Toby Alone
by by Timothée de Fombelle
Illustrated by Francois Place
Toby Lolness, a 13-year-old boy of diminutive height (1.5 millimetres) escapes with his life, after his father, a keen naturalist, discloses at a community meeting the reason for the decline in the health of the tree in which he and his family live: the building of new homes, caused by an increase in the number of people living in the tree, funded by the corporate and tyrannical money-making Joe Mitch.
This enviromental allegory gains momentum by placing Toby at the heart of the tree's eco-system. If he can rescue his parents, then he can save the tree and its inhabitants from certain catastrophe. Toby's knowledge and respect for the tree aids his survival, but the everyday occurrences of confrontations with insects such as the revolting weevils, and the unpleasant situation of getting stuck in a spider's web, highlight the hazards and dangers that naturally hinder, but do not overwhelm, a boy so small.
de Fombelle's ability to magnify the everyday wonders of nature, through her creation of a character so small, gives this debut novel a purposeful and endearing quality.