On the Shelf: The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket

THE TERRIBLE THING THAT HAPPENED TO BARNABY BROCKET | JOHN BOYNE | DOUBLEDAY | 2012

Barnaby Brocket is an ordinary eight-year-old boy in most ways, but he was born different in one important way: he floats. Unlike everyone else, Barnaby does not obey the law of gravity. His parents, who have a fear of being noticed, want desperately for Barnaby to be normal, but he can't help who he is. And when the unthinkable happens, Barnaby finds himself on a journey that takes him all over the world. Drifting from Brazil to New York, from Canada to Ireland, and even to space, the floating boy meets all sorts of different people--and discovers who he really is along the way.

"Who wants to be normal anyway?" cried Ethel, throwing her arms in the air. "I know I don't."

My favourite thing about this book is that the writing style is incredibly similar to Roald Dahl. The story swept me back into my childhood, with the perfect amount of absurd mixed into sincerity and the opportunity to learn a valuable lesson.

I couldn't believe how horrible Barnaby's parents were and, to be honest, I was a little put off by his insistence to return home. Then again, he is only a young boy and children are quite loyal to the ones they love. The book challenges all readers to consider what they think of as "normal" and it certainly makes you think about the labels we put on the people around us.

There was a nice tinge of humour in the book, perfect for the middle-grade age group. I found myself laughing at certain sections, although I'm not sure if I was only laughing because I'm an adult and have (unfortunately) learned to view the world in a different way. The illustrations were also a nice addition to the book (simple and effective). I'm curious to learn the reaction that children have to Barnaby Brocket's story. The idea of being able to float your way around the world is certainly appealing.

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"So then I suggested Bobby Brewster Bus Conductor, and she said she really only wanted to read books about vampires because they were all so stimulating and original."