Morris Gleitzman

Once I escaped from an orphanage to find my Mum and Dad. Once I saved a girl called Zelda from a burning house. Once I made a Nazi with toothache laugh. My name is Felix. This is my story. The reference at the end of the book to readers' notes refers to the teachers' notes which can be found at our Education Centre.

Once

For three years and eight months, Felix has lived in a convent orphanage high in the mountains in Poland. But Felix is different from the other orphans. He is convinced his parents are still alive and will come back to get him. When a group of Nazi soldiers come and burn the nuns' books, Felix is terrified that his Jewish, bookseller parents will also be in danger. After escaping from the orphanage, Felix embarks on a long and dangerous journey through Nazi occupied Poland, befriending a little orphan girl called Zelda and a kindly dentist, Barney, who hides and cares for Jewish children. But when the Nazis discover them, Barney makes the ultimate sacrifice for the children.

This book is about a kids POV during the holocaust, it is truly eye-opening and shocking! I was not sure if this book was made for children or not but it seems too upsetting for kids to read, it really allows us to appreciate everything we have now!

Robyn Harley

Abbie Ray

Book review on book series Once by Morris Gleitzman

This book is about the life of Felix; a jewish boy trying to survive in Nazi Germany during the Holocaust. 

I decided to read this book and the rest of the series because they were recommended to me by my mum and they sounded good though quite sad. 

At the start of this book I found it quite annoying because it is written in a bit of a weird way and it seemed to keep changing from past tense to present tense and all the chapters start with once and explain what is happening and then switch to present tense. It also often had a bit that went like- you know how when -and then he would explain what is happening- which quite annoyed me as well because we usually 'don't know how when' because lots of things that he was talking about don't happen now. I can see how this is an interesting way of writing and most people would find it good, but for me, I didn't really like it. 

At the start as well he is also VERY naive and thick and always completely misinterprets the situation. For example, when he first sees the Nazis they are burning jewish books but he doesn't know they are jewish ones so for quite a while after he just assumes that the Nazis hate books and when he sees them killing people he thinks it is because they are book sellers. Though this made me think about whether, being a child at that time, we would understand what is going on. For me it was so obvious what was happening and why, and I didn't get how he couldn't get it but then I have the prior knowledge of what happens and it made me wonder if without that I would think similarly to the way he does. Other than those things though I really enjoyed the book ad it gave me a good insight into what really happened during that time. 

I would recommend these books though they are sad.

Felix, a Jewish boy in Poland in 1942, is hiding from the Nazis in a Catholic orphanage. The only problem is that he doesn't know anything about the war, and thinks he's only in the orphanage while his parents travel and try to salvage their bookselling business. And when he thinks his parents are in danger, Felix sets off to warn them--straight into the heart of Nazi-occupied Poland. To Felix, everything is a story: Why did he get a whole carrot in his soup? It must be sign that his parents are coming to get him. Why are the Nazis burning books? They must be foreign librarians sent to clean out the orphanage's outdated library. But as Felix's journey gets increasingly dangerous, he begins to see horrors that not even stories can explain. Despite his grim suroundings, Felix never loses hope. Morris Gleitzman takes a painful subject and expertly turns it into a story filled with love, friendship, and even humor.

Andy Bayliss

the last time i read this, i was 10. i'd read it for a school project and it was one of the books that got me into reading longer books as a child. it's such a gripping and horrifying story and i'd recommend this middle grade novel to everyone. 

There is nothing i can say that is wrong with it, i just cannot wait to read the next book in this series.

Once I escaped from an orphanage to find my Mum and Dad. Once I saved a girl called Zelda from a burning house. Once I made a Nazi with toothache laugh. My name is Felix. This is my story.

Tahlia Martin

Once series is about the Nazis and Jews war. Felix is Jewish and is in an orphanage.

Lysh (She/Her)

“Everybody deserves to have something good in their life. At least once.”

Trying something new with this review. Let me know if you like the format better 😊
*SUMMARY:* Jewish boy uses storytelling as a way to survive on a journey to find his parents in 1942 Germany. 
*Writing style: 20/20.* 
Gleitzman is a young adult/children’s author and with this in mind his writing style is perfectly suited to his intended readers. It is enchanting yet believable with the perfect balance of imagination and reality. 
*Characters: 16/20.*
Although I love his writing style, I do feel that some of the characters could have been better fleshed out. Other than the main character, I had no connection to the other children in the novel and therefore events throughout didn’t hold the same significance to me as what I assume was intended. However, Felix was a brilliant protagonist. Through his eyes I could see and experience the naivety and innocence of his childhood in the most horrific of times. 
*Plot: 20/20.*
Excellent pace and every action had a reason. Logical. 
*Atmosphere: 17/20*
Although a quick read, this wasn’t as atmospheric as other war reads I’ve experienced. That could be the children’s writing coming through though! 
*Moral: 17/20*
I think the implied moral about storytelling is beautiful. The pushed moral of deserving something good just once in your life is gag worthy. 
*Overall score: 90% [A grade, 5 Stars]*

Once

Reviews