
Toby Alone
Timothee de Fombelle(Author)
Walker Books Ltd (Publisher)
Published on 9. April 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
400 pages
978-1-5295-3430-6 (ISBN)
Description
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?
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?
Reviews / Votes
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 * This book is great. It tells the story of Toby, who is escaping the authorities of the tree he lives in. The fact that Toby is tiny makes this book really interesting. Ants and weevils turn into giant monsters and the journey along a branch can take days. There's danger around the corner everywhere and Toby has to be careful who he can trust. The world of the tree can be compared to our Earth and the population is threatening the existence of the tree by using up its resources too much. * Toppsta Reviewer Aged 12 * We are real fans of The Borrowers so this story proved to be an up- dated and modern hit! Toby might be small but his adventures are huge. We loved the environmental moral which has woven throughout the story. A great read. * Toppsta Reviewer * A great adventure story with a tiny hero with massive courage that will win your heart. Wonderful plot and lovable characters really take you on an epic journey in a miniature world. Great for kids and adults alike as it is quite a grown up book in the fact that the text is quite small and intense with very few graphics, she is really enjoying it. * Toppsta Reviewer * At just 1.5mm tall Toby finds himself on an epic adventure in the oak tree, but he is alone as his parents have been imprisoned. A story that really captured our imagination. * Toppsta Reviewer *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
Children/juvenile
Interest Age: From 9 years
Dimensions
Height: 194 mm
Width: 125 mm
Thickness: 27 mm
Weight
270 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5295-3430-6 (9781529534306)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Timothee de Fombelle is a much-admired French playwright. Initially working as a teacher/lecturer, he soon turned to writing and in 2006 produced his first novel, Toby Alone, known in his native France as Tobie Lolness. Highly acclaimed, it has been translated into 22 different languages and has won numerous prizes. Toby's extraordinary story continues in Toby and the Secrets of the Tree.