THE HOUSE ON THE CANAL (picture book)
Winner Rodari prize for illustrated books, 2024
‘Deeply moving, powerful, and breathtaking… the results are hauntingly beautiful’ - Kirkus starred review
‘Poignant, haunting… creating a sense of incidents being summoned, connected, and pondered via collective’ - Publishers Weekly starred review
The eventful history of the house where Anne Frank and her family hid. In the middle of Amsterdam, directly at Prinsengracht 263 there is a tall, narrow house. It was built 400 years ago and served as a dwelling, storage, stable and secret hiding place. It was the site of a remarkable history, spanning the rapid growth of Amsterdam during the "Golden Age" and the German occupation of the Netherlands during World War II, and it offered a seemingly safe haven for Anne Frank, her family and four others for more than two years . Today the house on the canal is a much-visited museum and the seat of the Anne Frank Foundation.
Winner of the Rodari Prize for illustrated children’s books in 2024, link here
Kirkus Review of “THE HOUSE BY THE LAKE”
Deeply moving, powerful, and breathtaking.
The house at 263 Prinsengracht—where Anne Frank and her family went into hiding during World War II—has witnessed centuries of history.
Marshlands gave way as the city of Amsterdam expanded and a canal was built. The titular house was constructed nearly 400 years ago, “with strong brick walls, sturdy pine floors, and a green front door.” Some found a haven there in dangerous times; others found joy and laughter. The building’s fortune waxed and waned through neglect, fire, and restoration. It housed a series of workspaces and even a horse barn. Then, in the worst of times, a man rented the house for his business. When Amsterdam was no longer safe for Jewish people, the man, his family, and four others took refuge there, remaining silent and still and depending on trusted friends for supplies. The man’s younger daughter wrote a diary, chronicling her days and dreaming of a golden future that was not to be. When the man returned alone, a friend gave him the diary; he shared it with the world. Not naming the people and places in the narrative itself (though an opening note and detailed backmatter offer more information), Harding employs highly descriptive sensory language, heightening the emotions. Readers will emerge simultaneously awed by the passage of time and personally affected by the stories told. Teckentrup overlays her bright, exquisitely detailed sepia-toned depictions of the house and its environs with a misty haze; the results are hauntingly beautiful.
Deeply moving, powerful, and breathtaking. (Informational picture book. 7-10)
See here for link to Kirkus review
Publishers:
Germany: Jacoby & Stuart, “Das alte Haus an der Gracht” (1 February 2023)
France: La Partie, “La maison au bord du canal” (7 September 2023)
Netherlands: Querido, “Het huis aan de Prinsengracht” (3 October 2023)
Italy: Uovonero, “La vecchia casa sul canale” (10, February 2024)
China: Beijing Language and Culture University Press (2024)
UK: Walker Studio; “The House On The Canal” (2 January 2025)
USA: Candlewick Studios, “The House On The Canal” (7 January 2025)
Korea, Bookbank
About the author and other contributors
Thomas Harding, born 1968, is an award-winning bestselling author whose books have been translated into over 20 languages. He has written for the Guardian, Washington Post, FT and other newspapers. He lives with his family in the UK.
Britta Teckentrup, born 1969, is an award-winning artist and author. She studied at St Martin's College and the Royal College of Art in London and has written and illustrated over a hundred children's books which have been translated into more than 25 languages. She lives with her family in Berlin.