Once & Then

Read this rather than "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" for a child suitable (ages 10+) book about the holocaust which will also appeal to adults.Morris Gleitzman has written a wonderful series of books (of which "Once" is the first) which are very readable despite their challenging subject matter. His narrator is a young Jewish boy, Felix, who has a passion for books, especially the "Just William" stories of Richmal Crompton. Poor Felix has been hidden by his parents in a Catholic orphanage and does not know what is going on in the wider world. When he escapes from the orphanage to search for his beloved parents he slowly begins to understand what is happening to Jews and anyone who opposes the Nazis and we are gradually presented with the horrors of life in Nazi controlled eastern Europe. Along the way he meets people both good and bad and takes on the care of a young orphaned German girl named Zelda.Gleitzman does a wonderful job of letting us, along with Felix, slowly understand the realities of the Nazi regime as it touches the lives of everyone, though, with our greater knowledge of the situation, we continually fear for Felix, who has no one left to trust but his heroine, Richmal Crompton. However, he is a brave and resourceful boy and his tragic story is made bearable for the reader through his own humour and the good and kind people he encounters along the way.Gleitzman explains he was inspired by the story of Janusz Korczak, a Polish man who stayed with the orphans for whom he cared when they were deported from the Warsaw ghetto to the Treblinka death camp; his achievement in these books is to show how good is better than evil and will rise above it in the most dire and dreadful of circumstances. Though simple in its presentation, this is no lightweight book and ranks alongside classics of the genre like The Silver Sword and I Am David.

The book came in really good condition and for a good price. I’m so glad I’ve found this book

I brought ths because my brother sugested it. Most of it good, thee characters were likeablee and the story was meaninfull. However, ther are a few sections thatt are dull and draggged out. Despite ths it is still a good read.

The packaging together of Morris Gleitzman's two novels in the series, Once and Then makes for a very integrated read (the third, Now, is available separately.)Gleitzman has adopted a hugely effective voice and tone for his novel. The narrator, Felix, a 10 year old boy in Nazi-controlled Poland is believable and empathetic: and the way in which his world picture and naivety is challenged and changed without loss of optimism and hope, despite the dreadful events that surround him, makes for a read which is at times funny, devastating, but ultimately life-affirming.This is a story about the potential of human beings to be monsters and saints; the power of storytelling; and the triumph of the human spirit in the most appalling of contexts, the Holocaust. I think this is an important series. Read it!

Amazing story and beautifully written through the eyes of the main character, Felix. We read this for our son's school work and it was tough to read out loud in places but it provoked discussion and he has a better understanding of the past than he previously did, thanks to this book.Heartwarming, not really. Heartbreaking in places, yes, because it really happened.

There arent enough words to describe how brilliant those books are. Morris gleiztan is a talented author.That book made me cry. It is so emotianal and amazing!! I love felixs story and it was just brillant. I would definetly recommend reading all of the books. I know how felix felt when leopold dies because my dog died a few months ago.

What an amazingly vivid description of world war two from the perspective of the Polish children. It informs but does so much more.I read both books at one sitting. Well done Morris! Another brilliant example of writing for children that doesn't patronize or duck the difficult issues but takes them slowly to the realization of the impact of war on ordinary people.

This is a really special writer. I am busy devouring children's books for a course that I am doing in creative writing for children and found this to be the best yet. Gleitzman writes brilliantly, moving us from one situation to the other with creative genius; you laugh and cry with Felix throughout. Reading this was a reality check for me as a writer. Can't wait to read more of his work!

These are both wonderful books. They were really hard to put down. Even though we know through history what happened it's still really hard to read about. But these stories are written from a child's eyes and are wonderfully told. Let's hope we've learnt and that history never repeats itself.

Amazing, very moving and great to read to get a sense of what a lot of people went through in the holocaust. Great for young people to read for them to realise how hard life can be.

This was purchased for my granddaughter , it really gave her something to think about, one week later she has borrowed the next book in the series from the library ,

I loved the way Morris Gleitzman wrote this book so when you start reading this book you cant stop. I recommend this book to anyone who is older than ten years old.

Beautifully written from a 10 year old boys perspective about the holocaust.It made me cry reading it. It honours all that were part of the holocaust with such integrity to the situation that all were in.I feel honoured that I read this story and I can remember the people who were so badly taken or lived through the torture of WW2.