booksandemma
- Aug 24, 2019
- 3 min read

Toletis - Rafa Ruiz

Updated: Sep 18, 2019

Illustrated by Elena Hormiga - Translated by Ben Dawlatry

#Toletis #RafaRuiz @NeemTreePress @RandomThingsTours

"For ages Seven to 107"

Synopsis

The trees are disappearing and the adults don't care.

Toletis, his dog Amenophis and friends Claudia and Tutan are on a mission to turn their little valley town, set deep in the mountains, lusciously green again.

The odds are stacked against them. Can they succeed ...with some very unusual help?

A deep appreciation for nature, art, language, music, friendship, family, the passing of time, old age, loneliness, and the importance of sitting still and reflecting on life, pervade this exquisite story.

A must read for 7 to 107 year olds!

Toletis is a positive role model for boys

Toletis is a quiet, sensitive and caring boy who isn’t afraid to show his emotions. His character is a perfect antidote to the expectations of a “typical” boy: loud, boisterous and destructive. This is definitely a book for parents who reject the saying “boys will be boys”.

The ‘big’ real life stuff

One of the things I love most about Toletis is that it touches on big real life events such as the death of a family member in a wholesome and loving way. Sad events in the book are neither taboo nor overly sad; they are expertly touched upon in a way that is both matter-of-fact and empathetic.

Toletis encourages a love of nature

It’s easy to be drawn in by the immersive storytelling and beautiful illustrations. Toletis spends much of the book exploring the hills and valleys around his home, foraging, planting trees and doing all of the things every child should. The book gives just enough detail – the smells, the sounds of the hills are so clear you’re almost there yourself.

Toletis has a good sense of justice

Toletis has a good sense of justice. When trees are cut down to put a wide road through the town, he hatches a plan to stop it. He knows what is wrong in the world and isn’t afraid to step up and change it.

My Review

Such a lovely story and the beautifully drawn and crafted pictures make this book a real treat to read.

All 3 of my "Mini Twist" boys read this book even my 12 year old who at first glance thought it was not for him!

We all enjoyed the short chapters and the funny and imaginative tales of Toletis and his friends defending there home and protecting nature through the seasons.

My "Mini Twist" boys enjoy reading and reviewing book so much and we love to share book too so we tend to donate any books we have had the pleasure of been sent to us and have finished to our little primary school library, but in this case this book is a keeper and my boys want it to read again and again!

Author Bio

Rafa Ruiz is a journalist and author who has a staunch commitment to culture, art and the environment.

He spent 25 years at Spanish newspaper El País and is a partner-founder of the Press Association for Environmental Information (APIA).

He has written numerous children’s books, and he codirects the Mad is Mad art gallery in Madrid which gives space to up-and-coming artists.

He is one of the partner-founders of the Press Association for Environmental Information (APIA).

All social media in Spanish unfortunately:

Twitter: @rafaruiz his art gallery: @mad_is_mad

TOLETIS : by Rafa Ruiz; Illustrated by Elena Hormiga, Translated from Spanish by Ben Dawlatly - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKKBLSO5h4A

Elena Hormiga is an illustrator with a sense of humour. She studied and worked as an engineer and later turned to illustration

Ben Dawlatly took an MA in Hispanic Studies and Translation Theory at UCL. He translates both technical and literary texts. However, his real calling is in fiction and poetry.