Once

Written by Morris Gleitzman

Book #1 in the Once Series series

A boy's storytelling may be his only hope in Nazi-occupied Poland.

4.2 Goodreads · 28,864 ratings

160 pages· 30,815 words· Est. 3 hour read· 640L

$15.50Save 7%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

In 1942 Poland, young Felix escapes an orphanage, determined to find his parents. As a Jewish boy, danger lurks at every turn. Armed only with his storytelling gift, can Felix outwit the Nazis and reunite with his family? His journey is fraught with peril, but hope and imagination might just be his salvation. Discover Felix's gripping tale of survival and courage in a world where every moment counts.

From the publisher

My name is Felix. This is my story. Felix has been living in an orphanage for three years and eight months when the men in armbands arrive to burn the books. Going on the run in search of his parents, Felix soon learns that Poland in 1942 is not a safe place for Jewish boys. But can his gift for storytelling keep him one step ahead of the Nazis and help him find his parents? After all, everybody deserves to have something good in their life at least once. ‘Morris Gleitzman has a rare gift for writing very funny stories and an even rarer gift of wrapping very serious stories inside them’ - Guardian Once is the first in a series of novels about Felix and his family. The sequels - Then, After, Soon, Maybe and Now - are also available from Puffin.