What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedA Small Light
Joan Rater · Series · 2023
If you loved A Small Light, start with The Diary of Anne Frank (George Stevens, 1959) — a film on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 3 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to A Small Light across media.
If A Small Light moved you, you will appreciate these stories exploring the quiet, persistent moral courage found within humanity.
Books on the same thread
Anne Frank's Diary
Anne Frank · Book · 2018
Explores: The Holocaust, World War II, Coming-of-age.
Like A Small Light, this primary source offers an intimate, firsthand perspective on the human spirit surviving against the backdrop of persecution and the necessity of hidden identity.
The Diary of a Young Girl
Anne Frank · Book · 1947
Explores: World War II, The Holocaust, Persecution.
If you were drawn to the historical significance of A Small Light, this foundational diary provides the essential, deeply personal voice behind the events depicted in the series.
The Diary of Anne Frank
Frances Goodrich · Book · 1964
Explores: World War II, Jewish persecution, hiding from Nazis.
This theatrical adaptation mirrors the dramatic tension of A Small Light, focusing on the claustrophobic reality and emotional weight of living in hiding during the Nazi occupation.
All the Light We Cannot See
Anthony Doerr · Book · 2017
Explores: humanity in wartime, fate, interconnected lives.
This novel echoes the themes of humanity in wartime found in A Small Light, illustrating how individual lives remain interconnected even amidst the devastation of global conflict.
Films on the same thread
The Diary of Anne Frank
George Stevens · Film · 1959
Shares 3 threads with A Small Light: Survival, Historical Drama, Biographical Drama.
This film captures the same harrowing survival story featured in A Small Light, emphasizing the loss of innocence and the resilience required to endure life in the annex.
A Hidden Life
Terrence Malick · Film · 2019
Shares 3 threads with A Small Light: moral courage, Historical Drama, Biographical Drama.
Just as A Small Light highlights Miep Gies’s bravery, this film explores the profound moral courage of a man choosing to resist tyranny despite the threat of execution.
The Book Thief
Brian Percival · Film · 2013
Shares 3 threads with A Small Light: Moral Courage, Historical Drama, World War II Drama.
Much like the domestic resistance shown in A Small Light, this story centers on the quiet defiance of protecting a Jewish refugee while finding solace in literature and words.
Podcasts on the same thread
Slow Burn
Slate Podcasts · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Political scandal, Archival research, Cultural impact.
If you valued the historical integrity of A Small Light, this investigative series offers a similar commitment to uncovering the truth through deep research and compelling archival storytelling.
The Truth
The Truth · Podcast · 2026
Explores: human condition, experimental storytelling, moral ambiguity.
While different in subject, the cinematic and immersive nature of these stories reflects the same level of emotional depth and character-driven focus that defined A Small Light.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is A Small Light based on a true story?
Yes, A Small Light is based on the true story of Miep Gies. She was a twentysomething woman who helped hide Otto Frank and his family from the Nazis in the Secret Annex for two years during World War II.
How long was the period covered in A Small Light?
A Small Light covers the two-year period during World War II when Miep and Jan Gies, along with other helpers, watched over the eight individuals hiding in the Secret Annex to protect them from the Nazis.
What role did Miep Gies play in A Small Light?
In A Small Light, Miep Gies serves as a primary protector for the Frank family. After Otto Frank asks her to hide his family, she and her husband Jan spend two years supporting those in the Secret Annex and later preserve Anne’s diary for Otto.
Who survived the events depicted in A Small Light?
According to A Small Light, Otto Frank was the only one of the eight individuals hiding in the Secret Annex who survived the war. After the war, he was able to share Anne’s diary with the world because Miep Gies kept it safe.