Sunday, January 6, 2013

The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket by John Boyne

Every since Barnaby's birth, he's had this odd problem.  He floats...

Random House Children's Books sent me an ARC of this book for review.  It will be published on January 8th, so you can pick up a copy at your local bookstore then.

This is a different fantasy story written for ages 8-12.  Barnaby's mother just cannot stand it anymore and cuts his knapsack to let the sand trickle out.  When it does, he flies up in the air and floats in the wind.  While that is wondrous, he's worried about what will become of him.  No worries needed; a female couple pick him up in their hot air balloon and take him home with them.  

From there, he has other fine adventures.  In each instance, he's with someone who is "not normal".  They are nice to Barnaby, accept him as he is, and while they may be different, he sees no reason to not accept them as friends.  He works hard to get back home but when he does, he suddenly realizes who he is and how he is can be his own decision.

It's a good read for anyone who might be a bit different. (And who isn't?)  The overall message is that you're alright, no matter what others might deem strange about you.  That's a good lesson to carry with us through life.

If you'd like my copy of this ARC, please leave a comment here on the blog and send me an email at info at bookfaerie.com with your name and address and why you'd like to read the book.  I'll pick a winner in about a week.

Happy reading.   

2 comments:

ChristyJan said...

This book sounds adorable and with such a great message. I don't think we can stress enough to children today to be more accepting and tolerant of others.

Shan said...

Certainly sounds like an interesting, entertaining and a great teaching tool. I often wonder where writers come up with their stories...hats off to this writer!!

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