On a spring day in May, in the year 1940, German Nazis stormed the Netherlands. The persecution of Jews quickly escalated, forcing many Jews to evacuate or go underground. One family, the Franks, went into hiding like thousands of others. Anne Frank is known for writing a diary that captured the horrors of World War II and her experience underground.

Reading this book, or diary, was exceedingly somber. In her diary, Anne highlights the constant fear, boredom, hunger, and threat of living life as a Jew. Despite the seriousness of the situation Anne is in, readers notice how cheerful and clever she is. Although she is put in the worst situation possible, Anne continues her fight for life in her ambitions to learn and become a writer. Even though she died as a young woman, she is a significant symbol of life, dreams, and the future. After reading this novel, I’ll admit that I was humbled to take everyday life for granted. Anne Frank’s Dairy is a wonderful commentary that is filled with her amusing, inspirational, and courageous thoughts that touched the hearts of millions.

November 1, 1944, was Anne’s last journal entry; the reason for the discovery of her family is kept as a long-lost mystery. One of her lasting passages reads, “I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart,” showing the depth of her optimism regardless of her circumstances (Frank). 

Anne Frank’s Diary is a masterpiece that everyone should read once in their lifetime.

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank is available to checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.