Book description
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…
Why read it?
2 authors picked Once as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
Felix and Zelda have the purest, most joyful, and endearing childhood friendship… set against a horrific time in human history, the Holocaust.
I read this series out aloud to my boys (ages 9 to 12). I wanted to let them learn the history in a way that was age appropriate. Gleitzman delivers spectacularly!
This book doesn’t gloss over anything. It’s all there on the page to interpret. The children in the story are sometimes naively unaware of what some of their observations and experiences mean, making it so powerful to read as an adult—and a great conversation starter for kids.
…
From Emma's list on unforgettable characters who stay with you.
A riveting read. Ten-year-old Felix Salinger is Jewish and living in a Catholic orphanage in Poland as war rages in Europe. His parents tell him they’ve put him there to keep him safe while they attend to their book-selling business. But when the Nazis come to the orphanage, remove books from the library, and burn them, Felix becomes worried about his parents and sets out to find them. Although he makes friends along the way, including Barney (the man who will help to save his life), his journey is fraught with real danger as he learns the terrible truth about…
From Nancy's list on historical middle grade exceptional child heroes.
If you love Once...
Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander
When seventeen-year-old Lily Starling is found in San Francisco with no memory of who she is, her search for answers pulls her into a future she never imagined. Taken aboard the Union starship Salamander, she becomes entangled in a mission that will test the limits of identity, loyalty, and courage.
…
Want books like Once?
Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Once.
Share your top 3 reads of 2025!
And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.
1,366
readers submitted
so far, will you?
📚 If you like Once, you might also like...
Marvelous Jackson
Since losing his mom, thirteen-year-old Jack Wilson has spent most of his time seeing just how much trouble he can get away with so that he feels like a winner at something. But he takes his mischief too far and is faced with the possibility of unbearable consequences. He…
THE END - Alpha
When a man with power believes he's God, mankind doesn't have a prayer.
In a world ravaged by chaos and despair, where faith itself is under siege, one man’s thirst for power threatens to plunge humanity into darkness.
The End: Alpha thrusts readers into the year 2113, where Constantine…
