Australia, Bushfire, Natural Disaster, Bullying, Modern, Migrants
Now
by Morris Gleitzman
Key information
Author: Morris Gleitzman
Cover artist: various
Release Date: 6th May 2010
Star rating: ★★★★★
Book type: Short chapter, 176 pages
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Reader level: Confident reader (10+, sensitive content)
Age: Year 5+
Overview
Now is the third novel in Morris Gleitzman’s acclaimed Felix series. While the first two books—Once and Then—follow young Felix during the Holocaust, Now brings the story into the present day, centering on Felix’s 10-year-old granddaughter, Zelda.
Zelda has been sent to live with her grandfather, Felix, in Australia while her parents work abroad with Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). Felix, now an elderly retired surgeon, has built a peaceful life, but the trauma of his past lingers beneath the surface. Zelda, named after Felix’s childhood best friend who died during World War II, feels the weight of living up to that legacy.
At school, Zelda experiences bullying, feeling like an outsider because of her unusual name and strong sense of justice. In an attempt to prove her bravery and honour the name she carries, she puts herself in dangerous situations—one of which involves running into a bushfire zone. This act, intended to show courage, instead triggers a series of real dangers and a dramatic turn of events.
During a devastating bushfire that sweeps through the area, Felix and Zelda are forced to confront both physical danger and emotional truths. Felix’s war memories resurface as he and Zelda battle to survive the fire and help others, drawing parallels between past and present horrors. Zelda witnesses firsthand the kind of courage that doesn’t come from reckless action but from compassion, endurance, and moral clarity.
Throughout the novel, Zelda uncovers more of Felix’s past, including the story of the original Zelda, deepening her understanding of her grandfather and herself. Their bond strengthens as they navigate these challenges together, learning how to face the world—not just with bravery, but with kindness and purpose.
Key concepts/themes
- Courage
- Resilience
- Identity
- Trauma
- Bullying
- Healing
- Belonging
- Environmental crises
- Bushfires
Considerations
- Death
- Description of medical procedures
- Bullying
- Fire
Curriculum links
Geography - Australia, bushfires
Science - environment, global warming
Additional teaching opportunities
1. Writing
- Newspaper report (bushfire)
- Persuasive text (persuade parents to come home/allow Zelda to join firefighters)
- Diary entry (Zelda being bullied)
- Letter (to parents about events)
- Suspense narrative (natural disaster)
- Non-chronological report (bushfires)
- Instructions (how to stay safe during bushfires)
2. Art
- Australian landscape
- Australian wildlife
3. Geography
- Natural disasters
- Migration
4. PSHE
- Bullying
- Moving house
- Loss and trauma
- Emergency services
Vocabulary
| Tier 2 | Tier 3 |
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