Key Facts about "Once" by Morris Gleitzman
Book Information
- Author: Morris Gleitzman
- Publication Year: 2005
- Setting: Nazi-occupied Poland during World War II (around 1942-1943)
- Genre: Historical Fiction / Young Adult Literature
- Target Audience: Young readers (10+), but resonates with all age groups
Main Character
- Felix: A 10-year-old Jewish boy
- Orphaned (though he initially believes his parents are still alive)
- Highly imaginative and loves telling stories
- Naive about the political situation at the start
- Lives in a Catholic orphanage when the story begins
Felix's naivety serves as a powerful literary device, allowing readers to gradually understand the Holocaust through the eyes of an innocent child.
Key Themes
- Survival and Hope
- Power of Stories and Imagination
- Loss of Innocence
- Friendship and Loyalty
- Reality vs. Imagination
Significant Literary Elements
Narrative Style
- First-person narration through Felix's perspective
