As a young girl who read Anne Frank's Diary, of course I wanted more of Peter. i always want more young, angsty love stories! And this isn't the first fictionalization I’ve read from Peter's POV, there was also [The Boy Who Loved Anne Frank]. Honestly, I don't remember that one enough to compare the two. But I did really enjoy this one. It kind of snuck up on me, one of those quiet, unassuming books that you blink and they are over with. I liked not only having his perspective but also the inclusion of his parents too. ( )

This historical novel, based on Anne Frank’s diary, tells us about the Holocaust from the perspective of Peter Van Pels, a 15-year- old boy hiding alongside Anne. Young adults can empathize with the historical figures. Author’s Note, Further Information.

[This is a review I wrote in 2011]

**Sensitively written**

This is a delicately and sensitively written novel of Peter van Pels, the teenage boy who spent two years hiding in the Amsterdam annexe with his family and the Franks. The fictionalised story of Peter and his growing affections for Anne, together with the account of life after the annexe in the camps of Westerbork and Auschwitz, complements Anne's diary and is an accessible introduction to the subject of the Nazi death camps, for young adults.

Well written, well thought out. Overall, a good companion volume to Anne's diary though children and adults alike should be reminded that this is still very much a fictionalised account of events, and not a historical account. ( )

I really objected to the premise of this book, even though it was short listed for a children's award. Anne Frank was a real girl who died in the war - this feels like fan fiction or a school exercise, that piggy backs on her diary to say how annoying she was. It doesn't feel necessary or useful. ( )

After finishing Anne Frank's diary, I was stunk in a Frank funk, so I immediately reached for ANNEXED. Right from the beginning, I was a little off-put by the relationship between Peter and his mother. After all, hadn't he said they didn't get along well in Anne's diary? I liked the relationship between Peter and his parents, for sure, but I felt like the author missed out on a golden opportunity. A famous quote that came from Otto Frank after reading Anne's diary was "Most parents don't really know their children." And since this is a YA novel, it would've been a great chance to expand on that idea and show how Peter's parents, though their relationship with their son was good, they didn't know all of him. It felt kind of one-dimensional at times because we didn't see much or any conflict between Peter and his parents.

Expanding on that, I think part one in the Annex was really lacking. This is historical fiction. You get to dip your fingers into the past and expand. Where was the development between the others in the attic? What about all the fights Anne talks about, the discussions, the grievances with each other? These people were trapped together for two years! There was tension between them! Anne mentions things briefly (like the arguments), and I'm really disappointed that the author didn't expand on them, show what got on each other's nerves! The entire first part of the book consisted of Peter moping around (and do you really think that wouldn't get old after two years, trapped inside or not? The people in the Annex kept busy!) and even when Anne enters his life, there was no real spark or excitement. Yes, Anne and Peter's romance wasn't of the ages, but the feelings could've been touched on, explore more of why they are clinging to each other, and it could've been much more poignant.

A scene near the beginning of the book, when they are in the attic and Peter shouts, I found absolutely ridiculous. I could handle it when he whistled. I could deal with him shouting. But when his father shouted back, and then they all go after Peter and he's "screaming"? I know it was meant to be a representation of his emotions and the feelings of entrapment, but come on, these people were in hiding. Like I said, I could understand the shout, but when his father shouted back? You really think the adults would be so stupid as to add to any noise?

The end was very nicely done. I enjoyed the camps and the way it was presented. I felt like the "light touch" writing style that the author had really worked well here. The ending really brought it up for me, but ultimately I was disappointed. ANNEXED could have pushed the boundaries a bit more, got into the details a bit more, and explored the Annex enough to bring it alive. ( )