With goodly dollops of magic and wonderful surrealism, it has a fable-like quality. If they like magical stories, and if they like to deal with serious issues in a metaphorical way, they will love this sweet, funny and kindly book. I certainly did -- Jill Murphy The Bookbag This delightful, bittersweet 'fairytale' is a flight of fantasy with playful use of language and a joy from start to finish. Noah's heartbreaking emotional journey is lightened by a rich vein of absurd humour and eccentric characters -- Sally Morris Daily Mail Destined to become something of a children's classic -- Charlie Higson Mail On Sunday It's inventive, wily, twisty ... Noah Barleywater Runs Away is a carefully crafted whimsical gem, a story to share with others and to discuss at book clubs, a true publishing event Irish Independent Boyne has interesting things to say about identity, self knowledge and how we cope with life's travails and the book really does benefit from a second reading. Oliver Jeffers has produced beautiful cover artwork and his line drawings are suitably enigmatic helping to make this both an attractive and desirable package -- John Newman The School Librarian