We went to see the opening night of The Diary of Anne Frank at Seattle Children’s Theater. I prepped the kids with the basics of the storyline: World War II, Holocaust, Nazis, Jews. They were concerned. It felt like a very heavy topic (and it is!). We had dinner on the ferry, as usual, and the kids were not especially looking forward to a “learning play,” as they call it.
We got settled into great seats and waited to learn. 🙂
It turns out, the production is wonderful. Both kids laughed several times, and came away with lots of great thoughts. They had so many great thoughts that we talked for a good 20 minutes on the way home until both declared they needed a break from the hard thinking, and could we please listen to Harry Potter 5?
Afterward, JT commented that he might be interested to read the diary itself. I noted that it can be a tough read (I remember dragging myself through) but definitely worth his time. Then I found this fabulous graphic novel representation – with exactly her same words, selected from each entry – and ordered it. Both kids have been enthralled!
“Stop reading,” I have to say. 🙂 And then we talk about it some more. These are big topics and important issues, and I’m thrilled to have them with my kids.
The Keene Family 