Toby Alone

Story

Toby Lolness is on the run. After escaping the prison where his parents are locked up, he has become the most wanted person in the Great Oak Tree. His father has made a discovery which taps into the Tree’s energy source, and the family have been exiled, imprisoned and sentenced to death. But can Toby figure out how to stop the secret reaching the wrong hands?

Why we chose it

An exciting adventure story in a beautifully imagined miniature world with a timely message about taking care of the world’s resources.

Where it came from

Growing up, Timothee de Fombelle and his family would spend summers in the countryside where he and his siblings would build huts in trees, play in the river and get lost in the forest. His love of nature and memories of his childhood inspired the story of Toby Lolness.

Where it went next

Originally published as La Vie Suspendue (2006) in French, the book received the Prix Sorcière in France before it was translated into English by Sarah Ardizzone as Toby Alone (2008). The English edition won the Marsh Award for translation and the book has since been translated into 27 languages.

Associated stories

Timothee de Fombelle wrote a sequel to Toby Alone entitled Toby and the Secrets of the Tree (2009), (Originally Les Yeux D’Elisha, 2007). His other popular books include Vango: Between Sky and Earth (2001), Vango: A Prince Without a Kingdom (2001), The Book of Pearl (2016), and Captain Rosalie (2018).