Jacqueline van Maarsen's poignant recollection of her friendship with Anne Frank and her own experience as a Dutch Jew during World War II is an excellent choice for anyone interested in learning more about the Holocaust. van Maarsen's memoir brings Anne back to life, recounting anecdotes and memories of better times, when she and Anne were children, making the most of life in the shadow of the Third Reich. These happy instances add depth and nuance to understanding Anne Frank and her situation, as van Maarsen's memories present Anne from a different perspective, as well as giving readers a more complete picture of what life was like for Jews living in the Netherlands during the war, especially from a child's point of view. Any retelling of the Holocaust is going to be painful and difficult to read and comprehend from a 21st century perspective, but van Maarsen's account is particularly heartbreaking, as her own life stands in contrast to the possibilities of Anne--everything that could have been. I appreciate that van Maarsen shows us Anne as a young girl--complicated, dynamic, expressive--not merely a victim. I would absolutely consider using this text in the classroom to accompany a unit on the Holocaust or on Anne Frank. ( )