Once Upon a Tim
Description
Join New York Times bestselling author Stuart Gibbs in this first book in a hilarious, highly illustrated new middle grade series about a peasant boy who wants to be a knight, perfect for fans of Max & the Midknights.
Tim is just a peasant, but he dreams big. He wants more out of life than to grow up to be a woodsman like his father. Unfortunately, the only route to success in the kingdom of Wyld is to be born a prince. Still, Tim is determined. He is brave and clever and always tries to do the right thing—even though he rarely gets the credit for it.
Then news spreads that Princess Grace of the neighboring kingdom has been abducted by the evil Stinx and Prince Ruprecht needs a legion of knights to join him on his quest to rescue her. Tim finally has the lucky break he’s been waiting for, the opportunity to change his station in life. And even though he doesn’t know how to ride a horse or wield anything more deadly than a water bucket, he’s going to do whatever it takes to make sure his dream becomes a reality.
Praise for Once Upon a Tim
"A comic quest follows, with scares and laughs abundantly on offer...Tim’s chatty, entertaining narration, which includes ample potty humor and the occasional vocabulary 'IQ booster,' also touches on lessons about stereotypes and unconscious bias throughout the chatty, madcap adventure."
— Publishers Weekly
"Gibbs peppers his prose with entertaining side comments as well as “IQ boosters,” explaining terms such as malodorous, iconoclast, and infinitesimal, while maintaining the pace of the narrative. This giddy romp through a medieval setting, complete with menacing trolls and gigantic, bloodthirsty butterflies, is the start of a promising series from the author of Spy School (2012) and its sequels."
— Booklist
"Budding heroes defeat class and gender expectations as well as the occasional monster in this wry outing."
— Kirkus Reviews
"Fans of heraldic silliness like “The Princess Bride” and “Shrek” will delight in ONCE UPON A TIM, a charming take on the traditional knightly adventure.
— The New York Times Book Review
"A comic quest follows, with scares and laughs abundantly on offer...Tim’s chatty, entertaining narration, which includes ample potty humor and the occasional vocabulary 'IQ booster,' also touches on lessons about stereotypes and unconscious bias throughout the chatty, madcap adventure."
— Publishers Weekly
"Gibbs peppers his prose with entertaining side comments as well as “IQ boosters,” explaining terms such as malodorous, iconoclast, and infinitesimal, while maintaining the pace of the narrative. This giddy romp through a medieval setting, complete with menacing trolls and gigantic, bloodthirsty butterflies, is the start of a promising series from the author of Spy School (2012) and its sequels."
— Booklist
"Budding heroes defeat class and gender expectations as well as the occasional monster in this wry outing."
— Kirkus Reviews
"Fans of heraldic silliness like “The Princess Bride” and “Shrek” will delight in ONCE UPON A TIM, a charming take on the traditional knightly adventure.
— The New York Times Book Review