienced in Amsterdam beyond the Anne Frank House added a whole new dimension to my understanding of her life. Anne walked the same streets I did. She looked at the same houses I did. She went to the same parks.

Readers who need action and dialogue to stay engaged with a book will struggle with this book, but readers who want details that help them imagine other people’s lives more fully will find so much here.

A view into the life of Anne Frank + the Frank family from just before the Netherlands are invaded by Nazi, Germany right up until she goes into hiding during World War II. Although fictional, it’s based on extensive research and published cooperation with the Anne Frank House.

It’s an absolutely heart-wrenching story of how a country goes from peaceful and welcoming to refugees, to one filled with prejudice, terror and violence. And amid the terror, a glimpse into the life of a girl and a family that remained filled with love, hope and dreams for life after the brutality of war. An important reminder for us to appreciate the simple joys of life— and what happened once, can happen again.

One aspect of history that gets lost in Holocaust literature, especially for young people, is the before. Before lives are changed. Before the hate becomes the dominant force in the lives of Jews and others the Nazis persecuted. Before the trauma, sadness, bravery, and heroism. Alice Hoffman, an incredibly lyrical writer in general, has taken on the challenge of giving us a glimpse into what Anne Frank’s life may have been like in this time - before the family had to go into hiding. Beginning with the normalcy of sisters’ lives, Anne and Margot go to school, see friends, have outings, feel judged, experience jealousies, and, in general, live in a way that is relatable to modern middle schoolers. Hoffman brings the reader through how their lives slowly at first but increasingly change once the Nazi’s move into Amsterdam. The exploration of the changing relationships between Anne and her parents, and her awareness of the weight they bear as adults, is another aspect of this novel that is thoughtfully written to help youth relate to Anne. Other themes are beautifully woven into the story as well.

It did feel strange to me for this very important story to be so fictionalized (the relationships at the core of the novel, the thoughts of Anne prior to the diary we know so well, and her views toward school experiences). Also, there were parts of the book that were stilted, unusual for Hoffman who writes so eloquently for adults. Whether it was the weaving of the fiction with the known history or the audience and topic, these distracted me as an adult, but were minor in the scope of the entire story. In the end, it is a beautiful companion read to The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank.

Thank you to Scholastic, Netgalley, and the author for early access to this insightful work.

I love the idea and the premise of this book and I’m glad Alice Hoffman wrote it and shared it with middle grade readers. My class will read Number the Stars later this school year and I’ll definitely recommend that my students who are interested in learning more about WWII pick this one up.

That being said, I did feel like the story was a bit slow. I think that if I had reread Anne’s diary before reading this, I would’ve been more engaged. It was well-written and I enjoyed learning about how she got her diary and her life before going into hiding, but some parts dragged on and felt repetitive so I don’t think it’s one I’ll read aloud to my class. Thanks for sharing the digital copy with me!

Alice Hoffman brings to life the events of the two to three years prior to when Anne Frank's family went into hiding in the attic where young Anne wrote her famous diary.

The book is beautifully written with stunning and emotive imagery. Hoffman excels at making her readers feel very much part of the scene as we watch the changes brought by the rise of Naziism come to the Frank's homeland through each of the family members' eyes. Finally, the world they once knew is gone, and its replacement is horrific and unrecognizable.

As is true of Anne Frank's Diary, When We Flew Away tells the story of a coming of age in the worst possible way. It's the story of a girl who lost her childhood but never her hope or her dreams.

This is a must read for all ages and deserves more than 5 stars.

"Remember me."

My thanks Ms. Hoffman for writing this book and to Scholastic for allowing me to read a DRC via NetGalley. Publication is 9/17/24. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

This is a fictional account of the time before Anne’s diary. Alice Hoffman did a great job of imagining what it was like to be a young Jewish girl during WW2. I did not realize that this was YA or middle grade fiction until I started to read it, that is my fault. But it definitely reads as middle grade. The emotions are deeply felt, and it’s very scary to imagine living through it.
Thank you Netgalley and Scholastic for the digital ARC.

When We Flew Away: A Novel of Anne Frank Before the Diary, by Alice Hoffman, is an interesting historical fiction novel, exploring the possible day-to-day life and dreams of Anne Frank before her diary. As usual, Hoffman has done a thorough job on her research and used her writing skills to produce a book that is both informative and interesting. It is written in a way that will interest both middle school-age kids and adults. While the research is evident, it is not presented in a textbook-like format. It was a quick, easy read with content that will make you think.
Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

I think the author did a fantastic job imagining the years leading up to Anne's family going into hiding, capturing the hope they had that they would get to the US before it was too late, and the slow eradication of their rights and freedoms, one thing at a time. I've read other reviews saying nothing happened - and I disagree. It was lots of little things - those may seem unimportant in our crazy, fast-moving lives - but I think there was a precise emphasis on the little things - ice skating with friends, flirting with a boy, being outside in the fresh air - things that went away when Anne's family went into hiding, little things that became EVERYTHING.

Some of the facts - true! - seem thrown into the narrative and don't flow super well, but it was clearly a very well-researched book. Other parts were very tell-y instead of show-y, which keeps the reader a bit distanced from the novel, I think.

I plan to have some 5th graders read it soon and I'm interested to see how they take it in. The book is for ages 8-12, and I'm not sure if it will be too much at this point. We'll see.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic for the ARC of this novel, and the chance to share my opinions.

A compelling, engaging story imagining the life of Anne Frank and her family "before the diary." Hoffman captured the characters and fear of the time well and, even though I " knew how it ended," I kept my interest, and made me think differently about characters - people - who had been part of my consciousness for a long time.

I can't wait to recommend this novel to my students!!! They are going to be obsessed, especially once their social studies classes start the World War II unit!!

I am really torn about this book. I think it could have been an excellent middle grade non-fiction book. The author does a fantastic job of presenting what life would have been like for Anne Frank living during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Parts of the fictionalized life were also very moving. Unfortunately, the mixing of the two styles was distracting and made it difficult to get fully absorbed into the story. Having said that, I have a lot of students who are interested in Anne Frank, and will definitely be recommending the book to them.

What worked: Poignant glimpse into what might have been Anne Frank's life before the diary. Readers see Anne from age 10 as being curious about the world around her; close with her grandmother; a complicated relationship with her mother and sister; and a first romantic relationship.

Anne witnesses how the Netherlands are taken over by the Nazis and the things she loved-like skating, going to the ice cream parlor, and going out at night are taken from them. Even a blooming first relationship is cut short by the horrors of war.

Hoffman also weaves in storytelling and symbolism of the magpie that follows Anne and lives in a tree next to her apartment and the black moths that slowly fluttered outside and later are everywhere right before her father hides the family from the Nazis.

Anne's diary showed the world not only the ugliness of the world but also the kindness and even bits of beauty.

This latest novel on Anne Frank is one that is a must-read. Hoffman shows readers a young girl who writes down her experiences and hopes—never knowing that her life would go on in her words long after her brutal death at one of the concentration camps.

Haunting story of Anne Franke before she wrote her diary. Highly recommend for classroom libraries. Also perfect for discussions on the Holocaust.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have always been really moved by the story of Anne Frank, her family, friends, and the annex helpers. So I was thrilled when I saw this arc copy. I was excited to see it marketed towards a middle grade audience as well. Not only because I anticipated it being a good introduction to Anne's story, but I also figured it would be a quick and fulfilling read. Unfortunately, I did not have this experience.

The writing style felt way too highbrow for a middle grade audience. There is hardly any plot and the whole concept of the book seems very vague and hazy. It's all exposition of the inner workings of the Franks. It's all telling and no showing. In addition, there is practically no dialogue. For these reasons, I do not think many middle grade readers would engage well with this book.

That being said, this title would appeal much more to adults that are fans of Alice Hoffman or lyrical, descriptive writing. The writing can certainly be beautiful. no doubt. It's just written in a much more "adult" style.

Even so, the characters feel very flat, since there is not much happening in the book to make them feel anything more than a 2D representation of their thoughts.

If this book was marketed to an adult audience, my review would be much more neutral. It just feels like a shame that this adaptation didn't think to account for the unique reading needs of children. As a result, the great opportunity to address this important historical figure felt like it was squandered a bit.

In short, the book is a lyrical, almost whimsical take on Anne Frank that is more suited to an adult audience, rather than a young one. No hate to the author, it just felt like the style, subject, and audience didn't quite connect as I hoped.

Starting in 1940, Anne Frank and sister, Margot are growing up in the Netherlands. Anne’s biggest concern is her mother’s disapproval when Anne talks too much or acts like a know it all. Her insecurities about her older sister also affect her. Buoyed by her grandmother and father’s loving nature, Anne uses her curiosity to navigate her new world. When Nazis invade Amsterdam, however, Anne and her family’s lives begin to change.

True to her story, the author’s fictional account is well-researched, well-written, and engaging. The characters feel authentic to children of the time and are engaging. Seeing her life before the invasion contrasted with after helps the reader to feel the emotions, turmoil, and changes in their lives more deeply. Readers who like reading historical fiction or books about Anne Frank, the Holocaust, and World War II will want to pick this one up. Recommended for most library collections. 4 stars, Gr 3 to 8.

This was good, but it just made me want to read The Diary of Anne Frank instead. The historical events are factual but the story is also fabricated around what Anne and her family were most likely doing before the events of her diary were written. I did like seeing the war from a young girls eyes and Alice is a great writer, but once again, would have rather re-read the diary. Unfortunately it was just a bit of a miss for me.

Alice Hoffman has written a powerfully imaginative novel about Anne Frank’s life in Amsterdam before the Frank family was hidden away from the Nazi’s intent on destroying their lives. Hoffman is a beautifully lyrical writer with magical motifs that perfectly capture the fear a young girl would be experiencing during these horrific times. Not knowing this was a YA novel, I was initially puzzled by the simple storytelling but quickly did a bit of research to gain a better understanding of Hoffman’s approach. Regardless, this is an important book everyone should read. I want to thank NetGalley and Scholastic books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley and Scholastic Press!

The Frank family was an ordinary family, and Anne's diary transformed them into a family synonymous with the holocaust.

We know of the months leading up to the Franks' famous stay in the Attic. We know the tragic end of Edith, Margot, and Anne's lives. When We Flew Away asks and shows a potential answer to, what about the beginning of their story?

When We Flew Away transforms the Franks into a normal family and not just a historic family. It transforms them into your next-door neighbor, your grandma, your sister, and your parents. The Frank family becomes a family you can see within your own.

Alice Hoffman took an already well-known story and added new chapters you simply can not miss out on.

This story is about the fictional life of Anne Frank before she started her diary and went into hiding with her family. This was such a beautuful depiction of Anne Frank’’s younger years. It delves into her strained relationship with her mother, Edith, and her sister, Margot. I love how Anne was portrayed as brave, imaginative, and someone who thinks outside of the box. Even through all of her struggles she mentions that love is a special gift that no one can take away. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. I higly recommend it