TIMO THE ADVENTURER

An adventure-seeking boy learns to use his judgment and not see the whole world through quest-colored glasses in this French import.

Young Timo loves adventure stories and feels “stifled” and “cooped up” by village life. When he’s read every book in his village, Timo runs away to become a hero—but it’s much less fun than he’d thought. Adventure means he’s sometimes cold, humiliated, or homesick. But it’s not all bad. Timo frees a giant, talking raccoon from a trap, which surely defines him as a mighty warrior with a magical ally. His conviction that his every experience is due to his heroic destiny prevents Timo from realizing that not all heroes and villains are as they appear. Sepia-toned pages from Timo’s journal between sections of his journey reveal his initial grumpiness that not everyone takes him seriously. Though early on in his quest Timo’s arrogance and self-centered naiveté are on display, they vanish as points of character growth as Timo, who presents White, actually does become a semimagical hero. One ally/antagonist Timo encounters is a brown-skinned girl with a White father; all other characters of note are fair-skinned people or magical creatures. The occasional dragginess of Timo’s maundering inner monologue is salvaged by the lovely muted palette of Sacré’s dynamic, stylized illustrations, which are laid out in neat, squared-off panels.

A perfectly serviceable hero’s journey.