The much anticipated final journey in the story of Felix, hero of Morris Gleitzman's multi-award-winning Once, Then, After, Soon, Maybe and Now.
It’s been 15 years since readers were first introduced to Felix in Once, and across six celebrated books, our brave young hero has survived many unforgettable and emotional journeys. Now comes the seventh and final part of Felix’s story, bringing to a powerful climax a series that countless young readers around the world will remember – Always.---from the publisher
301 pages 9780143793243 Ages 12-15
Keywords: historical fiction, World War II, Holocaust, Nazis, heroes, survival, journey, part of a series, 12 year old, 13 year old, 14 year old
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Always stay hopeful.
That's my motto.
You're probably thinking, He's a dreamer, that Wassim. What's he got to be hopeful about? He's ten years old and look at his life.
Thanks, but it's not so bad.
I've got a lot to be hopeful about.
Specially now there's a person who can help me.
A person called Felix Salinger.---from the publisher
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Once I escaped from an orphanage to find Mum and Dad…
Then I had a plan for me and Zelda…
After the Nazis took my parents I was scared…
Soon I hoped the Nazis would be defeated and they were…
Maybe there will peace and happiness for Felix at last…
Now Zelda learns her grandfather’s story…
Always stay hopeful...
In this incredible series that has been 16 years in the writing, Gleitzman has tackled the most confronting of issues in the world’s recent history spotlighting the prejudice, the persecution, the racism, the horror, the violence, the death and the ever-present fear that was the reality of the times and which form the stories of their grandparents and their great-grandparents who are at the root of today’s multicultural Australia.
And now the final chapter has been written..."I’d always known that this story would take us back to where we first met Felix, and that we’d be taken there by his own voice, as we were that first time in Once. But in Once Felix was ten years old. In Always he’s eighty-seven." But from the very first chapter the prejudice, the persecution, the racism, the horror, the violence, the death are still there. Has history taught us nothing? Or has it taught us but we have failed to learn?
In these current times of lockdowns and restrictions those who are older try to help our younger ones cope with the isolation by saying things like, "At least you're not sleeping in a train tunnel because there are bombs dropping on your home" but whilst a fact of life for so many at the time, it is too far removed for them to understand. So this series with the story told by those who were there, who lived it at the same age as they are brings home what that sort of deprivation is, and perhaps gives them hope of better things to come. It is a story as relevant now as it was when it first began and even though those original readers, those who "have now grown old but are still young" will want to read this final chapter.
The impact of the series, its well-knownness, the power of Gleitzman's words, story and vision will attract more readers and reviewers and nothing that I can write will enhance what already exists. It is time for me to renew my first acquaintance with Felix from all those years ago, follow his journey all over again and then savour the full circle of his life. In the story of the writing of this final chapter, Gleitzman says "I hope you feel it was worth the wait." All I can say is, "It absolutely was!"
Recommended by: Barbara Braxton, Teacher Librarian, New South Wales AUSTRALIA
See more of her recommendations:
500 Hats https://500hats.edublogs.org/
The Bottom Shelf https://thebottomshelf.edublogs.org/
Storybook Cushions https:// bit.ly/storybook_cushions
