Annexed

by Dogar, Sharon

• ISBN13: 9780547501956
• ISBN10: 0547501951
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2010-10-04
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Summary

Everyone knows about Anne Frank and her life hidden in the secret annex----but what about the boy who was also trapped there with her? In this powerful and gripping novel, Sharon Dogar explores what this might have been like from Peter's point of view. What was it like to be forced into hiding with Anne Frank, first to hate her and then to find yourself falling in love with her? Especially with your parents and her parents all watching almost everything you do together. To know you're being written about in Anne's diary, day after day? What's it like to start questioning your religion, wondering why simply being Jewish inspires such hatred and persecution? Or to just sit and wait and watch while others die, and wish you were fighting. As Peter and Anne become closer and closer in their confined quarters, how can they make sense of what they see happening around them? Anne's diary ends on August 4, 1944, but Peter's story takes us on, beyond their betrayal and into the Nazi death camps. He details with accuracy, clarity and compassion the reality of day to day survival in Auschwitz and ultimately the horrific fates of the Annex's occupants.

Excerpts

"I mean, what if this is it? What if this is the rest of our life? Or if we’re found, what happens next? Why don’t we have an escape route . . . and what if this is our only chance to …?" She’s quiet, so quiet it makes it difficult to go on. ". . . to fall in love or to know each other . . ." I run out of words. I’ve said too much. I stop. I’m blushing. Anne’s staring at me seriously, waiting.

"What do you think?" I ask.

"I’m not sure what you’re saying?" she says, but she’s shaking.

"Anne! What if we never get out of here!"