Searching for Anne Frank: Letters from Amsterdam to Iowa

By Susan Goldman Rubin

Book Overview

Few people know that Anne Frank and her sister Margot had pen pals in the United States. The American girls were Juanita Wagner (who wrote to Anne) and her older sister, Betty. They lived with their mother in Danville, Iowa. Although they corresponded only once before the German invasion of Holland closed the borders, the letters give a picture of Anne, her sister and their life. Much like her diary, this first-hand account vividly recreates the times in which she lived.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0810945142
• ISBN13: 9780810945142
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 1.34 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.4" x 9.4"
• Age Range: 10 to 14 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 9

Customer Reviews

Offers unique insight into Anne Frank's famous Diary

Published in association with the Simon Wiesenthal Center-Museum of Tolerance Library and Archives, Searching For Anne Frank: Letters From Amsterdam To Iowa by Susan Goldman Rubin surveys the correspondence between Anne Frank and ten-year-old Juanita Wagner of Danville, Iowa. Juanita chose Anne's name off of a list provided by her teacher for a pen-pal experience; each girl was to see a very different view of the horrific events unfolding in World War II. This poignant look at the brief correspondence between two young girls, filled with black-and-white and color photographs, offers unique insight into Anne Frank's famous Diary, and is a highly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library 20th Century Biography collections and Holocaust Studies reading lists.

This Is An Amazing Book

I would rate this book higher than 5 Stars if I could! This is an amazing book. Every young person and every person for that matter should see these photographs and read the text together with the "Diary of Anne Frank". This is a definitely must see. Congratulations to the author on such an important work. The drums of war were sounding in the background as these young pen pals began their correspondence. Who could have imagined the horrors yet to come? That Anne Frank had a pen pal in the United States and that the letters and photos were preserved is just astounding. Through this book, readers can feel Anne Frank's world and return for just a moment to the days just prior to the Nazi Hell to feel more strongly what was lost. I recommend this book to all and especially for young people learning about the Holocaust in a synagogue or church setting.