The Cat Who Lived With Anne Frank - Hardcover

Miller, David Lee; Rubin, Steven Jay

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1524741507 ISBN 13: 9781524741501

Publisher: Philomel Books, 2019

Synopsis

Told through the warm lens of a beloved pet, The Cat Who Lived with Anne Frank captures the life of a young girl filled with promise in a way that young readers can appreciate and understand, with art by the NY Times bestselling illustrator of I DISSENT!

When Mouschi the cat goes with his boy, Peter, to a secret annex, he meets a girl named Anne. Bright, kind and loving, Anne dreams of freedom and of becoming a writer whose words change the world. But Mouschi, along with Anne and her family and friends, must stay hidden, hoping for the war to end and for a better future.

Told from the perspective of the cat who actually lived with Anne Frank in the famous Amsterdam annex, this poignant book paints a picture of a young girl who wistfully dreams of a better life for herself and her friends, tentatively wonders what mark she might leave on the world, and, above all, adamantly believes in the goodness of people. Accompanied by beautiful, vivid art, this book is a perfect introduction to a serious topic for younger readers, especially at a time when respect and inclusion are so important.

Praise for The Cat Who Lived With Anne Frank:

"This gentle introduction to one of the darkest times in modern history . . . can also provide a starting point for more in-depth study, reading, and discussion." --School Library Journal

"A gentle but effective introduction to one aspect of the Holocaust, and to this well-known family. . . . an independent read for those at the upper end of the age range. It is an excellent resource for introducing the Holocaust in classrooms." --Jewish Book Council

About this title

About the Author:

David Lee Miller is an award-winning filmmaker who has four cats -- Pau Pau, Basil, Sage, and Amadeus Meowzart. His teen dramedy Archie's Final Project (aka My Suicide) won 21 Best Picture Awards around the world, including the Berlin Film Festival. David wrote for Marvel's Spider-Man animated series, the adaptation storybooks for the feature films Baby and The Goonies, and created some of the first kids' computer games -- Zoo-Opolis! and the Explorers series.

Steven Jay Rubin previously authored Combat Films: American Realism 1945-2010, and The Twilight Zone Encyclopedia. He produced the World War II drama Silent Night, nominated for four Canadian Television Academy Awards, and the documentary Return to the Great Escape. A James Bond expert and author of The Complete James Bond Movie Encyclopedia, Steve likes his smoothies shaken not stirred. Since writing this book, he is no longer allergic to cats.

Together, Miller and Rubin co-founded Regenerate (www.regenerateonline.org), an award-winning nonprofit arts organization that empowers youth to create and distribute media addressing important teen issues.

Elizabeth Baddeley is an award-winning illustrator of such notable titles as: I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark and The Good Fight: The Feuds of the Founding Fathers (and How They Shaped the Nation). Elizabeth has been honored by Communication Arts, American Illustration, 3x3 Magazine, Print, and the Society of Illustrators from which she received a gold medal for her Swimmer Girls series. Elizabeth resides in Kansas City, Missouri with her husband and small menagerie.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 2–5—This gentle introduction to one of the darkest times in modern history is narrated by an observant cat. Young readers learn about the Yellow Stars or Jews, who are forbidden to own pets or walk the streets, where the Black Spiders or Nazi soldiers patrol. Instead, they must hide in secret rooms, in zoos, in abandoned theaters—anywhere out of sight. Mouschi tells about his boy Peter who lives with parents and his classmate Anne and her family in the secret annex above a spice factory. By day, the eight people in the tiny, crowded attic sleep or lie still. "Because if just one of us steps on a creaky board, sneezes or knocks a book from a shelf, someone might hear and know Yellow Stars are hiding. And the Black Spider soldiers will come." Mouschi tells readers about Anne's diary, "Kitty," a moniker which he believes refers to himself. Several diary excerpts are interspersed throughout revealing Anne's guilt for being warm and safe while her friends are "dropping from exhaustion or being knocked to the ground" in the streets. Youngsters understand there is a war and bombs, the Annex is in Holland, and the Jewish people are in danger. Still, the book ends on a positive note. As Mouschi and his people nap, they dream "...dreams more powerful than bombs. Dreams of Anne's kind and gentle spirit...lighting up the world forever." The illustrations, created with ink, acrylic, pencil, and digitally, show the families in cramped dark quarters while the lovely Amsterdam streets are crowded with soldiers with vicious dogs, red flags bearing swastikas, and bombs. Historical notes and sources are appended. VERDICT This introduction to the Holocaust can also provide a starting point for more in-depth study, reading, and discussion.—Barbara Auerbach, Cairo Public Library, NY

About this edition

• Publisher: Philomel Books
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 1524741507
• ISBN 13: 9781524741501
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Baddeley Elizabeth