Once Series by Morris Gleitzman 7 Books Collection Set - Historical Fiction - Paperback

Titles in This Set
Once
Then
Now
After
Soon
Maybe
Always

Details
Condition: Brand New
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Puffin
Age Range: Ages 9-12 (Grades 4-7)

Overview
The Once series by Morris Gleitzman is a seven-book paperback collection following Felix, a resourceful Jewish boy, from a Polish orphanage in 1942 through Nazi-occupied Europe and into an unexpected future decades later. Blending unflinching history with warmth and hope, Gleitzman crafts a story young readers carry long after the final page. This set gathers Once, Then, Now, After, Soon, Maybe, and Always, tracing one boy's survival and the ripple effects of his choices across generations.

About the Books
Morris Gleitzman's Once series is one of the most widely read pieces of Holocaust-era historical fiction for young readers, praised for making difficult history accessible without softening its truths. The story begins with ten-year-old Felix, sheltered in a Catholic orphanage, who convinces himself his Jewish bookseller parents are still alive and sets out to find them, only to discover the reality of Nazi-occupied Poland. Felix's journey widens to include Zelda, a fierce younger girl he protects and comes to love as family, and a rotating cast of adults whose courage and cruelty shape his understanding of the world. The middle volumes push Felix into hiding, into the forest with resistance fighters, and into a liberated but shattered Europe, while later books leap forward in time to explore how the past echoes through his adult life. Written in Gleitzman's distinctive first-person, present-tense style, the series is frequently paired with classroom World War II units for its honest, age-appropriate handling of morality, survival, and memory.

Key Benefits

• Complete 7-book paperback set in reading order for a full immersive journey
• Introduces the Holocaust to young readers with honesty and care
• Short chapters and a fast first-person voice suit reluctant readers
• Widely used in classrooms and book clubs for history and literacy discussions
• A meaningful gift for birthdays, holidays, or a home or classroom library
• Follows one unforgettable character across decades and generations

Book-by-Book Guide
Once — Ten-year-old Felix flees his Polish orphanage to find his missing parents, confronting Nazi occupation head-on.
Then — Felix and young Zelda go into hiding, relying on the courage of strangers to survive.
Now — The story leaps forward in time to show how Felix's wartime past still shapes his family today.
After — Felix is taken in by partisans in the forest, weighing loyalty against the cost of survival.
Soon — Amid the chaos of liberation, Felix searches for safety and meaning across a devastated Europe.
Maybe — Felix grapples with loss and the uncertain shape of a postwar future.
Always — The series draws its threads together as memory and legacy meet in the present.

About the Author
Morris Gleitzman is an Australian author known for blending humor, heart, and hard-hitting subject matter in fiction for young readers. Born in England and raised largely in Australia, he worked as a journalist and screenwriter before turning to children's books, publishing dozens of titles translated into many languages. The Once series is widely regarded as his most acclaimed work, praised for tackling the Holocaust with sensitivity and narrative drive. Gleitzman has served as Australian Children's Laureate and continues writing widely loved fiction for children and teens.

Why You'll Love This Collection
This complete 7-book set delivers one of children's fiction's most powerful journeys in a single paperback bundle, perfect for back-to-school reading, holiday gifting, or building a lasting classroom library. Felix's story rewards readers who follow him from childhood peril all the way to a hard-won, hopeful future.

Please Note: This is the UK edition with the ISBN as listed; the cover may vary slightly from the image shown.