It’s 1946. The war is over and Felix and his friends Gabriek and Anya are heading back to Gabriek’s farm – keen to live a life without fear. But all does not go to plan and they are soon running for their lives.

Felix’s medical skills learnt in the Partisan army save another life, which results in an extraordinary offer – a new life in Australia. Maybe he’ll finally be able to find a life without having to look over his shoulder, avoid death all around him and become the doctor he wants to be?

He’s not surprised when plans go awry, just as they have all his life. In Australia, but far from what he expected, he finds kind, helpful people and people just like he left behind in Poland – controlling, violent and cruel. Falling back on everything he’s learnt growing up during a war, with a new friend alongside, Felix tries to put his plans back on track.

But there is always the threat of Zliv, the younger brother of a man they killed in Poland, who does not care that it was in self defense. A man that will follow Felix to the ends of the Earth for his revenge.

Drawn right into the continuing narrative on the very first line, the reader is back in Felix’s life. At age fourteen, he has seen terrible things, lost loved ones and suffered throughout the war. But the war has ended and now he has hope for the future. His life so far has left him with memories good and bad, but also with medical skills and the smarts to survival.

After being promised a new life, Felix needs all of these skills in a new country. Australia.

This ‘family’ of books has been written and intended to be able to be read in any order. Once, Then, After, Now, Soon are as beautiful and heartbreaking as each other.

Author – Morris Gleitzman

Age – 10+

Read the first chapter here

(2017, Penguin, Australia, Immigration, Suspicion, Lancaster Bomber, Pregnancy, Baby, Revenge, Worry, Fear, Children’s homes, Newspapers, Courage, War, Loyalty, Courage, Australia, Series, Historical)