Noah Barleywater Runs Away

Andrew Sachs sets a proper "once-upon-a-time tone" for this combination of fairy tale and fable. His soft narration has an air of mystery as he tells a story that is both realistic and fantastical. As 8-year-old Noah sets out on an adventure, Sachs portrays him as both curious and preoccupied with worry. A talking donkey and dachshund lead him to a magnificent toy shop. Sachs creates the whistling, hoarse voice of the store's elderly owner--a wise and enigmatic carver. Gradually, listeners learn that Noah's mother impending death has propelled his flight. Sachs's successful emphasis on the magical will help listeners overlook the tale's didactic tone and references that are less meaningful than the story being told. S.W. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

July 11, 2011
At age eight, Noah Barleywater runs away from home. He is "the seventh cleverest boy" in his class and has "read 14 books from cover to cover" but does not consider these achievements sufficient, and seeks adventure. On his journey, which has strong shades of Alice in Wonderland and The Phantom Tollbooth, he travels through quirky villagesâin one, when he picks apples, it is considered a serious crime, and the tree and apples are rushed to the hospitalâbefore meeting a dachshund and a donkey, who point him to a magical toyshop. There he meets an old man, his friends, and many intricate puppets, which represent figures from the man's past. As the old man shares his stories, which touch on themes of courage, selflessness, and keeping promises, Noah opens up about his own family's struggles. Though the magical elements in this carpe diem tale are loosely bound by a meandering thread, Boyne (The Boy in the Striped Pajamas) touchingly conveys Noah's emotional development from a boy in denial of painful realities to a young man who accepts that which can't be changed. Ages 8â12.