Once there was a little boy

Author: Morris Gleitzman
Title: Once
Published: 01/02/2006
Pages: 160

     Everybody deserves to have something good in their life. At least Once. Once I escaped from am orphanage to find Mum and Dad. Once I saved a girl called Zelda from a burning house. Once I made a Nazi with a toothache laugh. My name is Felix. This is my story.

     The holocaust and books for children are not to tings that usual go hand in hand. In this book thought that is exactly what the author has done. this is not the first book I have read on the subject of child during this time. It is however the first one aimed directly at them.  And I believe he has done a very interesting one.

      Felix is a polish Jew who has been spirited away by his loving parents to a catholic orphanage high in the mountains. He believes his parents owners of a small book shop are off looking for books around Europe. On one fateful night some men show up to burn the Jewish books from the library and his whole life starts to unravel. The author does a great job of showing the naiveties of children. who have a very useful but some time dangers way of rationalising their situations. In Felix's case believing that Hitler is a good man who is the to protect them.

     Whilst adult do make appearances thought out  the book it is more focused on the relationship between Felix and a young girl Zelda who he find in a burning house while looking for his parents. The bonding nature of this relationship comes though well as they try to protect each other from the perils of war and simply survive.

     Whilst there are some description given to their surroundings most of the book is based around their interactions and the telling of stories. I will say enough is given to paint an image of each of the place the two children end up the stories told by Felix do add some lighter moments to an others very bleak story. Especially as what is widely known to us about the fate of millions of Jews is not to him.

     Over all this a great book. Showing the brave of children and the need and struggle to survive. they way our minds can be told the truth and still not believe what is happing. While the ending is not as sugar coated and happy as some might like it still gives hope for what is to come.