THE ADVENTURES OF TOBY BAXTER: BOOK THREE

In Wright’s middle-grade fantasy adventure, a tween boy must find the missing piece of a sword to save a fantasy realm.

In this (2024) third installment of the Adventures of Toby Baxter series, Toby is feeling moody, crabby, and downright miserable. Though he’s about to embark upon a surprise family trip to Hawaii with his best friend Sid, he’d rather avoid packing in favor of reading his Marvel comic books. En route to Hawaii, Toby learns his beloved fantasy land of RiverHome, which he is able to enter via a portal, is in trouble. In east Maui, Clygon (a formerly villainous troll from RiverHome) transports Toby to the Tikvah Mountain’s depths and guides him to some giants.  With encouragement from their Lord Harold (“It appears that you and Clygon are here to save us”), Toby sets out with Clygon, giants Oliver and Evy, and Saaba—a wolf who carries necessities and protects them—on a mission to find a piece of a missing sword and repair it to save the giants and RiverHome. The journey is not easy; the adventurers are menaced by stalactites, moving boulders, and trolls. Toby is expected to lead the quest, and he makes myriad mistakes along the way.  Wright, an ordained pastor, knows middle-school kids and their challenges well.  Toby’s moody behavior and interpersonal conflicts are relatable and clear from the beginning (Toby is not always correct, strong, or able to make the best choices).  Lessons learned along the way are not always perfectly internalized, which is realistic for a middle-grade readership.  The narrative is engaging with its well-constructed world, intriguing yet subtle conflicts, and humor (much of it timely—the narrative includes digs at social media, the current gig economy, and the overall selfishness of American culture). All of the characters have unique needs and make important contributions. While the text feels didactic at times, the story successfully incorporates realistic middle-school desires, a sound fantasy structure, and age-appropriate lessons.

A timeless, well-executed middle-grade fantasy.