Noah Barleywater Runs Away

By John Boyne and Oliver Jeffers

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's a toyshop, 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 story of adventure and wonder and broken promises. He takes Noah on a journey. A journey that will change his life.


From the Hardcover edition.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: May 10, 2011
• ISBN: 9780385675987

John Boyne

John Boyne is the author of Crippen, The Thief of Time, Next of Kin, and the New York Times and internationally bestselling The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Boyne won two Irish Book Awards (the People’s Choice and the Children’s) for The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, which was made into a Miramax feature film, and his novels have been translated into more than thirty languages. Ireland's Sunday Business Post named him one of the forty people under forty in Ireland "likely to be the movers and shakers who will define the country's culture, politics, style and economics in 2005 and beyond." Crippen was nominated for the Sunday Independent Hughes & Hughes Irish Novel of the Year Award. He lives with his partner in Dublin.

Reviews for Noah Barleywater Runs Away

[elaine3pearson · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Fairytale tradition. Children's book.

[rata_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It takes a while to get into this story and that was because I was not asking myself enough questions or trying hard enough to think about the story. I was about to put it down when I realised that this was a story about a boy running away from the realisation that his mother was going to die. The story flits from fantasy to reality and back again and basically is about an 8 year old Noah who is running away because his mother is dying and is getting her affairs in order. She is trying to spend as much time as she can with Noah before it is too late - reality chapters. In the fairy tale chapters Noah meets an old man (who was originally Pinocchio as he is now a human) who lends a listening ear to Noah and gets Noah to think about his decision to run away. The old man had run away from his father when he was a boy (as Pinocchio) and by the time he returned to his father (a carver who carved puppets - Geppetto) it was too late he had died. This book only comes to life when you start to put some effort into reading it and understand the story of Pinocchio - quite cleverly written

[kristisiimon · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

magical craft of storytelling :)

[vivienner_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Early in the morning, before breakfast, Noah Barleywater ran away from home. He took a forest path coming across many puzzling things and strange creatures and where he eventually came to a toyshop. Over the course of the day the old man who owned the shop told Noah his life story and along the way, Noah's reason for running away is revealed. This is a charming, refreshingly different story that is filled with nonsensical ideas and yet its message hits the spot. It even has a nice twist at the end. Intended for 8-12 year olds, this charming story may be enjoyed by anyone. This would be an excellent book for a child who is facing the loss of a loved one - or anyone who is looking for an afternoon with a delightful story.

[tnociti-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A whole lot of fun. Such a sweet and funny story that is written for children but gives a beautiful message that is important for young and old alike. Also a really clever twist to an age old fairy tale. Loved it.

[bellydancer_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Noah is finding it hard to cope with the things going on in his life, so decides it would be easer to run away. As his journey progresses he meets an array of wonderful characters; a tree with feelings, an amazing toy shop filled with magic, and an old man who takes Noah on an exciting journey that will get Noah remembering his family memories. These memories remind Noah that although his life has been a little boring until now, he really has had a wonderful life.A quirky tale of Noah, aged 8, that will have you laughing out loud. This is a magical story combining a blend of fairytales and adventure. There is a sprinkling of fabulous drawings. I just loved reading this book. Although a little wordy in parts it would suit mature children readers on 8 years.

[kimjd_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Eight-year-old Noah Barleywater is leaving home. Although he tries to convince himself that it is only because he's ready for the adventure of being on his own, it quickly becomes apparent that he is running away from circumstances at home: circumstances about his mother and an illness that he can't quite face. As he travels from village to village, he tells himself that his leaving is all for the best, but it's not until he meets a kindly woodcarver in a strange toyshop that he realizes how much he has left behind. A thought-provoking and fanciful tale.

[ronrose1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[skstiles612 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Noah Barleywater ran away from home. He was eight years old. It was time he set out for adventures of his own. The first two villages he comes to are not very friendly. As he nears the third village he meets up with a couple of talking animals. They tell him about the strange tree adn the even stranger building in the village ahead. The building is a toy shop. Noah enters the toy shop and comes face to face with walls lined with puppets, an old man, and strange happenings in the shop. As he gets to know the old man we learn more about Noah and the reason he runs away. Noah discovers a box of small puppets made by toy maker's father. AS the toy maker tells the story behind each puppet, Noah learns a lesson that helps him make an important decision. This was sonderfully written. Like John Boyne's book, "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas", you feel an element of sadness along with happy moments, only to be punched in the emotional gut near the end. I loved this book and can't wait for next years students to be the first to read such a wonderful book.

[booklady123 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

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.

[floratina · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

READ IN DUTCH

It is said that Noah Barleywater runs away is a mere children's book. An adventure but not more than that.



It is also said that Noah Barleywater is a thought-provoking novel, even for adults.



What side am I on?



It's aimed on children aged 8-12, but I believe there is so much more in it that makes it a wonderful read even for adults. You can read this book on different level. It's not incomprehensible for an 8-year-old, but he/she will read this as an exciting adventure. Even as 'just' a children's book, I like the style. It's the kind of book I would have liked as a child. Now I'm older, I like that there is a bit more to it than just the story.

[elliepotten · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When I started this book, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. By the time I read the last page and closed the covers, I had a smile on my face, tears in my eyes and a sigh on my lips. Quite a turnaround!It is certainly a strange little book, though everything grows steadily clearer as the story progresses. It opens with Noah Barleywater, an eight year-old boy, leaving his house at sunrise and running away in search of adventures. He doesn't think he has achieved enough in his life, so off he walks in search of greater things. After a few bizarre encounters in the first and second villages he passes through, he arrives in a strange little hamlet in the forest, dominated by an enormous tree and a tumbledown toy shop.Intrigued and strangely compelled, he goes into the shop, even though he knows he can't afford to buy anything. All around him are wooden toys and hundreds of slightly menacing puppets - but before he can get too scared, the kindly old toymaker appears, welcoming Noah warmly into his home. Over a wonderful lunch, the mysterious toymaker tells Noah about his life, and gradually extracts Noah's own tale, and the real reason for the little boy running away. Their magical day together will change both their lives forever...I really wasn't keen on the story to start with. It seemed overly weird, in a kind of Alice in Wonderland way, filled with nonsensical contradictions and surreal moments. It almost screams out for an adaptation by Tim Burton or Guillermo del Toro, and perhaps some of the magical things that happen to Noah would, in fact, be easier to visualise through film. It also makes it hard to know where I'd pitch the book; although it is being marketed for children and young adults, the surrealism is quite pronounced in places, and there are touches of a deliciously subtle satirical humour that I think would go over most youngsters' heads.Despite my initial scepticism, as the pages went by I found myself as compelled as Noah - I started to adapt to the style of storytelling and my curiosity was aroused: what was really happening in Noah's family? Who was the mysterious toymaker? What was the story behind his toy shop? Everything started to make sense the further I read, and each thread was tied up beautifully by the end. The illustrations by Oliver Jeffers are charmingly simplistic, and once again Boyne excels at writing with the poignant voice of an innocent little boy.I'd definitely recommend giving this book a try. Just don't give up without allowing yourself time to become immersed in the magic - you'll be missing a treat!

[susiebookworm · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the best kid's book that I've read in a really, really long time. It begins with Noah's near-surreal adventures through forest and village à la Oz and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (making it also one of the best-written kid's books that I've read in a while). Boyne accurately captures the innocence and imagination of childhood through Noah's eight-year-old eyes. While the novel starts out somewhat confusing for readers - you're kind of wondering where the author's going with the story - it quickly morphs into a fairytale-like narrative with some deeper meanings on childhood, promises, and facing those things in life that you don't want to meet but are nevertheless unavoidable. Really, the novel is just as suitable for older readers as for its intended audience. For parents, I'd recommend this as a book to read aloud and digest with their children. And perhaps one of the best parts of the book is what more traditional story it ends up being a continuation of...