Scholastic, the world’s leading publisher of children’s books, has revealed the forthcoming release of “When We Flew Away: A Novel of Anne Frank Before the Diary.” The book delves into the lesser-known aspects of Anne Frank’s life before her family went into hiding, a story brought together by award-winning writer Alice Hoffman’s extensive research and storytelling prowess.

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Hoffman’s work draws on research conducted in Europe and the United States. It explores the period from the Nazis’ invasion of the Netherlands to the moment Anne’s family was forced into hiding in the annex of her father’s office building in Amsterdam. Hoffman states, “In the year when I was twelve, I discovered many of the books that have meant the most to me, books that changed my life. The book that affected me more than any other was The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank.

Hoffman added: “It changed the way I looked at the world. It changed the person I was and the person I would become. I wondered what Anne’s life had been like before the diary, and what had caused her to become the writer whose voice spoke for a generation of those whose lives were ruined or ended by the Nazi occupation, a voice that will never allow us to forget what had happened.”

Ellie Berger, President of Scholastic Trade Publishing, stressed the novel’s timeliness, noting, “In this time of rising anti-Semitism, there was no author more suited to showing the real-life, heart-breaking consequences and devastation wrought by this prejudice than Alice Hoffman.”

Berger went on to say the importance of the book under the current circumstances. She continued saying, “In stunning, affecting language, Alice illuminates that period in Anne Frank’s life when her rights and freedoms diminished, as her voice grew louder and her choice became to write. While this novel is intended for readers ages 8-12, we know teens and adults—all of whom know the name Anne Frank—will want to more fully understand who she was and why her story is especially important today.”

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Miriam Farbey and Lisa Sandell from Scholastic Press, who secured the World English rights, highlighted the collaboration with the Anne Frank House. They commented, “We felt it was imperative to partner with the Anne Frank House, as they are the foremost researchers of the history of the Frank Family and would help us to ensure that the book, while a work of fiction, is very much grounded in fact.”

While Ronald Leopold, Executive Director of the Anne Frank House, expressed his support: “We can highly recommend Alice Hoffman’s novel of Anne Frank’s life, set in the dramatic and terrible circumstances of those first war years. We hope it will persuade young readers that contributing to a better world is both necessary and possible.”

What is “When We Flew Away” about?

This novel captures the turbulent times faced by Anne and her family following the German army’s invasion of the Netherlands. As the Nazis tighten their grip, Anne’s father, Otto Frank, frantically writes to a friend in the US, seeking a safe haven for his family. While hope for escape dwindles, Anne’s courageous and creative spirit flourishes, defining her as a young woman and future writer.

Its author, Hoffman, has over thirty novels to her credit, spanning various genres and appealing to readers of all ages. Her works include “The Dovekeepers,” “The World That We Knew,” and “Practical Magic.”

The Anne Frank House was established in 1957 in collaboration with Otto Frank. The independent non-profit organisation operates a museum in the building where Anne Frank hid and works globally to share her life story, promoting awareness of the dangers of anti-Semitism, racism, and discrimination, and emphasising the value of freedom, equal rights, and democracy. The Anne Frank House also conducts research on the Frank family and historical issues related to anti-Semitism and extremism in the Netherlands.

This novel is set to be published internationally on September 17, 2024, in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand.