Noah's Ark

by Tess Fries (Adapted By)

This charming and colorful three-dimensional padded cloth toy is shaped like Noah's ark and filled with little stuffed-fabric animals. They come in pairs of two, exactly like they are in the bible story of Noah and the ark. Kids will find pairs of horses, giraffes, sheep, elephants, and others—12 miniature animals in all. There is also a stuffed-cloth Noah, who smiles over all the animals. A skylight flap opens on the ark's roof to show a picture of Noah's wife and children, and a door at the ark's stern unfolds, becoming a ramp on which the animals can board the ark. When kids want to take all the animals out of the ark they can lift the roof and open it from its Velcro tab. A delightful extra feature is an eight page illustrated cloth book (size 4 1/2" x 4 1/4") that tells the story of Noah and the flood in easy words. (Ages Infant–3)

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Ebooks, British Literature, Literary Fiction, Childrens, Audiobook

20 pages, Board book

First published January 1, 1984

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth of Barbara Trapido's novels that I have read though it is her second in order of publication. Within two or three pages I felt completely at home in her world. I even identified strongly with a couple of her characters. I love the stylish insouciance of her prose, the allusions to poetry and music, the witty dialogue and her generous view of humanity. At the end, the main character has toughened up a bit and describes her previous existence as a black comedy. Well, certainly a comedy, but a sparkling one.

[Sahej Marwah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know how much of that sexism was ironic or intended. Self-destructive, submissive characters are always a breath of fresh air.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Noah’s Ark is chock full of eccentric characters not doing much of anything other than living their eccentric lives. I found the book refreshing, unusual, even delightful until about two-thirds of the way through when all that quirkiness just got irritating and pointless. Hmm, that’s pretty much how I feel about eccentric people.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A novel by Barbara Trapido is guaranteed to be jam-packed full of delights for the reader: a large cast of completely rounded, quirky, funny characters, multiple plot strands that are beautifully woven together, a bittersweet portrayal of family life and cracking dialogue. Noah’s Ark is no exception. It’s completely entertaining throughout but makes some serious points about modern family life and relationships (although first published in 1984, so much of what it has to say seems very contemporary). Pure joy from beginning to end.

[Carla]

Certainly not on the level of BROTHER OF THE MORE FAMOUS JACK, but few books are, so that may not be fair. A novel with lots of children, a rather sexy, bossy husband, a less sexy ex-husband (complete with standard annoying new wife) and a potentially sexy lost love who (naturally) makes an appearance. Structurally, the book is lopsided, with much happening in the final chapters, as if, finally, the distracted heroine's life is getting interesting.

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

This the second book I have read by Barbara Trapido. I think she is a very skilled storyteller. However, I just do not understand the the casual references ti paedophilia in both novels as if it's a bit smutty but ok.
I would dearly like her to say why she includes these references but i will throw away her books and not read anything else by her.
Very disappointed and upset.

[Helena Wildsmith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly I found this book to be nothing more than pretentious twaddle. Unlikable characters, an irritating lack of detail when needed and far too much detail when not, and a plot that didn't go anywhere - this book has put me off reading anything else by this author.

[Jo Birkett · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gave up at 80% just not interested in these people and such a detailed following of their lives.

[Alex Ankarr · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. It's just okay. There's no time in life for books that are just okay. Or people, or anything else, for that matter.

[Elizabeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Arguably well written, but since I disliked every character and cared little for their lives, the storyline was utterly irrelevant and irritating, the best thing for me about this book was the cover… and you know what they say about that…

[Kate Vane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of a marriage but it is also a clever study of power.

Ali Bobrow, artistic, beautiful and unworldly, is easy prey to controlling men. Her third husband, Noah, is at least a benign dictator. Before him she was mistreated, her daughter was unhappy and she was unable to resist the demands of any manipulative neighbour or acquaintance. Noah, a doctor, the ultimate protector, replaces the chaos with love, calm and security – so long as she follows his rules.

Then one day Ali decides to rebel – and this disrupts the delicate balance of her life with Noah, and leads her to look back at her past in South Africa.

Trapido’s characters are funny and vivid and clever. You feel like you want to climb into her world (though probably not for too long – who could keep up?). She creates atmosphere with economy and style. The opening scene shows Ali sewing in her kitchen, an icon of domesticity. The apparently ordinary items – the fruit bowl, the pinboard – and her thoughts about them immediately evoke the family and her place within it.

There are other types of power here. Ali grew up under apartheid, the descendant of German refugees from World War Two. Her best friend at school was Jewish, and she is attracted to Jewish men. Her unconsummated first love was dark-skinned and was rumoured to have lied about his background to attend the all-white university.

There are also the dynamics between parents and children. Noah’s step-daughter, once so timid, is able to be rebellious and demanding precisely because he has made her feel safe – for now. He is also confronted by the stubbornness of his own daughter.

How do we respond to a world where every day people are harming others? Trapido asks subtle questions about the limits of power, resistance and compassion.

[Andrew J · Rating 3 out of 5]

The artwork was very well illustrated, however, there were some inaccuracies within the story. For example, it is not biblical to state that Noah was a Dr. Doolittle, capable of speaking with the animals. Also, there is nothing in the Tanakh/Old Testament that tells us that Biblical characters were, in fact, cartoons. Despite the illustrations being very well done, I find it completely dangerous for authors and artists to try to deem how characters looked. I don't think that the frogs had eyes as big as can be found within these pages. Also, according to a Google search, umbrellas were not invented until 1852, so to imply that Noah had time travel capabilities is just ridiculous. There were also a bunch of black spots all over the copy I have, and I practically flung myself to the hand soap; and just for good measure, I pirouetted over to the hand sanitizer. All in all, a cute re-telling, but incredibly against Biblical teaching.

I'm totally kidding. It was cute.

[Sam Falston · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm not sure if this book is pro or anti-feminist?

It seems to despise its characters, especially the men, who are all cut from different horrible stereotypes. The women are either loose, vulgar or doormats (often more than one of these).

While I found the main character slightly annoying in her timidity at the beginning, she lost all my respect when she so casually cheats on her husband.

I'm pretty sure this novel may be deeper than I am depicting it, but the characters were so annoying I couldn't be bothered to contemplate the subversive, but oh so common messages in this kind of literature.

[Supriya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just marvellous: more tart and explicit than Brother of the More Famous Jack, and a much stronger exploration of themes and types we come to see in The Travelling Hornplayer. Perhaps the satire of the ex-husband is a bit too strong, but only '...More Famous Jack' is pitched to a sweeter note. I love Trapido and her masochistic women.

[Kathryn Holmes · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave up :(

[Kayleigh Goodyear · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found it a little hard to get into at first but soon became absorbed into the story. I enjoyed the eccentric characters in it especially the main character ali.
Was an OK read bit didn't grip me

[Judith Devine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first came across this book as an extract in Cosmopolitan magazine in the mid 80’s and was hooked. There are some truly awful characters ( yes you Melvyn) and I’ve no idea why all these male characters keep falling for dippy Ali but the plot zips along. I can temper thinking how large Noah must be when he was described as having a 36 inch waist when I first read it! Not today Noah!!! I always feel sad for the kitten smuggled from South Africa and the jampot house tea pot story pops up again in Frankie and Stankie but that’s a minor niggle.

[Rosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like a cross between Jilly Cooper and Kate Atkinson... I'm a fan of Trapido's novels and I tore through this one. Excellent characters, and the complicated web of marriages; it's everything I like.

I'll warn potential readers about the, shall I say politely, dated language which reoccurs about four times (I think); as published in the very early 80s it's not a great look but times have very much changed so if you can overlook this then you can enjoy the rest.

[Lyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Barbara Trapido’s books and have read many of them, but this one was just an okay read for me. I struggled to like some of the main characters (like Noah) and found it hard therefore to understand the connection between him and Ali.
Other important characters such as Thomas were too sketchily drawn to grasp their appeal.

[Cait · Rating 3 out of 5]

not my favourite of her’s, probably because it’s set in such a different world. how can noah compare to joe angeletti? and alison is lifeless and infuriating next to stella and katherine.. at heart i am a trapido diehard however, and there are certain details (the orange painting.. eva bobrow’s wonky virginia woolf poster..) that i loved

[Jane Gregg · Rating 5 out of 5]

An immersive and startling novel by my new found book-interest, Barbara Trapido. She paints the setting here - the sort of hovering intelligentsia c70s - in moody burnt ochre tones, but the wit is only just bubbling under and lifts the mood from being too studied.

[Clare McHugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat over-stuffed, and chaotic, in structure, but full of luminous descriptions and laser-sharp characterization. It’s difficult not to admire Trapidos skill at scene setting, and her sense of humor. She rejects pieties of all sorts. She’s always a pleasure to read.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

She has that Diana Wynne Jones quality about her: every character feels completely believable and completely awful and completely understandable in their own way. Barbara Trapido knew people and liked them, and that makes her characters and her meandering charming messy novels utterly absorbing.

[Judith Yeabsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Should this have been half the length I'd probably have added an extra star. It was quirky and interesting at first and then it continued ...
Certainly not a bad book but just too much of the same.

[Charlotte Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a little strange but I enjoyed it. The storyline was subtle but I couldn't help feeling the benign dictator needed to go! The characters developed and it was an enjoyable read!

[susan muratoglu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous book very funny and witty. Read it

[Susan Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only the second book I have read by this author. I have enjoyed both so will seek out more. Recommended!

[Daniel Mihai Popescu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb :) I have to read again the trilogy...

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Off-beat novel which seems to be in keeping with Barbara Trapido's style. The main character Alison is equally endearing and a cause for desperation.

[Barbara]

rec. by Meg Mason on Ann Patchett’s podcast 4/3/26