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Once #2
Then
'Haunting... dangerous and desperate, but also full of courage and hope.' The Guardian
I had a plan for me and Zelda
Pretend to be someone else
Find new parents
Be safe forever
Then the Nazis came
Felix and Zelda are determined to survive and find a way to freedom, while also trying to keep their humanity and hope alive.
Told with heart and humour, Then offers a unique perspective on one of the darkest chapters in history and serves as a reminder of the resilience and hope that can be found even in the most dire of circumstances.
I had a plan for me and Zelda
Pretend to be someone else
Find new parents
Be safe forever
Then the Nazis came
Felix and Zelda are determined to survive and find a way to freedom, while also trying to keep their humanity and hope alive.
Told with heart and humour, Then offers a unique perspective on one of the darkest chapters in history and serves as a reminder of the resilience and hope that can be found even in the most dire of circumstances.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
426 people are currently reading
5703 people want to read
About the author
Morris Gleitzman
97 books969 followersMorris began his writing career as a screenwriter, and wrote his first children's novel in 1985. His brilliantly comic style has endeared him to children and adults alike, and he is now one of Australia's most successful authors, both internationally and at home. He was born in England in 1953 and emigrated to Australia in 1969 so he could escape from school and become a Very Famous Writer.
Before realising that dream, he had a colourful career as paperboy, bottle-shop shelf-stacker, department store Santa Claus, frozen chicken defroster, fashion-design assistant and sugar-mill employee. In between he managed to gain a degree in Professional Writing at the Canberra College of Advanced Education. Later he became sole writer for three award-winning and top-rating seasons with the TV comedy series The Norman Gunston Show.
Morris wrote a number of feature film and telemovie screenplays, including The Other Facts of Life and Second Childhood, both produced by The Australian Children's Television Foundation. The Other Facts of Life won an AWGIE Award for the Best Original Children's Film Script.
He also wrote live stage material for people such as Rolf Harris, Pamela Stephenson and the Governor General of Australia. Morris is well known to many people through his semi-autobiographical columns in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald magazine, Good Weekend, which he wrote for nine years.
But the majority of Morris' accolades are for his hugely popular children's books. One of his most successful books for young people is Two Weeks with the Queen, an international bestseller which was also adapted into a play by Mary Morris. The play had many successful seasons in Australia and was then produced at the National Theatre in London in 1995 directed by Alan Ayckbourn, and also in South Africa, Canada, Japan and the USA.
All his other books have been shortlisted for or have won numerous children's book prizes. These include The Other Facts of Life, Second Childhood, Misery Guts, Worry Warts, Puppy Fat, Blabber Mouth, Sticky Beak, Belly Flop, Water Wings, Bumface, Gift Of The Gab, Toad Rage, Wicked! and Deadly!, two six-part novels written in collaboration with Paul Jennings, Adults Only, Toad Heaven, Boy Overboard, Teacher's Pet, Toad Away, Girl Underground, Worm Story, Once, Aristotle's Nostril, Doubting Thomas, Give Peas A Chance, Then, Toad Surprise, Grace, Now, Too Small To Fail, and his latest book, Pizza Cake. Morris' children's books have been published in the UK, the USA, Germany, Italy, Japan, France, Spain, Portugal, Holland, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Indonesia and Czechoslovakia, Russia and China.
Before realising that dream, he had a colourful career as paperboy, bottle-shop shelf-stacker, department store Santa Claus, frozen chicken defroster, fashion-design assistant and sugar-mill employee. In between he managed to gain a degree in Professional Writing at the Canberra College of Advanced Education. Later he became sole writer for three award-winning and top-rating seasons with the TV comedy series The Norman Gunston Show.
Morris wrote a number of feature film and telemovie screenplays, including The Other Facts of Life and Second Childhood, both produced by The Australian Children's Television Foundation. The Other Facts of Life won an AWGIE Award for the Best Original Children's Film Script.
He also wrote live stage material for people such as Rolf Harris, Pamela Stephenson and the Governor General of Australia. Morris is well known to many people through his semi-autobiographical columns in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald magazine, Good Weekend, which he wrote for nine years.
But the majority of Morris' accolades are for his hugely popular children's books. One of his most successful books for young people is Two Weeks with the Queen, an international bestseller which was also adapted into a play by Mary Morris. The play had many successful seasons in Australia and was then produced at the National Theatre in London in 1995 directed by Alan Ayckbourn, and also in South Africa, Canada, Japan and the USA.
All his other books have been shortlisted for or have won numerous children's book prizes. These include The Other Facts of Life, Second Childhood, Misery Guts, Worry Warts, Puppy Fat, Blabber Mouth, Sticky Beak, Belly Flop, Water Wings, Bumface, Gift Of The Gab, Toad Rage, Wicked! and Deadly!, two six-part novels written in collaboration with Paul Jennings, Adults Only, Toad Heaven, Boy Overboard, Teacher's Pet, Toad Away, Girl Underground, Worm Story, Once, Aristotle's Nostril, Doubting Thomas, Give Peas A Chance, Then, Toad Surprise, Grace, Now, Too Small To Fail, and his latest book, Pizza Cake. Morris' children's books have been published in the UK, the USA, Germany, Italy, Japan, France, Spain, Portugal, Holland, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Indonesia and Czechoslovakia, Russia and China.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,009 reviews
August 17, 2016
Rating is a 4.5
ONCE I read a book about a boy named Felix. He was a young child living during the terror of the Nazis and escaped an orphanage to find his parents. He met a 6 year-old girl named Zelda. They are just trying to survive and find new parents. THEN I picked up the 2nd book in this series to hear more about these two and I am just devastated.
Then picks up immediately where the first book, Once, ends. Each chapter in each book begins with the one word title of the book. When I say the story picks up immediately at the end of the first book, I mean it. Felix and Zelda jump off a train heading to a death camp at the end of Once, and Then picks up as they fall from the train.
I did not think I would pick up this one so soon after reading Once. But I could not get the story of the two out of my head. I wanted to hear more. The books in this series are for young children but I think it's just too much. Then focuses more on how the two are travelling across Poland trying to find their parents (atleast Felix's) who they believe are at a death camp. Along the way they see and experience some horrible things. I know this is not a true story, but not far from what actually happened to people during this time. They had to deal with Nazis, but also the regular people who would do the most horrible things to them for being Jewish. Turn them over to the Nazis for a very small bit of money and a bottle of booze.
This is a very heartbreaking story. I don't think it's for everyone. Hearing what happens to children (and animals) during this time is just sickening. It's a very short book and quick to read. I am glad I read this one and plan to continue with the rest of the series.
ONCE I read a book about a boy named Felix. He was a young child living during the terror of the Nazis and escaped an orphanage to find his parents. He met a 6 year-old girl named Zelda. They are just trying to survive and find new parents. THEN I picked up the 2nd book in this series to hear more about these two and I am just devastated.
Then picks up immediately where the first book, Once, ends. Each chapter in each book begins with the one word title of the book. When I say the story picks up immediately at the end of the first book, I mean it. Felix and Zelda jump off a train heading to a death camp at the end of Once, and Then picks up as they fall from the train.
I did not think I would pick up this one so soon after reading Once. But I could not get the story of the two out of my head. I wanted to hear more. The books in this series are for young children but I think it's just too much. Then focuses more on how the two are travelling across Poland trying to find their parents (atleast Felix's) who they believe are at a death camp. Along the way they see and experience some horrible things. I know this is not a true story, but not far from what actually happened to people during this time. They had to deal with Nazis, but also the regular people who would do the most horrible things to them for being Jewish. Turn them over to the Nazis for a very small bit of money and a bottle of booze.
This is a very heartbreaking story. I don't think it's for everyone. Hearing what happens to children (and animals) during this time is just sickening. It's a very short book and quick to read. I am glad I read this one and plan to continue with the rest of the series.
May 18, 2022
Horrific and beautiful at the same time, if that's even possible. What a clever concept to describe the horrors of WWII.
December 2, 2022
*SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT READ ONCE*
When I say it starts where Once left off, I mean it. I starts literally seconds afterwards and is a nice bridge from the old one. If you have not read Once, you could read this one, although they do ever so often refer to past events. I think it's better if you did though, you have a total understanding of the pain and suffering they went through, and the back story of how they met one another.
Felix is Jewish, and was sent to an orphanage by his parents so to protect him from being killed. Zelda's parents, although were Nazi loyalists, were shot dead and tried to burn the house down to kill Zelda. However, Felix saved her and she stayed with him.
This is a harrowing, sad, depressing book, that always keep you guessing and wondering. Once was like this but also had comical and happy moments mixed in. Whenever things start to look up for Felix, his whole world gets destroyed all over again. There are twists and turns like a roller coaster and some of the best literature is displayed in this book, it should of won so many more prizes. You never expect anything that happens.
Felix was, once again, a delightful protagonist and I really felt for him, especially latterly. He seems to start having a good time and then, everything is crumbled down. He's a good guy and just wants to protect everyone but himself. I know, the events are not true for just one person in this time, but it makes you really think, through Felix, the horrible, vile times Jewish people had under Nazi rule. Morris Gleitzman makes you think over and over again in your mind, the simple question: Why? WHY? Just, why.
I said in my review for Once that Zelda annoyed me. A lot, especially with her constant 'Don't you know anything?' ERM, NO WE DON'T. Anyway, that lovely line was in this book too, BUT not as much and I actually started really connecting with Zelda too, especially when she became a different person - Violetta (I really like that name actually). Zelda is also only six years-old when Felix is ten. It's strange how she seems so grown up and honestly, I thought she was the same age as Felix until said. It's disgraceful how much she had been through just at that age, and many other real people too.
Once again, Gleitzman has started each chapter with the name of the book and ended it the same way - which is so original. At the end, Felix is suddenly so overcome by emotions that he does something completely out of character and quite frightening. However, once he is reminded of his past, he goes back to his old self again.
This book is very different to Once. Instead of kind of setting the scene and introducing characters, it focuses more on other aspects of life in Poland at that time. We see rationing, the Hitler Youth, the SS killing squads and many other social and cultural details. I think I preferred this book to the first and definitely enjoyed it more because of this.
This book is very harrowing and makes you feel very uncomfortable frequently. You are constantly on the edge waiting and knowing what may happen. Events happen sometimes so quickly, you don't realise that you've just read around 10 pages. This is worth a read for anyone that read either Once or just loves this period of history. It may be about younger children, but this book is for any age - but warning, you may cry.
Verdict: A definite read, but I would read Once first before you move onto this. If you didn't like Once, keep going - it's worth it.
I give it 5 out of 5
When I say it starts where Once left off, I mean it. I starts literally seconds afterwards and is a nice bridge from the old one. If you have not read Once, you could read this one, although they do ever so often refer to past events. I think it's better if you did though, you have a total understanding of the pain and suffering they went through, and the back story of how they met one another.
Felix is Jewish, and was sent to an orphanage by his parents so to protect him from being killed. Zelda's parents, although were Nazi loyalists, were shot dead and tried to burn the house down to kill Zelda. However, Felix saved her and she stayed with him.
This is a harrowing, sad, depressing book, that always keep you guessing and wondering. Once was like this but also had comical and happy moments mixed in. Whenever things start to look up for Felix, his whole world gets destroyed all over again. There are twists and turns like a roller coaster and some of the best literature is displayed in this book, it should of won so many more prizes. You never expect anything that happens.
Felix was, once again, a delightful protagonist and I really felt for him, especially latterly. He seems to start having a good time and then, everything is crumbled down. He's a good guy and just wants to protect everyone but himself. I know, the events are not true for just one person in this time, but it makes you really think, through Felix, the horrible, vile times Jewish people had under Nazi rule. Morris Gleitzman makes you think over and over again in your mind, the simple question: Why? WHY? Just, why.
I said in my review for Once that Zelda annoyed me. A lot, especially with her constant 'Don't you know anything?' ERM, NO WE DON'T. Anyway, that lovely line was in this book too, BUT not as much and I actually started really connecting with Zelda too, especially when she became a different person - Violetta (I really like that name actually). Zelda is also only six years-old when Felix is ten. It's strange how she seems so grown up and honestly, I thought she was the same age as Felix until said. It's disgraceful how much she had been through just at that age, and many other real people too.
Once again, Gleitzman has started each chapter with the name of the book and ended it the same way - which is so original. At the end, Felix is suddenly so overcome by emotions that he does something completely out of character and quite frightening. However, once he is reminded of his past, he goes back to his old self again.
This book is very different to Once. Instead of kind of setting the scene and introducing characters, it focuses more on other aspects of life in Poland at that time. We see rationing, the Hitler Youth, the SS killing squads and many other social and cultural details. I think I preferred this book to the first and definitely enjoyed it more because of this.
This book is very harrowing and makes you feel very uncomfortable frequently. You are constantly on the edge waiting and knowing what may happen. Events happen sometimes so quickly, you don't realise that you've just read around 10 pages. This is worth a read for anyone that read either Once or just loves this period of history. It may be about younger children, but this book is for any age - but warning, you may cry.
Verdict: A definite read, but I would read Once first before you move onto this. If you didn't like Once, keep going - it's worth it.
I give it 5 out of 5
September 4, 2016
A minha opinião em vídeo: https://youtu.be/XTj7XmGJmxY
A sequela de "Once" e com o mesmo brilhantismo, tanto a nível de escrita, como de história.
Embora este volume seja mais pesado, o Felix e a Zelda continuam a mostrar a força de duas crianças perdidas numa Polónia, na 2ª guerra mundial.
A sequela de "Once" e com o mesmo brilhantismo, tanto a nível de escrita, como de história.
Embora este volume seja mais pesado, o Felix e a Zelda continuam a mostrar a força de duas crianças perdidas numa Polónia, na 2ª guerra mundial.
June 16, 2024
Este é o segundo livro da história de Félix, um rapaz de 10 anos que tenta fugir aos nazis durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial.Transporta-nos para as suas aventuras e dificuldades, com fugas pela floresta à procura de esconderijo, sempre com a amizade de Zelda, uma menina de 6 anos que tenta proteger. Há momentos da história que me emocionaram bastante. Penso que esta trilogia deveria ser lida por toda a gente.
January 6, 2020
A historia de Felix e Zelda continua... partes tristes, partes cruéis, partes que nos fazem pensar.
February 28, 2016
I cried!!
Wow - the cruelty that people can inflict on each other still catches me by surprise. We hear about, and condemn, acts of atrocity today. But stories like these bring home that nothing is new.
Wow - the cruelty that people can inflict on each other still catches me by surprise. We hear about, and condemn, acts of atrocity today. But stories like these bring home that nothing is new.
May 24, 2013
I decided to read the book "Then" by Morris Gleitzman because I had read the first book in the series "Once" at Intermediate School and really enjoyed it.
The category that this book fits into on the bingo board is, a book set in another time in history.
The character I found most interesting was Felix. I feel I can relate to him because he worries (like I do at times) about lots of things and his actions at time can get him into danger. Felix is only 10 years old. He likes to explore, he likes to make friends, he is kind and he will make sacrifices for the people that he loves. This makes his character really appealing.
My favourite/most interesting quote from the book is "A little hope goes a long way". This quote stands out to me because it teaches me that if you believe in something and hope and persevere that it counts for a lot and will lead you to achieving your goals.
Something that I learned from this book was how badly the Germans treated the Jews and how miserable and hard their lives must have been during the Holocaust during World War 2.
The category that this book fits into on the bingo board is, a book set in another time in history.
The character I found most interesting was Felix. I feel I can relate to him because he worries (like I do at times) about lots of things and his actions at time can get him into danger. Felix is only 10 years old. He likes to explore, he likes to make friends, he is kind and he will make sacrifices for the people that he loves. This makes his character really appealing.
My favourite/most interesting quote from the book is "A little hope goes a long way". This quote stands out to me because it teaches me that if you believe in something and hope and persevere that it counts for a lot and will lead you to achieving your goals.
Something that I learned from this book was how badly the Germans treated the Jews and how miserable and hard their lives must have been during the Holocaust during World War 2.
October 9, 2011
The second book in this Holocaust trilogy was just as chilling and horrific as the first book, Once. It picks up exactly where Once left off, with Felix, age 10, and Zelda, age 6, fleeing through the countryside after managing to escape from a Nazi death train. I couldn't read this one all in one sitting; I had to read a few chapters at a time and stop. Just when you think everything may finally be all right for them, something horrible happens. The feeling of tension, of waiting for the other shoe to drop, never leaves from the first page to the last, and surely must have been what it was like to live in Nazi-occupied Poland at that time. The pure, unreasonable, unpredictable evil of the Nazis really stands out here. I hope the third book, Now, will be published in the U.S. soon, so that I can find out if Felix finally survives it all. Despite the gut-wrenching tension, I do highly recommend this for teen readers on up.
November 5, 2011
This is the second book in a trilogy, children’s novels with children characters about the Holocaust. In the first book, Once, the first word of each chapter was Once. Here, the first word in each chapter is Then. It works! Book 2 in a trilogy: typically the weakest book, but this book is as strong (and devastating and heartwarming) as is book 1. Packs a huge punch to the gut; for me the punch was completely worth taking. Lovely book. I’ll be reading the 3rd book even though I suspect it will be my least favorite of the 3. Touching, special, horrific, skilled storytelling. Love what the author says in his note at the end of the book, and yes it’s obvious he’s read a lot of books about the Holocaust, and I’m grateful he has a list of those books on his web site. These first two books qualify as a masterpiece. And, I love Felix’s/the narrator’s voice.
August 31, 2020
“Why do people start wars when they know so many sad things are going to happen?”
November 20, 2020
O segundo volume da história do judeu Félix é mais emocionante do que o primeiro. Neste as lágrimas quase vieram-me aos olhos ao saber do destino de Zelda.
Compreendemos porque ela odeia tanto os nazis. Ao contrário de Félix, Zelda é cristã. Os seus pais eram nazis. E ela acabou por odiá-los ao descobrir a destruição que aconteceu.
Depois de fugirem do comboio, Félix e Zelda são acolhidos por uma senhora não gosta de judeus mais odeia mais os nazis. Descobriu que eles mataram milhares de crianças judias, Genia ainda detesta mais a corporação nazi. Ela os ajuda e planeia uma vida falsa para as duas crianças.
Felix conhece outro menino judeu que faz com que ele queira matar nazis. Neste livro, o jovem Félix começa a ganhar um imensa raiva dos nazis que roubaram-lhe todo. Mas ele quer proteger ao mesmo tempo Zelda, que se tornou a irmãzinha dele.
"Then"é carregado de mais emoção e demonstra melhor o elo criado entre Félix e Zelda. O fim do livro nos grita injustiça e sofrimento!
Compreendemos porque ela odeia tanto os nazis. Ao contrário de Félix, Zelda é cristã. Os seus pais eram nazis. E ela acabou por odiá-los ao descobrir a destruição que aconteceu.
Depois de fugirem do comboio, Félix e Zelda são acolhidos por uma senhora não gosta de judeus mais odeia mais os nazis. Descobriu que eles mataram milhares de crianças judias, Genia ainda detesta mais a corporação nazi. Ela os ajuda e planeia uma vida falsa para as duas crianças.
Felix conhece outro menino judeu que faz com que ele queira matar nazis. Neste livro, o jovem Félix começa a ganhar um imensa raiva dos nazis que roubaram-lhe todo. Mas ele quer proteger ao mesmo tempo Zelda, que se tornou a irmãzinha dele.
"Then"é carregado de mais emoção e demonstra melhor o elo criado entre Félix e Zelda. O fim do livro nos grita injustiça e sofrimento!
February 5, 2015
Have you ever wondered how it was back then when the Nazis took over the Jewish people? Well then this is the book for you. This book is realistic fiction because it probably really happened back then but then it might not. In my opinion I think this book is really amazing because it teaches me how the Jewish were treated and how us people didn't really do nothing at that time.
In the book Then there is a ten year old boy named Felix and a 6 year old girl named Zelda. They are hiding from the Nazis because they are Jewish and they can't find them. While they are running away they come across a house of a wife of a Nazi. Her husband was away so she took the kids in and treated them like they were hers. When they had to go out they had to hide and cover themselves up before anyone suspected things. Some of the ladies helpers come and they realizes that Felix is a Jewish so they go up to him and pull his pants down to check if he is (that's not cool at all.) Felix kind of has an accident in his pants and the boys start running away laughing. One of the soldiers is really nice to Felix because he is also Jewish but no one really knows. The ladies husband finally comes home as sees that he has Jewish people at his house but it doesn't really bother him he accepts them for who they are an takes them in as his own. If any Nazi new anyone was helping out the Jewish they would hang them and their family up with the Jewish people. They would do it in front of the town so everyone can see and so they can feel ashamed. Finally someone realized that they had Jewish people on their home so they took them and hung them up Felix didn't get hanged up because he left and realized that the little girl Zelda needed him as much as he needed her. When he goes he sees that Zelda and the lady and her husband got hanged up and he thought it was all his fault. (Saddest part of the story almost made me cry.) He sheds to tears because he knew he had to do everything to protect her so she can finally see her parents (heartbreaking.) The conflict in the story is person vs person because it's the nazis against the Jewish and people who supported them.
An interesting thing I learned from the book was that people can be so cruel and don't care what others think or how they feel it's just sad. I was moved by when the author put Zelda and Felix together in the story because it was just so heart taking and it's really got my attention.
I wish that in the book Felix and Zelda were related and that they burly found each other in this book because it would have added more intense to the book and made it more interesting. In the book Zelda carried this little locket to reminded her of her family it really stood out to me because a 6 year old had hope that one day she will meet up with her loved ones and she had a lot of courage which a lot of kids this generation don't have at all.
In conclusion I rate this book a 5 because it was just so heart taking and an amazing book. I would recommend this book to people who like to know about the past and would one day like to change people's mind about it because some people still think it's right to kill Jewish people. This book is very inspiring and amazing it's just so good it makes you want to read more so next time you think of getting a book you should get the book Then.
In the book Then there is a ten year old boy named Felix and a 6 year old girl named Zelda. They are hiding from the Nazis because they are Jewish and they can't find them. While they are running away they come across a house of a wife of a Nazi. Her husband was away so she took the kids in and treated them like they were hers. When they had to go out they had to hide and cover themselves up before anyone suspected things. Some of the ladies helpers come and they realizes that Felix is a Jewish so they go up to him and pull his pants down to check if he is (that's not cool at all.) Felix kind of has an accident in his pants and the boys start running away laughing. One of the soldiers is really nice to Felix because he is also Jewish but no one really knows. The ladies husband finally comes home as sees that he has Jewish people at his house but it doesn't really bother him he accepts them for who they are an takes them in as his own. If any Nazi new anyone was helping out the Jewish they would hang them and their family up with the Jewish people. They would do it in front of the town so everyone can see and so they can feel ashamed. Finally someone realized that they had Jewish people on their home so they took them and hung them up Felix didn't get hanged up because he left and realized that the little girl Zelda needed him as much as he needed her. When he goes he sees that Zelda and the lady and her husband got hanged up and he thought it was all his fault. (Saddest part of the story almost made me cry.) He sheds to tears because he knew he had to do everything to protect her so she can finally see her parents (heartbreaking.) The conflict in the story is person vs person because it's the nazis against the Jewish and people who supported them.
An interesting thing I learned from the book was that people can be so cruel and don't care what others think or how they feel it's just sad. I was moved by when the author put Zelda and Felix together in the story because it was just so heart taking and it's really got my attention.
I wish that in the book Felix and Zelda were related and that they burly found each other in this book because it would have added more intense to the book and made it more interesting. In the book Zelda carried this little locket to reminded her of her family it really stood out to me because a 6 year old had hope that one day she will meet up with her loved ones and she had a lot of courage which a lot of kids this generation don't have at all.
In conclusion I rate this book a 5 because it was just so heart taking and an amazing book. I would recommend this book to people who like to know about the past and would one day like to change people's mind about it because some people still think it's right to kill Jewish people. This book is very inspiring and amazing it's just so good it makes you want to read more so next time you think of getting a book you should get the book Then.
July 10, 2012
*Sniff Sniff* Why?! Why did Morris Gleitzman write such a sad story!! This is the follow on to his first book on the holocaust called “Once”. It continues the story of the young Jewsish boy Felix and his little 6 year old friend Zelda. I can’t really say that I enjoyed the first book or this book because it’s such an emotional topic, but I can say that I liked it because Felix felt very real and his voice was very strong throughout the book. It felt exactly like I was hearing the story straight from a 10 year old boys mouth. I don’t want to give away why it’s so sad but something really horrible happens at the end of the book and it left me stunned, I thought to myself ‘How can this be a book aimed at junior aged children? It’s very graphic and devastating at times’. I know, I know, it’s set in World War two and there wasn’t any happy times during the war until people found out it was over but.... I wasn’t expecting that!! This book is only 182 pages (which translates to only 3 and a half hours of listening) so it’s a very short, so when it ended I was craving to know what happened next, I needed to find out the ending to Felix’s story. So I am interested to see what happens in the next book and whether it will be the end to Felix's story.
Review also on my blog http://love-sami13.blogspot.com.au/20...
Review also on my blog http://love-sami13.blogspot.com.au/20...
March 20, 2017
This is the follow up to Once, which was a bittersweet, heart warming story. This is a worthy sequel and Felix's narrative is as beautiful as ever. There's more of a dark undercurrent to this story, however, and the ending made me spin the audiobook back and forth a few times to see if I'd heard correctly. Definitely worth reading if you enjoyed the first book and I'm certainly going to carry on with the series.
October 17, 2017
Then and Once, the first two books of a series, tell the powerful story of a boy who grew up at the time of the Holocaust in Poland. I could often sympathize with the protagonist and imagine how tough it was for Jews. I would recommend this series to children in Years 5 and 6, especially if they are learning about the Holocaust.
July 22, 2022
If us, the people of Earth will ever do this again…
May 7, 2019
"Why do people start wars when they know so many sad things are going to happen? I don't get it?"
Now I want to go and hug my mom so tightly and tell her how much I love her after this book!
Oh my gosh this one was so fetching sad and the last 10 or less pages were heartbreaking 😭💔😭💔 I can't stop thinking about it now cause it's just too sad.... 😔😔
This one picks up literally just seconds after
what happened at the end of ONCE and from there it actually got so horrifically good that I had the hardest time putting it down. In fact every time I picked THEN up I had the hardest time putting it down and had glad keep going.
I've read a lot of WWII stories whether it's actual or historical fiction it seems and I have to say felix is someone special. All thr things he had to go through in here, his worries and concerns, his unselfish love for Zelda and the woman who takes him and Zelda, Genia; his loyalty and basically just everything about him is something special.
Although this was sadder than ONCE, it sure did surpass the imagination of the historical fiction boundaries and it felt like I was right there next to Felix and Zelda and seeing their lives through their eyes.
Gosh I so want to talk about what happened near the end of 2 big things happening but I don't like to put spoilers in my reviews and I don't want to spoil it in general and it's killing me 😭💔 it was so gut wrenching and tugged the heart strings.
So overall this book for me didn't sugar coat nothing and yet ONCE & THEN now have so many important meanings that everyone should read these. I finished this in the car ride home from a family reunion with mom and my grandparents (it was an hour or so away) and now I'm wishing i brought book 3 with me. And speaking of "now" which happens to be the title for the next book, NOW I'll be ready to jump in it when I get a chance to!
If you haven't already.....
PUT THESE ON YOUR TBR LIST! I PROMISE YOU THEY'RE WORTH IT solid 5 ⭐'s!!
Now I want to go and hug my mom so tightly and tell her how much I love her after this book!
Oh my gosh this one was so fetching sad and the last 10 or less pages were heartbreaking 😭💔😭💔 I can't stop thinking about it now cause it's just too sad.... 😔😔
This one picks up literally just seconds after
what happened at the end of ONCE and from there it actually got so horrifically good that I had the hardest time putting it down. In fact every time I picked THEN up I had the hardest time putting it down and had glad keep going.
I've read a lot of WWII stories whether it's actual or historical fiction it seems and I have to say felix is someone special. All thr things he had to go through in here, his worries and concerns, his unselfish love for Zelda and the woman who takes him and Zelda, Genia; his loyalty and basically just everything about him is something special.
Although this was sadder than ONCE, it sure did surpass the imagination of the historical fiction boundaries and it felt like I was right there next to Felix and Zelda and seeing their lives through their eyes.
Gosh I so want to talk about what happened near the end of 2 big things happening but I don't like to put spoilers in my reviews and I don't want to spoil it in general and it's killing me 😭💔 it was so gut wrenching and tugged the heart strings.
So overall this book for me didn't sugar coat nothing and yet ONCE & THEN now have so many important meanings that everyone should read these. I finished this in the car ride home from a family reunion with mom and my grandparents (it was an hour or so away) and now I'm wishing i brought book 3 with me. And speaking of "now" which happens to be the title for the next book, NOW I'll be ready to jump in it when I get a chance to!
If you haven't already.....
PUT THESE ON YOUR TBR LIST! I PROMISE YOU THEY'RE WORTH IT solid 5 ⭐'s!!
December 5, 2020
then the narrative device got slightly less annoying
July 15, 2009
Once and its sequel, Then are harrowing and beautifully told stories of ten year old Felix; a Jewish boy caught in the midst of the Holocaust. Similar to The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas and equally as good, Once and Then are told through the eyes of Felix, illustrating with child like purity the senselessness of war.
Once opens with Felix in a catholic orphanage where his parents had placed him in 1939. Two years later he escapes the orphanage to find the world outside changed dramatically. He suddenly found himself alone and on the run. He met Zelda, whose parents - Nazi sympathisers - were murdered by the polish resistance and the two become unlikely companions.
In Then, we are reunited with Felix and Zelda when they jump off a train destined for a death camp and find themselves in a village occupied by the Nazis. In the climax of the book, Felix's own values are challenged. He has to choose as to whether he allows his pain to turn into hatred towards the Nazi aggressors or stay true to himself.
I read these books when my son brought them home as part of his English text. I am glad there are books illustrating the horrors of the past wrtten for young readers, so the future generation may hopefully not repeat them in the future.
Once opens with Felix in a catholic orphanage where his parents had placed him in 1939. Two years later he escapes the orphanage to find the world outside changed dramatically. He suddenly found himself alone and on the run. He met Zelda, whose parents - Nazi sympathisers - were murdered by the polish resistance and the two become unlikely companions.
In Then, we are reunited with Felix and Zelda when they jump off a train destined for a death camp and find themselves in a village occupied by the Nazis. In the climax of the book, Felix's own values are challenged. He has to choose as to whether he allows his pain to turn into hatred towards the Nazi aggressors or stay true to himself.
I read these books when my son brought them home as part of his English text. I am glad there are books illustrating the horrors of the past wrtten for young readers, so the future generation may hopefully not repeat them in the future.
April 6, 2017
1. I decided to read then because I was very interested in World War Two and lots of my friends and family recommended it to me.
2. I liked this book because it really put me in the perspective of the Jews and Felix. This book made me think of the terrible war that happened not to long ago and how family's and civilisation was destroyed by the terrible doings of the nazis.
3. I Learnt about some of the terrible things the nazis did to the Jews for example take them from there homes and torture them. I also learnt about world war to from a Jews perspective
4. I think that Zelda was very interesting because she was only 6 and she was being so strong and trying so hard to not let being able to do nothing about the nazis affect her.
2. I liked this book because it really put me in the perspective of the Jews and Felix. This book made me think of the terrible war that happened not to long ago and how family's and civilisation was destroyed by the terrible doings of the nazis.
3. I Learnt about some of the terrible things the nazis did to the Jews for example take them from there homes and torture them. I also learnt about world war to from a Jews perspective
4. I think that Zelda was very interesting because she was only 6 and she was being so strong and trying so hard to not let being able to do nothing about the nazis affect her.
August 21, 2012
I am simply amazed at how invested I became in this short little story. It is hilarious and heartbreaking simultaneously. I continued to fall in love with Felix and now am terrified for him and can't wait to get my hands on the next book in the series.
Read
June 8, 2020what happened in the end was the most traumatic thing ever 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭and that’s why i don’t know if i should give this book one star or five stars
January 9, 2012
Then continues the story of 10 year old Felix begun in Once. When Once ended, Felix and Zelda had just jumped from the cattle car heading to a concentration camp.
Then picks up the story as they flee through a forest. When they emerge from it, the first thing they see is a large pit in the ground full of the bodies of children and Nazis with machine guns standing around it. They flee back into the forest when the Nazis start shooting at them. While hiding, Felix and Zelda decide that the best thing for them to do is to look for kind, new parents to protect them and take care of them.They spend the night in the forest and the next morning a farmer picks them up in his wagon, but they run away when Felix sees he has a paper from the Nazis offering money and vodka in exchange for Jews. They head back into the forest, and just when they think it is OK to leave, a very strong woman grabs hold of them.
The woman takes them to her farm and locks them in her barn. Eventually, she pushes some food into the barn, which Felix and Zelda end up sharing with the pig that lives there. Later, they hear a truck arriving, just as the woman comes into the barn, spreading pepper across the front of it. When the Nazis come in looking for Jews that might be hidden there, their dog starts to sneeze and can’t smell anything. Clearly, the woman has no intention of turning Felix and Zelda over to the Nazis. Still, before they leave, the soldiers stab at the hay where the children are hiding, just in case.
The woman, whose name is Genia, brings the children into the house. She bathes and feed them. But, during his bath, Felix and Genia realize that he is circumcised, and that this could be a real problem, since Nazis always check to see if, as Felix refers to it, a male has a Jewish private part.
Genia then makes up stories about their lives for them to tell people. They pick new names, Wilhelm and Violetta, after their favorite fictional characters, William and Violet Elizabeth, in the William books by Richmal Crompton. Felix has always told Zelda calming stories from William and often prays to Crompton to help them survive.
Felix makes one dangerous enemy, Cyryl, the son of the store owner where they shop, and one semi-friend, Dov, who survived the Nazi massacre that Felix and Zelda saw. Felix also becomes friends with Amon, a reluctant Hitler Youth who is also a big fan of Richmal Crompton.
Zelda is Felix’s biggest problem. She doesn’t seem to remember the danger they are in and continuously does things that could provoke the Nazis, failing to show them the respect they demand. Even declaring herself Jewish out of anger towards her Nazi parents, though Felix wants her to wear her locket with her father’s picture in his uniform, to try and keep her safe. But being safe under Nazi rule is always tentative…
This is one of those books where it is difficult to write about the narrative without spoiling the whole thing for future readers, because everything and everyone is so interconnected with the action. I intentionally hadn’t read much about Then or the third book about Felix, Now, so when I read the ending of this I was very surprised. It really wasn’t what I expected.
Often a sequel fails in satisfying a reader, because the first book was so good. It feels like nothing can measure up to it, but that is not the case here. I was happy to see that Gleitzman was able to recapture Felix as I remember him, allowing growth because of his experiences but still very much the sweet, innocent storytelling 10 year old boy he was in Once. Gleitzman has done this with Zelda, too, who remains the same annoyingly-endearing, smart mouth 6 year old girl of Once, constantly asking ‘Don’t you know anything?’ whenever someone states the obvious.
Gleitzman continues to give us a clear picture of the level of cruelty the Nazis were capable of, the total disregard for human life that was inherent in Hitler’s system of belief, and the deprivations inflicted on people, who were expected to accept them or pay the price. But he also gives us a picture of the kindness human beings are also capable of, and through Amon, Gleitzman reminds us that not everyone who was German and wore a uniform subscribed to what the Nazis were doing.
If you haven’t already read Once, I would highly recommend that you give it a try. If you have and you enjoyed it, Then is a book for you, though I think either one works as a stand alone story. I am looking forward to reading the third and final story of Felix in Gleitzman’s book Now, in which he is now an 80 year old grandfather. Rumor had it that a four might be in the works, so I emailed him and asked if this was so. The answer: Yes, it is, there will be a fourth book. I look forward to that one, too.
This book is recommended for readers age 12 and up.
This book was borrowed from the Webster Branch of the NYPL
Then picks up the story as they flee through a forest. When they emerge from it, the first thing they see is a large pit in the ground full of the bodies of children and Nazis with machine guns standing around it. They flee back into the forest when the Nazis start shooting at them. While hiding, Felix and Zelda decide that the best thing for them to do is to look for kind, new parents to protect them and take care of them.They spend the night in the forest and the next morning a farmer picks them up in his wagon, but they run away when Felix sees he has a paper from the Nazis offering money and vodka in exchange for Jews. They head back into the forest, and just when they think it is OK to leave, a very strong woman grabs hold of them.
The woman takes them to her farm and locks them in her barn. Eventually, she pushes some food into the barn, which Felix and Zelda end up sharing with the pig that lives there. Later, they hear a truck arriving, just as the woman comes into the barn, spreading pepper across the front of it. When the Nazis come in looking for Jews that might be hidden there, their dog starts to sneeze and can’t smell anything. Clearly, the woman has no intention of turning Felix and Zelda over to the Nazis. Still, before they leave, the soldiers stab at the hay where the children are hiding, just in case.
The woman, whose name is Genia, brings the children into the house. She bathes and feed them. But, during his bath, Felix and Genia realize that he is circumcised, and that this could be a real problem, since Nazis always check to see if, as Felix refers to it, a male has a Jewish private part.
Genia then makes up stories about their lives for them to tell people. They pick new names, Wilhelm and Violetta, after their favorite fictional characters, William and Violet Elizabeth, in the William books by Richmal Crompton. Felix has always told Zelda calming stories from William and often prays to Crompton to help them survive.
Felix makes one dangerous enemy, Cyryl, the son of the store owner where they shop, and one semi-friend, Dov, who survived the Nazi massacre that Felix and Zelda saw. Felix also becomes friends with Amon, a reluctant Hitler Youth who is also a big fan of Richmal Crompton.
Zelda is Felix’s biggest problem. She doesn’t seem to remember the danger they are in and continuously does things that could provoke the Nazis, failing to show them the respect they demand. Even declaring herself Jewish out of anger towards her Nazi parents, though Felix wants her to wear her locket with her father’s picture in his uniform, to try and keep her safe. But being safe under Nazi rule is always tentative…
This is one of those books where it is difficult to write about the narrative without spoiling the whole thing for future readers, because everything and everyone is so interconnected with the action. I intentionally hadn’t read much about Then or the third book about Felix, Now, so when I read the ending of this I was very surprised. It really wasn’t what I expected.
Often a sequel fails in satisfying a reader, because the first book was so good. It feels like nothing can measure up to it, but that is not the case here. I was happy to see that Gleitzman was able to recapture Felix as I remember him, allowing growth because of his experiences but still very much the sweet, innocent storytelling 10 year old boy he was in Once. Gleitzman has done this with Zelda, too, who remains the same annoyingly-endearing, smart mouth 6 year old girl of Once, constantly asking ‘Don’t you know anything?’ whenever someone states the obvious.
Gleitzman continues to give us a clear picture of the level of cruelty the Nazis were capable of, the total disregard for human life that was inherent in Hitler’s system of belief, and the deprivations inflicted on people, who were expected to accept them or pay the price. But he also gives us a picture of the kindness human beings are also capable of, and through Amon, Gleitzman reminds us that not everyone who was German and wore a uniform subscribed to what the Nazis were doing.
If you haven’t already read Once, I would highly recommend that you give it a try. If you have and you enjoyed it, Then is a book for you, though I think either one works as a stand alone story. I am looking forward to reading the third and final story of Felix in Gleitzman’s book Now, in which he is now an 80 year old grandfather. Rumor had it that a four might be in the works, so I emailed him and asked if this was so. The answer: Yes, it is, there will be a fourth book. I look forward to that one, too.
This book is recommended for readers age 12 and up.
This book was borrowed from the Webster Branch of the NYPL
June 14, 2022
A beautiful yet heartbreaking story told from the eyes of a 10 year old. Its horrifying to read about the events that take place during this time. Its a children's story but so impactful.
November 5, 2011
16 June 2011 THEN by Morris Gleitzman, Henry Holt, May 2011, 208p., ISBN: 978-0-8050-9027-7
"'That's okay,' says Zelda in a small voice. 'I'm not hungry.
'"I know she is because I am.
"I hug her even tighter. Sometimes love from your family can make your tummy not hurt quite so much."
What happens when a group of people is hated because of their ethnic or religious identity? You end up with a Holocaust. Millions of innocent people, including children, who have done nothing beyond having been randomly born into a group, are slaughtered.
It is tragic that well-known figures like Henry Ford, Charles Lindbergh, and Father Charles Coughlin promoted anti-Semitic agendas during the interwar years, helped sway public opinion in America away from early opposition to Hitler's mad schemes. It is similarly horrible, here in the twenty-first century, when a major-party presidential candidate actively promotes hatred and fear of Muslims. It is undoubtedly going to take the extended efforts of millions of educators to undo the spread of ignorance that will now pass from parents to children about how one cannot trust a Muslim; how they are all trying to blow us up.
It is in the best interests of all people that we stand against the hatred and fear of any group of people based upon their ethnic, religious, or racial identity. As educators of young people, we do this in a positive manner through the promotion of multiculturalism. Children grow up more accepting and less likely to wage war upon one another when they come to recognize that children who look, speak, and live in cultures different than their own are still like them and not people to be hated and feared.
While they can be rather tough stories to be reading about, young people must also learn of the horrors that have resulted historically when groups of people have been condemned, based solely upon their ethnic or religious or racial identity. This is essential so that such atrocities are not repeated.
There are points at which THEN is a tough story to be reading. But I am really glad that I did.
THEN, by Morris Gleitzman, is the story of Felix and Zelda, two young children who survive jumping from the window of a train heading through Poland to a Nazi death camp. Narrowly and repeatedly escaping death at the hands of Nazis, they find a home with Genia, a farm woman whose husband has been forced to go to work in Germany for the Nazis. Bleaching their hair and changing their names (to those of Felix's favorite book characters), the children and their new guardian narrowly escape the horrors that regularly befall the Polish community in which they live. That feisty six year-old Zelda (now known as Violetta) is an outspoken speaker-of-truths provides both constant levity and constant danger.
What is most fascinating about THEN is the interaction between the two children and the other children they encounter in the town. These include members of the Hitler Youth Movement and a local gang of Jew-hating youngsters. What might be most wonderful about the story is how a beloved book helps forge understanding between disparate and desperate young people.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_...
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EcolIt/
http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
"'That's okay,' says Zelda in a small voice. 'I'm not hungry.
'"I know she is because I am.
"I hug her even tighter. Sometimes love from your family can make your tummy not hurt quite so much."
What happens when a group of people is hated because of their ethnic or religious identity? You end up with a Holocaust. Millions of innocent people, including children, who have done nothing beyond having been randomly born into a group, are slaughtered.
It is tragic that well-known figures like Henry Ford, Charles Lindbergh, and Father Charles Coughlin promoted anti-Semitic agendas during the interwar years, helped sway public opinion in America away from early opposition to Hitler's mad schemes. It is similarly horrible, here in the twenty-first century, when a major-party presidential candidate actively promotes hatred and fear of Muslims. It is undoubtedly going to take the extended efforts of millions of educators to undo the spread of ignorance that will now pass from parents to children about how one cannot trust a Muslim; how they are all trying to blow us up.
It is in the best interests of all people that we stand against the hatred and fear of any group of people based upon their ethnic, religious, or racial identity. As educators of young people, we do this in a positive manner through the promotion of multiculturalism. Children grow up more accepting and less likely to wage war upon one another when they come to recognize that children who look, speak, and live in cultures different than their own are still like them and not people to be hated and feared.
While they can be rather tough stories to be reading about, young people must also learn of the horrors that have resulted historically when groups of people have been condemned, based solely upon their ethnic or religious or racial identity. This is essential so that such atrocities are not repeated.
There are points at which THEN is a tough story to be reading. But I am really glad that I did.
THEN, by Morris Gleitzman, is the story of Felix and Zelda, two young children who survive jumping from the window of a train heading through Poland to a Nazi death camp. Narrowly and repeatedly escaping death at the hands of Nazis, they find a home with Genia, a farm woman whose husband has been forced to go to work in Germany for the Nazis. Bleaching their hair and changing their names (to those of Felix's favorite book characters), the children and their new guardian narrowly escape the horrors that regularly befall the Polish community in which they live. That feisty six year-old Zelda (now known as Violetta) is an outspoken speaker-of-truths provides both constant levity and constant danger.
What is most fascinating about THEN is the interaction between the two children and the other children they encounter in the town. These include members of the Hitler Youth Movement and a local gang of Jew-hating youngsters. What might be most wonderful about the story is how a beloved book helps forge understanding between disparate and desperate young people.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_...
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EcolIt/
http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
October 16, 2017
The book Then, by Morris Gleitzman is the second book in the Once series, I read that book a couple of times, it is a great book. This book is very easy to read, the Lexile level is kind of low, but I recommend everyone to read it. It is written in first person in the main character Felix’s perspective. Its about Felix and the other characters in the time period world war two, struggling to live avoiding Naxis, it is more difficult for Felix because he is jewish and has the sign that he is a jew. Some of my friends that read this book also said that its a good book, also my teachers. All of the books in the Once series are awesome, if you want to read it, I recommend you to start reading Once first, it is the first book in the series.
March 2, 2018
"Then," is the powerful sequel to "Once."
Felix, a ten year old Jewish boy is living his life in complete disguise after escaping the Jewish train to the Concentration Camp with his six year old sister, Zelda. Genia, their new 'Auntie' is now also risking her life to house two secretly Jewish children. In order to stay alive in the Nazi-invaded Poland, Felix and Zelda are forced into being transformed into two completely different people: German Nazi supporters with blonde hair and German names, Wilhelm and Violetta. Except there's only one problem - Cyryl, and his big mouth that begins to slowly uncover Felix and Zelda's true identities with every word...
This book explains the dreaded, daunting and unthinkable lives of those who hid in fear during the dangerous years of WW2, when little tiny children are forced to grow up way too quickly...
I would recommend this book to attentive readers aged 12+ who know the basics of what happened in WW2. (or else it won't make any sense :) I found this book INCREDIBLE! It is a definite page- turner that leaves you wanting to read more on every page!
Felix, a ten year old Jewish boy is living his life in complete disguise after escaping the Jewish train to the Concentration Camp with his six year old sister, Zelda. Genia, their new 'Auntie' is now also risking her life to house two secretly Jewish children. In order to stay alive in the Nazi-invaded Poland, Felix and Zelda are forced into being transformed into two completely different people: German Nazi supporters with blonde hair and German names, Wilhelm and Violetta. Except there's only one problem - Cyryl, and his big mouth that begins to slowly uncover Felix and Zelda's true identities with every word...
This book explains the dreaded, daunting and unthinkable lives of those who hid in fear during the dangerous years of WW2, when little tiny children are forced to grow up way too quickly...
I would recommend this book to attentive readers aged 12+ who know the basics of what happened in WW2. (or else it won't make any sense :) I found this book INCREDIBLE! It is a definite page- turner that leaves you wanting to read more on every page!
February 22, 2018
Potom nezaostává za Kdysi, v mnohých aspektech je i silnější. Možná i proto, že desetiletý Felix postupem doby, po prožitých zkušenostech začíná ztrácet bezelstnost, naivitu i nevinnost. Svět již pro něj není jen dětsky černobílý, dostává různé odstíny. A Felix tak poznává, že vše má svou lícovou i rubovou stranu. A že to, co vypadá černé, může být jen ušpiněné a pod povrchem je ve skutečnosti bílé. A naopak, že nacíděné ještě nutně neznamená perfektní. Dětskou bezelstnost převzala v tomto díle Felixova milovaná Zelda. Jejich vztah je výjimečný a krásný. Zelda je bezprostřední a prostořeká, nebojácná a skvělá šestiletá holka. Zamilovala jsem si je oba. Když tento příběh čtete, musíte nutně cítit naději. Ale kolikrát se vám nechce věřit tomu, co se v něm děje. Přeci když to vyprávějí děti, nemělo by se stávat nic tak moc zlého, mělo by to dopadat dobře jako v pohádkách. Kontrast dětského pohledu a drsné reality je tu opravdu velice silný. Vrací do skutečného života.
September 5, 2016
Oral read aloud
In the novel 'then' by Morris Gleitzman felix and zelda escape a train heading to a nazi death death camp and head run away trying to find a new life. The story is very gripping from start to finish and keeps you hanging. I liked how the author made felix and zelda shows emotions in a way that would get the attention of the reader like when zelda cared for the animals at the farm. My favourite quote from the book was probably by zelda " see memories aren't happy, they're sad. Don't you know anything?" Because it's show zelda a emotions and gives the readers a clear idea of what's going on. I would recommend this book to teenagers because I don't think people at younger ages would understand what is going on or understand the story about how the nazis were killing Jews.
In the novel 'then' by Morris Gleitzman felix and zelda escape a train heading to a nazi death death camp and head run away trying to find a new life. The story is very gripping from start to finish and keeps you hanging. I liked how the author made felix and zelda shows emotions in a way that would get the attention of the reader like when zelda cared for the animals at the farm. My favourite quote from the book was probably by zelda " see memories aren't happy, they're sad. Don't you know anything?" Because it's show zelda a emotions and gives the readers a clear idea of what's going on. I would recommend this book to teenagers because I don't think people at younger ages would understand what is going on or understand the story about how the nazis were killing Jews.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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