The House on the Canal

By Thomas Harding, Britta Teckentrup (Illustrator)

A canal house in Amsterdam holds secrets of love, despair, and history, including a famous diary.

4.3/5 Goodreads · 302 ratings

56 pages

$19.99Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

In Amsterdam, a canal house with a green door has witnessed centuries of change. From vibrant celebrations to silent despair, its walls have seen it all. Among its many stories is that of a young girl who chronicled her life within its confines, leaving behind a legacy of hope. As visitors flock to this historic site, the house stands as a testament to resilience and the passage of time. Discover the tales hidden within its walls and the enduring spirit of those who once called it home.

From the publisher

“Deeply moving, powerful, and breathtaking.” –Kirkus Reviews (starred review)A house reveals the story of its inhabitants, including Anne Frank–and honors four centuries of history–in a moving and exquisitely illustrated picture book from the creators of The House by the Lake. In the middle of Amsterdam is a house on a canal with a green door. Over four hundred years, it has quietly witnessed love, desperation, and historic change. Sometimes the narrow house was splendidly decorated, humming with life and love; other times, it stood empty, in near ruins. Sometimes the green door was open and inviting; other times, it was closed against cold and plague or to conceal the victims of wartime persecution. The house’s last occupant, a young girl with a sweet smile, would famously document her time there. In her diary, Anne Frank wrote of “the old house on the canal,” and today people come from far and wide to visit what stands as a universal symbol of hope and resilience. Thomas Harding’s lyrical text and concise back matter reveal history through the changing face and fortunes of a remarkable structure. Impeccably researched, Britta Teckentrup’s dreamy mixed-media collages, including a map and archival imagery, perfectly echo the layered narrative and capture the ethereal nature of time and circumstance.

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