Tollins: Explosive Tales for Children
Conn Iggulden, illustrated by Lizzy Duncan
Harper, 2009
$16.99, Hardcover
978-0061730986
March 16th, 2012
Genre:
Fantasy
Age: 6+
Description:
Don’t confuse Tollins with fairies—they both have wings but Tollins are larger
and not as fragile. This book collects three interrelated stories about the
Tollins—all centered around one Tollin named Sparkler. In “How to Blow Up
Tollins” a fireworks factory comes to Chorleywood and the men running it
discover Tollins are a wonderful ingredient in making fireworks explode. Tired
of being captured and blown up again and again, Sparkler looks into what it is
that makes Tollin dust so powerful and finds nice, scientific replacements.
Unfortunately, he ends up breaking the number one Tollin rule—never speak to
humans—but ends up saving them all from a life of slavery as firework parts. In
“Sparkler and the Purple Death” the High Tollin wants to execute Sparkler for
talking to humans. Can Sparkler avoid death by curing the High Tollin’s
grout—using medicine techniques he learned from human books? Lastly, in
“Windbags and Dark Tollins” the Tollins are getting into education with the
help of some human books. When the Dark Tollins—a country folk—visit it turns
out bad as the Dark Tollins want what the other Tollins have and demand to take
over the High Court.
Opinion:
This really is a book for all ages. It is oversized and features large text on
very white-spaced pages with lots of accompanying illustrations. The tales are
fantastic enough to appeal to children with some black humor mixed in to appeal
to older teens and adults. This is a great book for a read aloud as well.
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