Content Warning: This section of the guide references antisemitic discrimination and violence in the context of World War II, which feature in the source text.

Though Felix responds to situations in a more mature way than in Once, he is still a child in Then. How does his naivety influence the way he narrates the events in the novel? How does Morris Gleitzman use Felix to show children’s responses to traumatic events?

In order to blend in with the other inhabitants of Genia’s town, Felix and Zelda take on the false identities of Wilhelm and Violetta, two non-Jewish Polish orphans. What are the difficulties and dangers associated with assuming these identities? To what extent are Felix and Zelda successful? Use examples from the text to support your response.

Zelda spends much of the novel rejecting her family, to the extent that it causes her to act out in the presence of Nazi soldiers and put herself, Felix, and Genia in danger. What causes this behavior? How does she eventually reconcile with her parents’ memory?