A wonderfully written historical fiction of the life of Anne Frank before her diary. Alice Hoffman does a terrific job of depicting Anne's personality and family life.leading up to the time they are forced to hide. A novel well suited for young adult readers and a great book to add to a classroom curriculum.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this novel by one of my favorite authors.

Heavily fictionalized, but this is clearly explained at the beginning.
It was a bit of a slow start, I'd even say boring if you already have read a lot about Anne Frank, as it contained lotta historical background .
But once thru that part it is touching and lyrical.
Would be a good introduction to Anne Frank for teen readers
I received an ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"When you write it down, they cannot pretend it never happened."
- When We Flew Away: A Novel of Anne Frank Before the Diary

This enchanting novel by Alice Hoffman, my first by this author but certainly not my last, brought Anne Frank to life in a way that transcends the confines of her famous diary. We meet a vibrant young girl, brimming with curiosity and a fierce spirit, long before the Secret Annex became her world.

Hoffman's poignant storytelling humanizes Anne in a way that resonates deeply. Witnessing her bond with her beloved Oma, the blossoming friendships, and the simple joys of childhood creates a powerful contrast to the darkness that looms. The celebration of birthdays, the carefree walks, the youthful skating adventures - these seemingly ordinary moments become achingly precious as we witness their gradual erosion.

This book isn't just about the looming threat; it's about Anne's full personality. We see her love for learning, the sting of prejudice, the tentative steps towards romance, and the complex relationship with her sister that evolves throughout the story. Hoffman masterfully weaves historical details into the narrative, painting a chilling picture of a nation slowly succumbing to Nazi control.

The evolving dynamic between Anne and her mother adds another layer of depth. We witness the initial friction, the yearning for connection, and the gradual transformation as Anne finds her voice. This thread of their relationship adds a poignant dimension to the story.

Whether you've read Anne's diary or not, "When We Flew Away" tugs at your heartstrings. It allows you to appreciate the full spectrum of Anne's life, from the vibrant "before" to the courage she would soon demonstrate in hiding. This is a powerful reminder of the importance of cherishing the simple joys of life and the enduring power of the human spirit.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy of this lovely read!

I have always been curious about Anne Frank. Pretty much since I read her diary a little over 10 years ago. I think that's a pretty common experience. I hear a lot of people say similar things when mentioning Anne Frank.

After her diary, I ended up reading a lot more about her and other children with similar stories. I still find myself gravitated to books surrounding the tragedy of World War II. That's how I ended up reading this book.

It did take me a little while to get through this story because it had a slower start than I was expecting. The writing is also really lyrical which I enjoyed. Difficult subject matter and lyrical writing often go hand in hand. It really helped create clear images and details. Though, I think I would have really enjoyed this as an audiobook and I would recommend it as an audiobook to the middle grade audience.

One of my favorite parts was how the relationship of Anne and her sister was portrayed. It seems very accurate to how their relationship is always shown in her diary and other books/shows/movies.

This is a work of historical fiction. So obviously it isn't a book for education necessarily. But it does do a good job of showing children Anne's personality and giving her a life that's more relatable for them. Which could help introduce Anne and the horrors of World War II to children in a more manageable way and help set them up to read other books in the future.

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced e-book copy of "When We Flew Away" by Alice Hoffman

It was interesting to hear about Anne before the diary!
The story does the gravity and despair of the situation justice.
It makes the reader feel how horrible the circumstances were.
In the past, when I've read books about this topic I felt a little more hopeful in the "never again" aspect of knowing these stories, but these days it seemed harder to read with that hopeful lens.
These days it feels as though we really need to be paying attention and being sure to stand up and speak out.
The book felt heavy to me, but still enjoyable to read.
It is definitely well written with layers and numerous quotable passages and meaningful lines.
(and... there's always the chance it felt heavier to me because of my own mindset).

Read this with tissues nearby. Alice Hoffman paints the story of a younger Anne Frank with grace and respect. It brings once again her heartbreaking story to life.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed the story of Anne and her sister as they grew up before the Germans occupied the Netherlands. Fans of Anne Frank's Diary will love this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic for the ARC.
This is the story of Anne Frank and her family as things gradually grew more dangerous for Jewish people in Holland during WWII. Hoffman has done extensive research to create a story of what life must have been like for the Franks as the Nazi regime made life difficult for Jews: segregation, new laws, discrimination etc. The story captures the last couple of years before the Franks went into hiding, and imagines the sort of conversations Anne, Margot, and her parents might have had, and the frustration they must have felt, as Otto tried to get them out of the country before the Nazis took over.

The average reader who doesn't have much background on Anne Frank might become bored with the story, but for those who read the diary or the play as my students do in 8th grade ELA classes, will enjoy this story of Anne and her life in Holland prior to the family going into hiding. The story also has snippets of the diary sprinkled throughout to provide context.
I will purchase for my school.

I liked this look at Anne Frank before the diary. I did think some of it was a little far fetched from Hoffman's imagination. But I still liked the idea of looking at Anne before more hardship had happened to her.
We know Anne was a dreamer. And I liked looking at this idea of her life in the Netherlands.
A lovely story for middle graders to read and then go on to read the diary.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

I love Alice Hoffman and, like most people, I also deeply admire Anne Frank. And, indeed, I would say that I enjoyed this book overall, which deals with Anne Frank's life before the annex as fictionalized by Hoffman. I did, however, have a few issues. I think that Hoffman's love of fairy tales and mysticism brings unwelcome elements into the plot, like Anne's persistent viewing of moths. It felt heavy handed and inauthentic. I felt similarly about the made-up jewelry gift portion of the plot. There are also parts that I question a bit--particularly the incredibly close bond between Anne and Margot that I don't think existed in the pre-annex years. That said, I appreciated the depth of the research (done in conjunction with Anne Frank House) and I think this is a good introduction for the pre-teen crowd, as long as they go on to read the actual diary later.

When We Flew Away by Alice Hoffman is a poignant and richly detailed novel that explores Anne Frank's life before she began her famous diary. Hoffman vividly depicts the Frank family's move to Amsterdam and the subsequent hardships under Nazi occupation, focusing on Anne's audacious spirit and her relationship with her sister Margot. This novel offers a fresh perspective, making Anne's experiences relatable to younger readers while honoring the historical context. Through meticulous research and empathetic storytelling, Hoffman adds depth to Anne's legacy, evoking a wide range of emotions and reinforcing her enduring message of hope. Aimed at middle-grade readers but resonating with all ages, it is a powerful complement to The Diary of Anne Frank.

✨ book review✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley, Scholastic, and Alice Hoffman for the ARC of When We Flew Away! Its publishing date is September 17, 2024!

While I’m not a typical YA literature reader, I am an avid reader of Hoffman’s books and am fascinated by Anne Frank’s story as well as those of other Holocaust victims and survivors. As an English teacher, particularly one who has taught The Diary of Anne Frank, I was drawn to this novel that might give a look at what Anne’s life would have been like before the diary.

While fictional, this book does do something important. It gives Anne a life that kids can relate to and picture—getting in trouble at school or home for talking too much, experiencing your first crush, having worries and daydreams. It’s so important to understand that Anne, as well as all 6 million Jews who died in the Holocaust, had a whole life, a normal one, that was stolen from her. This shows how normalcy slipped away and how evil was able to take control over whole countries and destroy entire populations of innocent people.

Hoffman’s piece is thought provoking and devastating. It is written to root for Anne even though her story has a known devastating ending. The relationships, experiences, and feelings seem so realistic and true to the time and tribulations anyone in Anne’s position may experience. It creates a sad mood for the reader and creates the emotions that should be felt while reading this story—empathy, anger, hope. It reinforces main ideas that Anne expressed, like always believing in the good in the world.

Extremely well written and emotionally captivating, Hoffman’s novel tells a story that supports The Diary of Anne Frank and may open more eyes to the importance of her story!

Interesting historical fiction look at Anne Frank's life before the attic. This book gave a lot more context for her life in the Netherlands both before and after the Nazi invasion, and I feel like the author caught Anne's spirit while also giving the reader possible reasons for the distance between Anne and her mother as related in Anne's diary. Well-written and poetic.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

I read The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank for the first time a couple of months ago. That book is such a beautifully tragic piece of literature. I am grateful I read it before When We Flew Away because it helped me truly FEEL the story Alice Hoffman created for Anne. This fictional life “before” the Frank’s went into hiding was touching, devastating, hopeful, and it felt so accurate. I have been deeply affected by Anne’s diary and now this beautiful story from Hoffman. I know this book is considered Middle Grade, but everyone should read it.
**Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic Publishing for the eARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance reader copy in exchange for a review. Any opinions expressed here are my own.
We all grew up reading Anne Frank’s diary in school, and some of us have been to the Anne Frank’s house in Amsterdam once, or twice. To me, Anne is a figure I can’t get out of my mind. She was born the same year as my mother, and has the same dark hair and expressive eyes. It’s not hard to imagine if the horrors of the Nazi Party were in the USA what would become of neighbors and friends.
Here we meet Anne before the diary, as a spunky 11 year old, safe in Amsterdam with her family. Hoffman paints a picture of Anne and of the tide turning in The Netherlands as the Germans invade and citizens must make excruciating decisions about who they can trust.
I couldn’t put this book down. I was researching to distraction and was thrilled when I saw that the family’s original house now houses refugee writers as a place they can be safe.
Truly enjoyable but so incredibly sad as you know the ending, and it’s not a happy one.
5*

This book was AMAZING. While it was fiction, it seemed so real and I felt like I was able to get to know Anne even better than I did after reading her diary. It was so interesting to be able to experience the beginning of the holocaust through her eyes and I definitely would recommend this book!

I enjoyed this fictionalized story of Anne Frank. The author was very creative and the story was supported by well researched information. I would recommend to students and adults alike.

This story is so well researched. It brought tears to my eyes, many times, reading about Anne Frank. We have read about Anne before, but this author gives another look at her. I believe this story could be a story of the year.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was an interesting historical fiction look at what Anne Frank and her family may have experienced before going into hiding. The book started off a bit too slow and I had trouble keeping my attention but it definitely gets better.

We’re all familiar with the name Anne Frank. It’s synonymous with WWII and the Holocaust. It’s a voice that carries through generations and takes us into the mind of a brilliant young lady whose life was cut short. We know what happens to the Frank family while they were hiding but very little is known about Anne as a young girl before the diary. Alice Hoffman takes us back to Amsterdam when it was still safe to go ice skating in the winter and stop by the ice cream shop on the way home from school. This Anne before the diary.

I think it’s impossible not to become emotionally invested in a story about Anne Frank. She taught us so much through her words and words meant so much to her. In a time when fear rose a notch every day, Anne had stories to which she could turn to even for just a moment and forget all that was happening. The slow loss of freedom and friendship, the struggle to connect with her mother and sister, the strong bond she had with her father, the unconditional love of a grandmother who wanted nothing more than for her granddaughter to live and love and laugh and the darkness that slowly takes over their lives are found within the pages of this book. It’s heartbreaking and gripping and all the things that we feel when we think of Anne.

I highly recommend this book and I think it’s written in a way that will resonate with younger generations. There’s something about Anne that we can all relate to but especially those in their pre-teen years when life is changing, as their eyes begin to open wider to their surroundings.

Thank you so much to Alice Hoffman bringing this story to life and NetGalley & Scholastic for giving me early access to such an important story.