Toby Alone

Timothée de Fombelle author Sarah Ardizzone translator Francois Place illustrator

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Walker Books Ltd

Published:9th Apr '26

Should be back in stock very soon

Toby Alone cover

A multi-award-winning adventure of heroism, friendship and survival with a powerful ecological message – set in an epic miniature world.

Toby Lolness is just one and a half millimetres tall, and he’s the most wanted person in his world, the Great Oak Tree. When Toby’s father makes a ground-breaking discovery, tapping into the very heart of the Tree’s energy, he also realizes that exploiting it could permanently damage their world. Refusing to reveal the secret of his invention to an enraged community, the family is exiled. But one man is determined to get hold of the forbidden knowledge ... and his plan is to destroy the Tree. Now Toby's parents have been imprisoned and sentenced to death. Only Toby has managed to escape, but for how long?

The author of this novel creates an immersive world, and there is betrayal, and occasional violence that may shock some readers. At its core is an ecological message that never becomes heavy, as it’s interwoven with themes of courage, friendship and love. There’s a satisfying, albeit rather abrupt cliffhanger conclusion that leaves readers, especially this one, eager to get hold of the sequel -- Jill R Bennett * Red Reading Hub *

  • Winner of The Marsh Award for Children’s Literature in Translation 2008 (UK)
  • Short-listed for Dorset New Horizon Book Award 2010 (UK)
  • Long-listed for North Carolina School Library Media Association Young Adult Book Award 2010 (United States)

ISBN: 9781529534306

Dimensions: 194mm x 128mm x 30mm

Weight: 260g

400 pages