It’s not long before Felix and Zelda see more terrible things. It feels like no matter which way they turn, Nazis are everywhere. Then a woman
grabs them both and throws them in her barn. Not sure what lies in store for them, they burrow down into a pile of hay. It makes them feel a little safer. Soon she is back, but so are Nazi soldiers. Has she reported them?
Only just avoiding a sharp Nazi bayonet, they are alone again with the woman. Her name is Genia and she has saved them. She hates the Nazis too, especially for their treatment of children. She takes them in and helps them build new backgrounds, names, religion and even family as she tells neighbours they are her niece and nephew. Their new names are Wilhelm and Violetti – Polish versions of character names from Felix’s favourite books by Richmal Compton.
They settle in, but there is uncertainty around them. There is a strong prescence of Nazi in the area, forcing the townsfolk to watch a Hitler Youth march and making examples of anyone harbouring Jews. There are always people hanging in the square. Young, old. Jewish and locals. Through no fault of his own, Felix makes an enemy in the local shopkeeper’s son – Cyryl.
As if things aren’t complicated enough, Violetti (Zelda) is impetuous around any soldiers, especially Nazi, after learning her own father was a Nazi. Wilhelm (Felix) feels he puts her at risk because he’s Jewish and she isn’t.
He develops a plan, especially now as Cyryl has targeted him. He has to leave, which will keep Violetti (Zelda) and Genia safe. Now he’s decided what to do however, everything unravels, faster and faster…
Author – Morris Gleitzman
Age – 10+
Felix and Zelda face even more atrocities, and Zelda struggles with it, especially after she has learnt her own father was a Nazi. This episode portrays the courage of non-jewish families harbouring children even with such high stakes, and also the unexpected kindness from the enemy – more than once. Books had crossed the gap between sides.
Courage is also strong in the Jewish people, doing anything to stay alive, or leave evidence of their lives and the terrible wrongs they faced, for others to find. Living on a knife edge every day has become Felix’s normal.
This series shows young readers the truth of the holocaust from a ten year old’s eyes. Harrowing, authentic and gripping at the same time. What is next?
Read Chapter 1 of Then here
Read more reviews of the rest in this family of books (Click on a Book Cover)
(2008, Puffin, Penguin, Holocaust, Orphanage, Poland, Jewish, Nazis, Just William stories, Imagination, Kindness, Danger, Courage, Mass Murder, Shooting, WWII, War, Germany, Series, Historical, Grief, Poverty, Secret, Soldiers, Hitler Youth, Animals, Prejudice, Racism)