Common Sense Media Review
By Darienne Stewart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Well-intentioned tale of floating boy celebrates diversity.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Since the day he was born, Barnaby Brocket has defied gravity: He floats. He can't help it, but his mortified parents are sure he's just being spiteful. By the time he's 8, his parents are fed up. They hatch an awful plan to simply let him float away. Barnaby is hurt but determined to find his way home to Sydney, Australia. As he traverses the globe and space, he meets a succession of friends who empathize with his abandonment: an elderly lesbian couple in a hot-air balloon, an unwed pregnant teen, a homeless artist, a disfigured art critic, a young boy with hooks for hands, a crew of astronauts in space. Finally, Barnaby faces a choice: join his family as a normal boy, or float along on his own.
Is It Any Good?
John Boyne starts with a fanciful hook -- a boy who defies the law of gravity -- but weighs it down with a thinly developed hero and a plodding emphasis on his message. Young readers who get past the slow warm-up probably will enjoy the fantasy and Oliver Jeffers' charming illustrations, and they might smile at the sly references to Roald Dahl and Harry Potter. The message is admirable -- being different is worthy of celebration, not shame -- but the heavy-handed repetition grows tiresome.
Boyne claims the moral high ground, but his position is undercut by unfortunate choices, including a Japanese caricature who's obsessed with honor and the lesbian couple's sneering disparagement of husbands. Which is a shame, because Boyne has some terrific material here: wretchedly villainous parents, a smart boy hero who desperately wants to please his parents, and brave choices in the supporting cast.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why evil parents (and stepparents and other caregivers) so often appear in children's stories. Why do authors build stories around such nasty adults? Are they funny or frightening?
Do you support Barnaby's right to strike out on his own? Should he stay close to his family despite their differences?
Does Barnaby's story remind you of Roald Dahl books with mean adults like Matilda and James and the Giant Peach?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Oliver Jeffers
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Alfred A. Knopf
- Publication date : January 8, 2013
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 288
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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