Noah Barleywater Runs Away
by John Boyne, David Fickling Books, $29.99
Billed as a fairy tale by John Boyne, who wrote The Boy in Striped Pajamas, this is a brilliant story for kids and adults alike.
It is reminiscent of Roald Dahl's writing, but gentler, kinder and more generous. The underlying theme
is of death and the uncertainty we experience around it, but couched in delightful tales, scary encounters and honest acknowledgment of what life feels like when you are little and scared but trying desperately to be brave. Set in and around a forest and its enchanted villages, the tale is about 8-year-old Noah Barleywater and the unusual encounters he has after he leaves home before sunrise one morning. He can't bear living at home any more. Too many strange things are happening. His mother has been away and Dad won't say where.
Mum's been acting out of character for several months, including arranging outings for herself and Noah, even during school time.
Wanting only the truth, an upset Noah told himself that it was probably best if he left because, "after all, he was already 8 years old and the truth was, he hadn't really done anything with his life so far". As in many fairy tales, trees and animals talk, inanimate objects move, and there's wise counsel provided as Noah travels through the forest, finally arriving at a toyshop in the third village he comes across.
He encounters an old man, a toymaker, and accepts his offer of lunch. With puppets assisting, Noah and the old man tell one another the story of their lives, the old man forever curious as to why Noah would leave home when he has no real complaints.
Finally, Noah acknowledges his real fear, the old man dispenses useful advice, and the two part company.
The language is crisp and clear, the tone warm, and the humour perfect for kids and adults to share. The story would be ideal for sharing with children who have an ill family member, or just because, overall, it is joyful and leaves one with hope despite the darkness that can occur in life. A likely award-winner, it would be a fabulous movie, too.
