Toby Baxter can’t wait to be a teenager. On the cusp of turning thirteen, the superhero-obsessed boy’s jaw drops when a baffling stranger appears and begs him for help. But when he’s led through a portal on a whirlwind trip to a magical land, he’s terrified to be plunged mid-battle between elves and a legion of stinky trolls.
Bewildered and queasy, Toby is confused when his new friends claim he is the hero who will lead them to victory. And now only his dangerous quest to retrieve a legendary slaying sword can save his skin… and turn the tide of war.
Can this newly minted teen become a real warrior and rise up as the strange realm’s savior?
Lighthearted and conspiratorially didactic; an agreeable romp toward adulthood.—Kirkus Reviews
Readers will love Toby’s slightly tongue-in-cheek fantasy adventure quest, drawing as it does on a wealth of popular culture snippets, from King Arthur and The Hobbit to Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Star Wars. Wright’s narrative voice is quirky and engaging but does not obscure the important messages in the narrative about what it means to be heroic. Overall, Toby Baxter is an exciting adventure and a thought-provoking exploration of what it means to grow from boy to man.—The Children’s Book Review
The Adventures of Toby Baxter is a fantasy mystery of epic proportions-and it’s captivating from page one. The reach of this book extends from middle- grade readers all the way to adults of any age. Try it, you’ll see what we mean. The pages are full of intrigue and twists and mystery-all while Toby struggles to find his place and purpose in his new world. The setting is lush, the creatures are awesome-and just as lovable as the characters, and the bad guys are pretty freaking scary. Full of fun, rich in suspense and brimming with adventure!—readingwithyourkids.com
Engrossing and addictive… A page-turning middle-grade fantasy.—The Prairies Book Review
The Adventures of Toby Baxter: The River Elf, The Giant, And The Closet is book one in The Adventures of Toby Baxter Series and is a sensational novel written by the equally superb author Tim Wright and is a book that is the definition of a perfect middle grade/YA fantasy read laced with suspense and plenty of intrigue! The River Elf, The Giant, And The Closet is an incredible novel that charmed, shocked, and thrilled me with its multiple themes and plot avenues and already I would implore you lovely readers to have a read of this book!—Red Headed Book Lover
Targeted Age Group:: Middle-school age readers
What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
I've been a fan of fantasy adventures since college. For years that was the only genre of book I read. So I've always toyed with the idea of writing my own fantasy novel but never had the time to do it. Once I had grandkids I decided it was time to give it a go. Using my five grandkids as the main characters, I started crafting a story about a 13-year-old boy called into a new world to be their HERO. But as is true with most 13-year-olds, he wasn't all that sure he was right for the job.
The series has also been shaped by my work with Dr. Michael Gurian on rites of passage: how important it is to give middle schoolers a vision for adulthood, with guidance along the way. So using fantasy adventure and lots of humor, I'm writing this series to offer young readers relatable characters who, like them, are making the transition from teen to adult.
I also want to create a series that helps boys discover the joy of reading. Research shows that they are falling behind girls in literacy. So perhaps Toby's adventures, written with lots of action and humor, will inspire boys to read.
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