Now
by Morris Gleitzman
Zelda is 11 years-old and living with her grandfather, Felix, in small-town Australia, while her doctor parents save lives in Africa.
Felix was last seen in Once and Then as a ten-year-old boy in Nazi occupied Poland. Although he is now 80 and a distinguished surgeon, Felix is still just as quirky and compassionate as his younger self.
Zelda is named after her grandfather’s friend, who was murdered by the Nazis when she was six, and she wishes she has her namesake’s courage. Zelda is being bullied in her new school and missing her parents terribly but gains strength from her grandfather as she learns something of the horrors of his childhood. In turn, with help from Zelda, Felix learns how to come to terms with his past.
A beautifully written book, full of hope, love and sorrow; it provides an apt ending to this unforgettable trilogy.
Publisher: Puffin
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Morris Gleitzman
Morris was born in 1953 in Sleaford in Lincolnshire. His family moved south to the London suburbs when he was two. Then, in 1969, when he was a teenager, they emigrated to Australia. It was a big change and the shock was so great Morris stopped reading books for nearly a year. Though when he started again he found he wanted to write as well.
Beginning his literary career as a promotions writer, Morris was soon writing comedy scripts for the top rated Norman Gunston Show. His first novel for children – The Other Facts of Life – was published in 1985, followed by the hugely successful Two Weeks with the Queen for which he won the Children’s Book Award. He is a bestselling author of more than 27 books for children. From the humour of Bumface and the Toad series to the poignancy of Boy Overboard and Girl Underground, Morris’ stories have a struck a chord with young readers in over twenty countries.
Morris says ‘I’m interested in exploring a heroism that’s about perseverance, not escaping or denial or bitterness or bigotry. It’s the heroism of staying optimistic and continuing to struggle. Heroism for me is striving to overcome problems in the knowledge they will never be overcome.’
Morris Gleitzman, photo: Tim Keefe
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Reading Age: 10+
Interest level: 10+
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