Reading order · 7 books · 2005 to 2021 · Mostly set in Poland
Once Books in Order
The Once books follow Felix Salinger, a Jewish boy who escapes from an orphanage in Nazi-occupied Poland to find his parents, and his life long after the war.
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Series facts
The reading order
Every Once book in publication order. Choose a title for its cast and summary.
7 books · Mostly set in Poland
- 1Once2005With Felix SalingerFelix has lived in a Catholic orphanage in Poland for three years.Buy on Amazon
- 2Then2009With Felix SalingerFelix and Zelda escape from a train bound for a death camp and are hidden on a farm by a kind woman, Genia, as the war closes in.Buy on Amazon
- 3Now2010With Zelda SalingerZelda lives with her grandfather Felix in Australia, and as bushfires approach, she learns about his past.Buy on Amazon
- 4After2011With Felix SalingerFelix, now hiding in a hole beneath a barn, joins the partisans fighting in the forest as the war drags on.Buy on Amazon
- 5Soon2015With Felix SalingerIn 1945 the war is over, but for Felix and his friend Gabriek, Poland is still a dangerous place.Buy on Amazon
- 6Maybe2017With Felix SalingerBuy on Amazon
- 7Always2021With Zelda SalingerBuy on Amazon
Do you need to read them in order?
Read in story order: Once, Then, After, Soon, Maybe, Now, Always. Now and Always are set in Felix’s old age.
Who appears in which book
The series’ main characters, book by book. Lead means the book is told around them; minor covers cameos.
| Book | Felix Salinger | Zelda Salinger | Zelda |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Once | LLead | MMajor | |
| 2 Then | LLead | MMajor | |
| 3 Now | MMajor | LLead | |
| 4 After | LLead | ||
| 5 Soon | LLead | ||
| 6 Maybe | LLead | ||
| 7 Always | MMajor | LLead |
Characters in the Once books
3 characters from Morris Gleitzman’s chart, with the number of Once books each appears in.
| Character | Books | First in this series |
|---|---|---|
| Felix SalingerJewish boy in occupied Poland | 7 | Once 2005 |
| Zelda SalingerFelix’s granddaughter | 2 | Now 2010 |
| ZeldaGirl Felix rescues | 2 | Once 2005 |