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Timothée De Fombelle

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Toby and the Secrets of the Tree Hardcover – August 10, 2010

by Timothee de Fombelle (Author), Francois Place (Illustrator), Sarah Ardizzone (Translator)

4.5 83 ratings

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A breathless, high-stakes quest to save the miniature world of the Tree—and reunite loved ones lost—unfolds with wit, suspense, and startling revelations.

Toby’s world is under greater threat than ever before. A giant crater has been dug right into the center of the Tree, moss and lichen have invaded the branches, and one tyrant controls it all. Leo Blue, once Toby’s best friend, is holding Toby’s beloved Elisha prisoner, hunting the Grass People with merciless force, and inflicting a life of poverty and fear on the Tree People. But after several years among the Grass People, Toby has returned to fight back. And this time he’s not alone: a resistance is forming. In the much-anticipated sequel to the award-winning Toby Alone, the compelling eco-adventure reaches its gripping conclusion.

Reading age

9 - 12 years
Print length

432 pages
Language

English
Grade level

4 - 7
Lexile measure

710L
Dimensions

6.32 x 1.62 x 8.78 inches
Publisher

Candlewick
Publication date

August 10, 2010
ISBN-10

0763646555
ISBN-13

978-0763646554
See all details

Timothee de Fombelle
91
Paperback
8 offers from $8.97

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 5-8–After the cliff-hanger ending of Toby Alone (Candlewick, 2009), the miniature protagonist returns to try to locate his kidnapped parents and prevent the destruction of the Tree that houses settlements of tiny humans. His childhood friend Leo Blue has become a power broker and rules from the Nest on high, while Joe Mitch maintains control of the Low Branches, capturing and enslaving Grass people to dig out the Crater and increase his fortune. Between Leo's blind quest for supremacy and Joe Mitch's exploitation of its resources, the Tree is rapidly declining. Toby must navigate carefully to avoid the dangers they present. Moreover, Leo is determined to win Elisha Lee, and, when he realizes that Toby holds her heart, his intent to destroy his former friend becomes murderous. De Fombelle sprinkles social commentary liberally throughout the plot's twists and turns, and, while it will go over the heads of some readers, others will appreciate the pulls between big business and the environment and the distrust between the Grass and Tree people. Place's pen-and-ink illustrations are scattered generously throughout and enhance the overall quirkiness. Though the forvolume can stand alone, youngsters unfamiliar with the first installment may find it difficult to keep track of the large cast of characters and where their loyalties lie. This interesting piece of eco-fantasy provides a satisfying conclusion for those who enjoyed the first book.–Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VAα(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

About the Author

Timothée de Fombelle is a much-admired French playwright. His first novel, Toby Alone, has been translated in twenty-two languages and has won numerous prizes.

Sarah Ardizzone is an award-winning translator. She lives in London.

François Place has illustrated many books and is also a renowned author in his native France.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Candlewick; 1st edition (August 10, 2010)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 432 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0763646555
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0763646554
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 9 - 12 years
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 710L
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 4 - 7
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.3 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.32 x 1.62 x 8.78 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,685,937 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3,439 in Children's Environment Books (Books)
- #22,543 in Children's Fantasy & Magic Books
- #31,264 in Children's Action & Adventure Books (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.5 83 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5

83 global ratings

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Amazon Customer

Great books for young and older too

Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2019

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I love these books.
Easy to read, even out 8 years old is able to read and fully understand. It’s very engaging story.

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Jack Wallace

EPIC BOOK. VERY FAST LOADING.

Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2013

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Epic book. Very fast and all that. It is the second In the series, so read the first before this.

One person found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

My daughter loves it!

Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2016

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My daughter loves it!

One person found this helpful

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LauriK

Perfect

Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2018

A beutiful wrap up to a fantastic story. Recomended

Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2013

Verified Purchase

Great book and brilliant page turner. best book I've read in a while. A must buy really really good !!! Enjoy

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leah gaffen

THE BEST BOOK EVER!!!!!!!!!

Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2016

Athough I liked the translation into Czech better (title: Elisha's eyes), I loved this version as well. When I'll be able to ,I will read this book in french.
Like with Tolkien there ars two mysteries- we not only ask how it will end in the book, butalsohow wd will end up.

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KidsReads

This allegorical tale is an optimistic one, though, and the story will ultimately pull at your heartstrings

Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2010

Toby Lolness watched helplessly as his life crumbled away. His parents, Sim and Maya, were found guilty of crimes against the Tree and sent away as prisoners. Leo Blue, his former best friend, put a price on his head and slowly picked away at everything important to him. Elisha, Toby's romantic interest, was captured and held captive. Leo Blue doubled his efforts in drilling a deep, harmful crater in the middle of the Tree. Feeling lost, abandoned and powerless, Toby fled to the Grass People to try and forget his tortured past.

Once there, Toby slowly began to rebuild his strength, stamina and heart. He made friends, learned more about the world, and rekindled the desire to fight against the injustice Leo Blue was inflicting upon the Tree. Toby vowed never to stop until the Tree, his home, was reclaimed and healed. Now, more than ever, Toby has reason to return.

Elisha is currently being held in one of the eggs in the nest in the North branches. Although not able to fully get Elisha under his control, Leo Blue is nevertheless moving forward with a forced marriage. Elisha's freedom is slowly disappearing, and Toby is nowhere to be found. His parents have been struggling under harsh working conditions in the forced labor camp that is slowly digging a large, destructive crater in the middle of the tree, and they're beginning to lose hope that their son is even alive. In addition to Sim and Maya, numerous Grass People have been captured and forced into manual labor as well. Treated as second-class citizens, the Grass People are looking for a savior.

Never one to give up easily, Toby has a plan. One advantage he has is that no one recognizes him anymore. He used to be small and wiry but has since stretched out and grown into a young man. The other advantage is that he can instantly make friends and gain the trust of those around him. So he starts small, first joining the woodcutters as they beat back the lichen and learning of secret fugitives who hope to start a rebellion. He revisits old stomping grounds that reveal more secrets about the safety and whereabouts of the people he loves. Finally, he learns about a hidden secret from his past that has more control over him than he realized. But are these secrets enough to save the Tree?

The beauty of TOBY AND THE SECRETS OF THE TREE is found in the characters and their relationships to each other and the Tree. It slowly starts dawning on all of the characters that they are interconnected, and how they treat each other ultimately influences how they treat their home, the Tree. Much could be said for how humanity treats each other and our home, Earth. This allegorical tale is an optimistic one, though, and the story will ultimately pull at your heartstrings. Fans who have been waiting for a satisfying conclusion will not be disappointed.

---- Reviewed by Benjamin Boche

2 people found this helpful

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ali_marea

An interesting fantasy with some twists.

Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2011

When I first saw the description of "Toby and the Secrets of the Tree" by Timothee de Fombelle, I was intrigued. Based purely on the book-cover, it looked like a children's book. When I noticed the length, I realized it must be young-adult (YA) as it was too long to be a simple chapter-book. Being a fan of the occasional YA series, I decided to give it a try. One of the things that made it unique among the other YA books I've read recently is the fact that the author is French. So of course the book was written in French and the one I received (from Library Thing's Early Reviewer program) was in English, translated by Sarah Ardizzone.

My overall impression of the book was positive. I enjoyed the story and I was drawn in to the characters once I really got going. However, I did have some difficulty getting `into' the book, initially. My largest obstacle was the lack of context. Since this book is the second in a series, I will give the benefit of the doubt in assuming that I could have easily followed along had I read the first book. (Toby Alone) Since I was starting the series from book two, however, I was a little lost at first.

The beginning of the book seems to have little to do with the rest, not really setting the scene or getting you involved in the main characters for quite a while. The first character you are introduced to is inconsequential and forgettable. A while later when you meet Elisha, you don't really have any clue who she is or why she's held prisoner, or why she's in an egg, for that matter. I think part of my confusion also came from wondering just `what' these people (?) were.

My only source of comparison comes from Brian Jacques books, where animals go on adventures and have their own little world. (although humans don't appear to exist in his universe) But with those books I always got a brief introduction to the universe and characters who inhabited it.

Another issue I had was the slowness of the beginning of the book. Nothing seemed to really happen for quite a while. There were descriptions of the scenery and some action, but nothing seemed to progress for the first quarter of the book or so.

So those were my stumbling blocks.

Once I got past the first portion of the book, however, the story started to take off. I became more acquainted with the characters and finally figured out that the people of the Tree were more or less tiny humans. While the lack of background story remained confusing throughout the book, the characters were compelling enough that I was able to settle in and immerse myself in the world of the Tree.

As a YA book, this novel does a good job at being imaginative enough and adult enough to be inviting. I didn't find any condescension or dumbing down as I often find in other young-adult novels, so that was a major positive. I would happily give this to my children when they hit their pre-teens, although I would highly recommend that they read "Toby Alone" first.

Overall, Toby and the Secrets of the Tree (I really don't get the point of that title, by the way.) was a good book, enjoyable, and a change of pace for me. I would recommend it to others, with the caveat that it would be good to start with the first book if they want a better understanding of the strange world and its inhabitants.

Sarah Ardizzone did a wonderful job in translation. There were no awkward points in the book due to language barriers and such. I might have to get the book in French sometime to see if I notice any difference, but I'm not really up to the challenge at the moment. (not to mention that my French is more than a little rusty)

I'd commend this book to anyone who enjoys those of Brian Jacques, or even lovers of Antoine de Saint-Exupery's "Le Petit Prince".

One person found this helpful

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