Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Maybe by Morris Gleitzman






Maybe by Morris Gleitzman
Genre: Middle Grade, Young Adult, Historical Fiction
Source: Purchased

            In the previous book in this series, Felix once again helps a young girl. Anya was a girl he met after saving a baby. He meets Anya, who promises him a way to get powdered milk. Felix learned that the reason Anya was always sick was that she was pregnant. They went back to Gabriek’s farm to learn someone else had taken possession. In town, a mob attacks them, an Aussie is injured when he saves him, then needs Felix’s help to save his life with his medical knowledge. It is decided that Felix will become the face of all that Australia fought for in World War II. He is loaded on a plane leaving Gabriek behind. Unbeknownst to the pilot, Anya has hidden away on board as well. Up to this point, the tension has been a rollercoaster ride. Then the plane is going down. Felix and Anya must jump for their lives. This is their welcome to Australia. I still love this series because I can see how we are coming full circle in Felix’s life. There were so many unanswered questions for me that made me want to dive into the next and last book in this series. Unfortunately, it won't be available until July of this year. If by chance I can get my hands on it before then, just know that I will.

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Soon by Morris Gleitzman



Soon by Morris Gleitzman
Genre: Middle Grade, Young Adult, Historical Fiction
Source: Purchased
           
            Soon is the fifth book in this series. The war has ended. Hatred and prejudice seem to have no end. There are those who are still Nazi sympathizers. Those who think the Jews are still filthy beasts. Felix rescues a baby when the mother thrusts it at him before she is killed.  He decides he a Gabriek will raise it. They give it a Ukranian name to hopefully protect it. Gabriek has been so traumatized that he drinks himself to sleep each night. This leaves Felix to go out and find food and work. He meets several young people that will change his life in many ways. This is one of the darker books in the series. I felt this because you would think things would start to change and have a brighter outcome after the defeat of the Nazis. However, as an American who was born well after this war, I never had to face a time when a country had to rebuild itself. It is hard enough to rebuild after a war. Bring into it the same old prejudices by just a handful of people and the outcome is the same for a while.  Change takes time. Unfortunately for some, time runs out.

Monday, January 6, 2020

After by Morris Gleitzman





After by Morris Gleitzman
Genre: Middle Grade, Young Adult, Historical Fiction
Source: Purchased

            This is the fourth book in the series. We go back in time to catch up with what had happened to Felix. Gabriek, whose wife was hiding young Felix and Zelda are dead. Gabriek if part of a resistance movement and has continued to hide Felix in a hole in his barn. On his thirteenth birthday Felix can hear people above him talking. He follows them into the woods. He assumes they are Nazis and are going to kill Gabriek and he yells to give Gabriek a chance to escape. He soon learns that Gabriek is not in danger. When they return to the farm it is on fire. Gabriek is injured and so Felix takes him back into the woods to get help. They are allowed to stay. They do make Felix prove himself. Once again he is an assistant to the doctor. It is his experiences throughout his childhood of helping assist doctors that made him a well known doctor in his adult life. In this book Felix is once again put into the position of helping save three sisters.  He has matured considerably. Now that he knows who Hitler is he no longer prays to him, but to Richmal Crompton who was a well known author at the time. I still found this a funny occurrence. The tension has gone up a notch in this book and I can’t wait to read the next one.