Noah Barleywater Runs Away [Hardcover]

John Boyne (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: David Fickling Books (September 30, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385618956
• ISBN-13: 978-0385618953
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 0.9 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,695,804 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Boyne was born in Ireland in 1971 and is the author of seven novels for adults and two for children. The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas won two Irish Book Awards, was shortlisted for the British Book Award, reached no.1 on the New York Times Bestseller List and was made into an award-winning Miramax feature film. His novels are published in over 40 languages. He lives in Dublin.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A charming, didactic tale., May 21, 2011

By 

E. Samuels "Book lover" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Noah Barleywater Runs Away (Hardcover)

"Noah Barleywater Runs Away" is a charming and didactic tale. The author deftly captures the thought processes of the 8 year old main character, allowing even an adult reader to experience the adventures described through younger eyes. The book deals with difficult subject matter, facing fears, death and dying among others, and accomplishes the delivery of its core messages without beating the reader over the head, but allowing the reader to come to the "right" conclusion on their own. I think that this book is great for all ages, though I imagine it would be a wonderful book to read along with a child as it will surely prompt discussion and the examination of some tough topics.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Chip Off the Old Block, May 10, 2011

By 

Ronald T. Roseborough "Ronrose" (Dover,De USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Noah Barleywater Runs Away (Hardcover)

Noah Barleywater is like many of us. When things get too tough to face, we want to run away from them. Noah is only eight years old when he decides to run away, leaving his mom and dad. He is not very prepared for what the world has in store for him. By the time he has gone two towns over and through the woods, he is experiencing a touch of doubt and a rather large hunger. Guided by a talking donkey and an equally loquacious dachshund, he finds a ramshackle cottage that doubles as a toy store. Noah is at first nervous when he meets the old man who owns the shop. It doesn't take long to see that the shop is full of many unexpected surprises included talking clocks and walking doors. Noah is most intrigued by a chest full of puppets that were carved by the old man's father. The tale behind the puppets recounts the life of the old man when he was a young lad. It is a story that Noah finds has many lessons which can be applied to his own life. The book is very charming. The lessons Noah learns will have a heartfelt meaning for many children. Younger readers may miss some of the subtleties of the tale, but young and old will relate to the revelations at the end of this captivating story. This book provided for review by the well read folks at David Fickling Books and Random House Children's Books.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars And Odd Read, June 16, 2011

By 

Beverly L. Archer "Booklady123" (Colorado Springs, CO) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Noah Barleywater Runs Away (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

I received an ARC of this book from the Amazon Vine program, in return for an honest review.

From the back of the book:

Eight-year-old Noah's problems seem easier to deal with if he doesn't think about them. So he runs away, taking an untrodden path through the forest. Before long he comes across a shop. But this is no ordinary shop. It is a toy shop, full of the most amazing toys and brimming with the most wonderful magic. And here Noah meets a very unusual toymaker. The toymaker has a story to tell and it's a a story of adventure and wonder, and broken promises. He takes Noah on a journey. A journey that will change his life. And it could change yours too.

I had a rather strange reaction to this book. I both liked and disliked this book. When I first started reading it I decided it was not my cup of tea, but I as I kept reading I found myself drawn into the story. There are a lot of hints at just what Noah is running away from and just who the toymaker really is. I kept reading to see if my guesses were right. They were. But I'm still not sure I liked this book.

What I liked about the book: The writing is very colorful and imaginative. Boyne paints some wonderful word pictures. I enjoyed revisiting an old childhood favorite. (If you want to know what fairy tale reappears in this book, you will need to read it for yourself, I don't want to spoil it for you.)

What I didn't like about the book: Though the writing was imaginative, it was also rather strange. It's a truly fractured retelling of a childhood favorite. It's also gloomy. Amazon lists the reading level as 9-12, but I'm not convinced this is really a kids book. Even though the story is about an eight year old boy, it really feels more like an adult novel.

Mrs. Archer's rating: 3 of 5.