The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket
📘 About This Book
There's nothing unusual or different about the Brocket family - and they're keen to keep it that way. But when Barnaby Brocket comes into the world, it's clear he's anything but ordinary. To his parents’ horror, Barnaby defies the laws of gravity - and floats. Soon, the Brockets decide enough is enough. The neighbours are starting to talk. They never asked for a weird, abnormal, floating child. Barnaby has to go . . . Betrayed and frightened, Barnaby floats into the path of a very special hot air balloon – and so begins a magical journey around the world, with a cast of extraordinary new friends.
📖 Summary
John Boyne's juvenile fiction novel, published in 2012, tells the captivating story of a young boy who enters the world with a most extraordinary condition. The Brocket family prides themselves on being entirely normal, ordinary, and thoroughly conventional. They live in a society that values conformity above all else and are extremely keen to keep it that way. When Barnaby Brocket is born, however, he shatters his parents' expectations completely. To their absolute horror, Barnaby defies the laws of gravity altogether. Instead of learning to crawl and walk on the ground like other children, Barnaby simply floats up into the air. For the Brockets, this is not a wondrous miracle to be celebrated, but a deeply humiliating social disaster. As the neighbors begin to talk and whisper behind their backs, Alistair and Eleanor Brocket decide that enough is definitely enough. They never asked for a weird, abnormal, floating child to disrupt their pristine suburban existence. In a shocking act of betrayal, they make the heartless decision that Barnaby has to go, abandoning him and leaving him to drift away from everything he has ever known. Frightened, bewildered, and deeply hurt by the actions of the very people who were supposed to protect him, Barnaby floats aimlessly into the sky. Yet, this tragic departure marks the beginning of a magical and life-changing journey around the world. As he drifts through the atmosphere, Barnaby crosses paths with a very special hot air balloon and encounters a colorful, unforgettable cast of extraordinary new friends. Each person he meets along his global odyssey challenges his understanding of the world and teaches him valuable truths about human nature. Through his incredible travels, Barnaby discovers that being different is not a flaw to be corrected, but a unique gift to be embraced. He learns about acceptance, resilience, and the true meaning of family, realizing that those who truly love you will accept you for who you are rather than trying to force you to fit a rigid mold. This whimsical yet deeply touching 290-page novel invites readers of all ages to reflect on the pressures of conformity and the beauty of individuality. Boyne crafts a narrative that is both humorous and poignant, reminding us all that the world would be an infinitely duller place if everyone were exactly the same.
🎯 Key Lessons
⚖️ Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
Engaging and imaginative premise about defying gravity.
Powerful messages about self-acceptance and embracing individuality.
Features a memorable and diverse cast of characters.
Balanced blend of humor, magic, and emotional depth.
⚠️ Cons
The initial premise involves distressing themes of parental abandonment.
Some secondary characters can feel slightly exaggerated.
✍️ About the Author
John Boyne (b. 1971) is an Irish author best known for 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas', a Holocaust novel that became an international bestseller.
View all books →❓ FAQ
Who wrote The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket? +
The book was written by author John Boyne.
When was the book published? +
It was published in the year 2012.
How many pages long is the book? +
The novel spans 290 pages.
What is unique about Barnaby Brocket? +
Barnaby defies the laws of gravity and naturally floats in the air.
What genre does this book belong to? +
The book falls into the juvenile fiction genre.
