Monday, December 19, 2011

The Secret History of Tom Trueheart (MG)

The Secret History of Tom Trueheart. Ian Beck. 2006. HarperCollins. 345 pages.

Once upon a time, long ago, near the Land of Stories, lived young Tom Trueheart. He was the youngest of the famous Trueheart family of adventurers. 

I liked this one. I even really liked this one! I'm just not sure it's love for me.

Tom is the youngest in a long line of adventurers. All of his older brothers have already had plenty of adventures in the Land of Stories. All of his older brothers regularly are sent on missions by the Story Bureau. But for Tom, well, he's always the one left behind. True he isn't quite old enough, he hasn't had 'the birthday' yet. (I believe it's 12?) But his birthday is fast approaching. All of his brothers have promised--their mother--to be back in time for Tom's birthday. That will give them several weeks at least to finish the stories and report everything so that it can be written down and enjoyed by one and all. But Tom's birthday comes and goes, and there is still no word on his brothers. What could have kept them in their stories so long? Should they be worried?!

In this first adventure, Tom Trueheart receives his FIRST assignment. Enter the Land of Stories and find out what happened to his older brothers--I believe there are six brothers. It's not an easy mission, for something must be seriously wrong to keep all six brothers away from home so long. Does the Trueheart family have an enemy?!

As I said, I really really liked this one. I thought it was fun. Perhaps not quite as fun and clever as A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz. Perhaps not quite as funny as the first few books in  The Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley. But I think the book is a fun treat all the same.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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