3.5 stars

Hannah Goslar was Anne Frank’s best friend before the Holocaust. This book includes some of her memories of Anne, in addition to her own memories of that time. She and her family remained in Amsterdam (not in hiding) much longer than Anne, but her family also ended up in a couple of concentration camps. In fact, Hannah and Anne did see each other (through a barbed wire fence) at Bergen-Belsen. The book was a result of the author’s interviews with Hannah.

It’s written quite simply and it’s short, so it is a fast read; I believe it is meant as YA. There were even some photographs of Hannah’s (that she managed to hold on to through and after the war) that included Hannah, her family, and photos with Anne. There wasn’t as much about Anne, specifically as I’d hoped, but that’s ok. What was there was interesting, as well as learning about Hannah and her family’s experiences. ( )

A childhood friend of Anne Frank, Hannah Goslar, recounts their childhood together as well as her own personal hell in a Nazi concentration camp. Hannah goes through her & Anne's history including schooling, parties, & their ping pong club called "The Little Dipper Minus Two" which was based on the constellation except they did not realize the Dipper had 7 stars and there were only 5 ping pong club members. Hannah also shares the moment where she learned her friend had not survived - information she learned from Otto Frank.

I will read anything about Anne Frank that I can get my hands on as she has been my idol for a very long time. Learning intimate details of her life growing up made me better understand Anne as a person. Hearing the details of Hannah's time in the concentration camps made me better understand the conditions that people underwent while the Frank family was in hiding for 25 months. This is a book I will be adding to my personal library.
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La storia vera di Hannah Goslar, amica d'infanzia di Anna Frank, emigrata a Gerusalemme nel 1947. Un'amicizia che parte dall'infanzia, si allenta a causa delle leggi razziali, che rubano la libertà ... (fonte: Google Books)

940.43

Like Anne Frank, Hannah Goslar was born in German but fled with her family to the Netherlands when the Nazis came to power just as the Frank family had done. Their homes were in close proximity to one another and as a result they became close friends. According to Hannah, Anne was feisty and loved to tease and play pranks on people.

When the Frank family went into hiding, they spread the rumour they had gone to Switzerland. Hannah never had a chance to say goodbye to her best friend at that time. They did talk to one another a couple more times in the Bergen-Belsen Concentration camp through the wire at night. Anne's father, Otto, played a role in Hannah's survival at the war' conclusion.

Written for young readers, this title was selected by the American Library Association for inclusion on its Best of the Best list of the top 100 books for young adults. ( )