The Terrible Thing that Happened to Barnaby Brocket by John Boyne (review)

Mr. and Mrs. Brocket pride themselves on their exceedingly normal lives, so when their third child is born with the peculiar ability to float, they are predictably horrified. The Brockets deal with Barnaby's tomfoolery by leashing him to the ground, until he is eight years old and frustration and embarrassment lead his mother to literally cut him loose and send him airborne. His subsequent journey takes him to nearly all the continents, where he meets other people who have also been rejected by their families for not being "normal," and he begins to realize that love and acceptance are actually two very different things. This fable-like story balances gentle humor and quiet, poignant moments to get its message across, neatly avoiding the pitfalls of sentimentality with a quick joke or location change. Clever allusions to Roald Dahl call up James' journey in his giant peach; there is less absurdity and ingenuity here, but the same notions of family, identity, and relationships are explored. The episodic structure of Barnaby's travels makes this a prime choice for a family or classroom readaloud, and the themes lend themselves easily to discussion. Barnaby's return to his family and his realization that while they love him, they do not accept him is a painful but liberating moment; readers just beginning to question their family dynamics may find it refreshing to find a message that values individuality and relationships and honors the struggles that it takes to balance the two. Jeffers' occasional cartoonish pencil illustrations are subtly funny, complementing the text's gentle humor.