THE SECRET HISTORY OF TOM TRUEHEART
by Ian Beck
HarperTrophy
Hardcover: 0061152102
Paperback: 9780061152122
Ages 8-12
352 pages

In the Land of Stories, the Trueheart men are famous for their heroic, exciting and sometimes romantic antics. They carry on a family tradition started by their brave and well-known father, Jack. Trueheart senior is heralded throughout the land as a great adventurer. But since his mysterious disappearance, his boys have taken over the tasks assigned by the Story Bureau and the Guild of Stories to finish the tales devised by Guild members. The Trueheart sons, appropriately named some form of Jack after their beloved father, each receive letters from the Bureau with directions and clues to an adventure they are to undertake.

When none of Tom's big brothers come home from their assignments in time to celebrate his 12th birthday, the Bureau sends Tom his first letter telling him to go and search for the missing men. But young Tom doesn't know if he's ready for such an important and scary mission. According to his brothers, the Land of Stories is filled with many wondrous, strange and dangerous characters. But family tradition says that a Trueheart always answers the call of the adventure "With a true heart."

The Story Bureau is responsible for creating the beginnings of all the stories in the Land of Stories. Guild of Stories members invent the initial ideas, set up the scenes and charge the Truehearts with finishing the stories and reporting back to the Bureau when they are complete. Six stories are incomplete because the six Trueheart brothers cannot be found, and one Guild member and story devisor, Brother Julius Ormestone, is suspiciously absent from the Bureau as well. When the Bureau directs Tom to find his brothers so they can finish their stories, they hope that the boy won't have to deal with the sinister Ormestone.

Just in case, a sprite called Jollity is assigned to watch over Tom during his adventure. Jollity is transformed into a crow that follows him closely. It is completely up to the adventurer to experience the ending and bring the conclusion back to the Guild to finish writing. The rules are that the Bureau cannot interfere with the endings of the adventurers no matter how scary and frightening they become. That makes for a good story! So Tom is on his own to invent a way to find and rescue his brothers and to help them finish their adventures.

In THE SECRET HISTORY OF TOM TRUEHEART, Ian Beck has devised an imaginative and fast-paced escapade full of entertaining notions. The book will captivate readers with its unique blend of traditional fairy tales and Tom's exploits as he uncovers the whereabouts of his siblings. Tom's brilliance and bravery show the family and the Bureau that he's old enough --- and courageous enough --- for any adventure. 

   --- Reviewed by Joy Held

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