The story was fun to follow and the main character Timo was just adorable. At the beginning, we see how he would love to experience great things, but, for the time being, he can do it only through reading books and telling stories. Once he has read every single book in his village, Timo feels he is ready to discover the world. His parents want to keep him close to protect their little boy without realizing how stifled he feels. Timo leaves the village with his little backpack full of objects he deems essential for his survival on a great adventure. One of them is a diary (every great explorer must write one, right?). Timo meets and even names new strange animals. I couldn’t help laughing reading his descriptions of them. He also makes a new friend who is a bit on a grumpy side, but is very loyal.
The artwork is very child-friendly, coupled with a gripping story and just the right amount of irony. I literally could not stop reading until I finished the story in one go.
Above all, I loved the message: ‘Go, discover, and learn. But you must accept the impact your actions will have on this world, adventurer…’ I will definitely recommend this book. Looking forward to reading the continuation of the story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Europe Comics for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

The art for this was well done—had a style of its own and was consistent as well as cute—but unfortunately the story left a little to be desired for me. Firstly, most of the encounters were kind of non-events; Timo saw something, reacted, it was over. Secondly, as this is meant for children, I was unimpressed by the character getting called out over his lack of ‘manliness’ for running screaming from a monster and then getting called ‘Princess’ derogatorily for the same. If, as the protagonist, he’d have responded with some snappy remark about not being a princess, but also managed to point out princesses weren’t necessarily inept, perhaps it would’ve worked, but instead it came across as though he got insulted for behaving like a girl and got upset about it. I’m not trying to be overly concerned with political correctness here, but I think in a book made for children, we should be trying to break the stereotypes we’ve grown up with rather than instil them in younger generations.

I’d like to give this 2.5 stars, but can’t, so I’m rounding up to three.

I was provided this book via NetGalley—as I’m sure you can tell, my reviews are always my honest opinions.

A refreshingly different graphic novel, Timo the Adventurer follows the story of a young boy who wants to explore the world.

After having read all the books available in his small village, the young boy decides it's time to leave his home behind and search for new adventures. What he's not prepared for, though, is that the world is very big and much more dangerous than books have prepared him for. Through a series of hilarious, sweet, and dangerous situations, Timo will explore, meet new creatures, and find himself in the process.

Timo the Adventurer stands out both for the amazing storytelling, and the magical illustrations that accompany it. This is definitely a recommended read.

Timo the Adventurer surely is exciting! I love adventure comics for kids when they're done with seriousness and with heart too. Garnier doesn't take the readers for granted and boy do our hero and the raccoon like creature have character! The story starts in a small village, where a boy named Timo has read all the books and now he yearns for more adventures. His parents don't want him to go on an adventure, but the boy is proud and leaves without goodbyes. He wonders through different lands only to find a weird creature captured in ruins and helps the said creature. Broof is mean and has a mission and Timo tags along. The comic is very mysterious and I cannot wait for the continuation, since I don't have a clue what is going to happen! The structure is amazing and the mystery is kept hidden well, which I surely enjoyed a lot. The rhythm is wonderful and the story rolls perfectly.

The art is beautiful and the soft colors compliment the story. There's this looming darkness even though the creatures look cute and whatnot. Timo the Adventurer looks magical and the thin and round line art flows nicely. Timo and Broof's relationship is quirky and awesome and the humor is great too. I loved Timo's notes and how he names the creatures he encounters along his ride. Such a great adventure comic, but I would've wanted more pages!

Oh my! The ending of the book one for this graphic novel is definitely a cliffhanger! From the illustrations, characters, and the story, Timo the Adventurer is undoubtedly one great comic book series to follow. Without trying, there are a lot of parts that are quite funny especially on how Timo encountered a big bear and mistaken him for someone. Timo's adventure is both funny and exciting read and I can't really wait what will happen to Timo and Broof in the second volume. There are no second thoughts for me on giving this a five-star rating because it is really worthy to read and a page-turner also.

Before I begin, I want to point out that the illustrations are outstanding. They really lend to the feel of the story. Timo, the hero, finds himself in a predicament. He has read every book in his village - - literally, every single book. There is nothing unread. This spurs him to leave on an adventure to discover more books. His parents are worried about him leaving since he is still only a boy but he knows he has to do it. As you would expect, he has numerous adventures and trials along the way.

Overall, I was pleased with the flow of the book. However, I was a little disappointed in the ending as there wasn't a firm resolution since there is another book. That said, I would still recommend it.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A strong four stars.

While the most different and individual thing about this book is the note at the very end saying that it's part of a two-volume adventure, that's not to say it's at all bad. Instead, it's really good fun, and it's actually quite a surprise that with so much set up and then left hanging here there'll only be one further part. Having read all the village's books before he's halfway an adult, Timo decides all the same he's mature enough to be an adventurer, and so goes off on a solo expedition, writing his own guide to brave explorers following in his footsteps. The landscape is varied, but more notable for the weird and wonderful creatures, and abandoned stone monuments and villages he finds. And when he finds a gruff, giant pink cat-thing, well… The fun is from Timo's naivety, which makes this a perfectly pleasant all-ages genre read, but there's nothing about these pages that strike you as naive. Instead it's got a gentle savvy, and a strong narrative arc. Fingers crossed for seeing the rest – although I dare say it won't pass my reviewer's eye any time soon.

This was very very cute! I really liked the art, and there are lots of interesting creatures and beautiful scenery that work so well shown in this format. I think fantasy books just lend themselves to graphic novels so well. I'm always up for some middle grade adventure and this was really fun, and the story was also good. It reminded me of Gravity Falls (the main characters in gravity falls and this have journals where they write about interesting creatures they meet and they're both young adventurous boys). It also reminded me of Hilda by Luke Pearson, I think if you like either of those things then this book might be for you.

This is just the first book and it wasn't that long so there wasn't really time to dig deep into the world and storyline, but it was a good start and I'm interested to see where the story goes.

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free graphic novel.*

"Once upon a time there was a little boy who couldn't resist the call of adventure and left his home to discover what was on the other side of the large, mysterious forest surrounding his village."

Timo has read to many (fantasy) books and when he has read all the books that there are in his little village, he leaves to find adventures of his own. He encounters wise bears, dangerous giant spider-mushroom-thingies and rides a fluffy llama/alpaca.

The graphic novel is well drawn and highly entertaining for both children and adults. Especially for the latter, the comic is meta: it makes fun and yet uses the tropes of adventure books. Little Timo interprets things the way they are in the books and sometimes ignores reality.

Super short and cute graphic novel. I'd like to read part 2 and see how the story ends. 5 Stars

"Once upon a time there was a little boy who couldn't resist the call of adventure and left his home to discover what was on the other side of the large mysterious forest surrounding his village"

This graphic novel deals with a readers biggest nightmare of all time, our achilles heel, the one crisis that would end all our happiness, THE WORLD WOULD LITERALLY END. That is having read EVERY attainable book..
Audience: *gasp*
I know..
and that is exactly what happens to Timo, a child with a large imagination. I guess living in a small village has its downfall.

As crippeling as this would be in a normal bookworms life, Timo sees it as an opportunity to go on an adventure! So he runs away from home to do just that! Maybe then he will become the hero he has always read about in his stories. You can immediately tell that Timo takes precaution within the dark woods with all the knowledge he's learned from reading adventure stories.

"It's not very heroic to wait for danger to come to you. Least I'm not afraid to go out and find it!"

THIS IS FREAKING ADORABLE. As I was reading, I looked up at the mirror across my room and noticed I had a huge smile plastered on my face. We meet so many wonderful character in such a short amount of time and each character has their own segmented page of illustrations and facts.

The art is perfect, clear and the colors are warm. The line art is round and simple and very very cute, but the whole package still conveys everything, even the sad parts, extremely well. The panels are clear and pretty - very easy to follow too, which makes this an awesome comic that highlights self-discovery. Timo The Adventurer is a meaningful, but much more. I really have to have this in my library!

Great story and artwork in "Timo the Adventurer." I'll definitely recommend this one to our library patrons and some of my friends.

This comic was amazing and I just know that kids are going to love it! The art is reminiscent of Adventure Time (which is rather enjoyable) and the story develops at a great speed. The main character, Timo, is likeable and the way the first book ends makes the reader want to find out what happens next! I am looking forward to seeing what becomes of this young adventurer and his newly found companion.

Ok, I loved this book and am so upset it ends on such a cliffhanger!

Timo is a young man who lives in a small village where everyone thinks he's kind of weird because he prefers to read or tell stories than climb trees and run around.
One day he realizes that he has read every book in his village, so Timo decides this means he is now old enough to go on a real adventure of his own. Since he reads so much he's pretty prepared but since he reads so much he is also prone to flights of fancy, so one day when he runs into a bear he assumes the bear is a magical sage who will give him a vision. The bear accidentally points him in the direction of a creepy old temple, and that's when the real trouble begins.
Absolutely adorable artwork tells the core of Timo's story, but this is interwoven with "entries" from Timo's journal in which he describes his adventures and draws and names the creatures he encounters. Do not be tempted to skip these, they are a hoot, and pay very close attention to the small details in the backgrounds of the story frames - there are a ton of interesting things hidden there!

This graphic novel is an absolute delight, ideal for those that don't have much time and prefer lighter stories. It can be read for all ages because all children will see is an adventure by young Timo while adults will be able to draw parallels to all the adventures in their lives, mainly when it comes to living independently and living through all kinds of rites of passage. The art is absolutely lovely with soft colours and adorable characters. One of my favourite parts are the "new animals" that Timo discovers in his journey and the inventive names with which he baptizes them. Honestly, it’s cuteness overload. I'm so happy that this has a second part but BE AWARNED the cliff hanger at the end is not for the faint of heart.

Unique and engaging, Timo the Adventurer is a likeable text. It's one I would gladly include in a course on graphic novels...or simply share with another comic book reader. Recommended!

This was an adorable first volume in a new graphic novel series. The art style will speak to everyone who loves Zelda and Studio Ghibli. The story ends with a big cliff hanger, so be prepared.
It's definitely targeting young readers but still enjoyable for fantasy lovers of all ages.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a copy.

Book 1 of Timo the Adventurer features a story of bravery and friendship, told through a modern, exaggerative art style. It’s a great story for kids, with beautiful artwork and a quick narrative flow.

The joy of the book lies in Timo’s quest for knowledge and his willingness to brave the world in order to expand his knowledge. He’s compelled to adventure when his parents are no longer able to find him any new books. He exudes confidence every step of the way, no matter how scary or different his surroundings are. We’re reminded that he’s just a kid as he makes bad decisions and almost gets himself killed. The story cuts off at the end to prepare for Book 2, and it promises to be a volume filled with chase and excitement.

Using journal entries to show the boy’s perceptions of the world was a great move as well. We see how naive he is about his surroundings and the simplistic descriptions he has of these somewhat dangerous animals he comes across. He almost dies multiple times, but he thinks of it as a thrilling adventure, and of himself as a knight.

The art style is an interesting combination of modern art strokes with exaggerated shapes and expressions. It’s simple and extremely complex at the same time. The animals are drawn in a unique fashion, with minimal facial features and large, exaggerated bodies. There’s danger around every corner by the end, but the art style keeps the wonder of the young boy alive.

This would be a great introduction to fantasy worlds for a young kid who has a lot of imagination. It’s a fun time to be had, for sure.

This review will be published on 2/15/19: https://reviewsandrobots.com/2019/02/15/timo-the-adventurer-book-review

This charming graphic novel follows a young boy on his outlandish adventures. This is a great book for a parent and child to read together. It alluded to many of the adventure books and games of my youth, like Zelda, Dune, and Goonies. The illustrations are very strong, with an appealing color palette. This would be a great book to buy the young adventurer in your life.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review to be posted on all sources mentioned on my profile on Sunday/Monday.

I received this comic from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

A little boy who loves to read is preparing bit by bit to become that what he wishes to be the most... an adventurer!

I will write this review as I read, just like how I do the Harlequin Manga.

Timo loves stories it seems, loves them much more than frolicking around, and he looks forward to the day his parents bring a new book to him (apparently that isn't easy, this village doesn't have a library). I love that Timo devours books, finds new worlds and new skills, and that he was even eager to go adventuring on his own to get books. Man, that is me. If I was Timo I would also have gone for adventures. To find new books, new stories, to learn new things. *dreams*

But I can imagine his parents are hesitant. He is still a tiny one, and I can imagine they want to protect him.

Yay, Timo is on his way to adventures! He left a book for his best friend who listens to his stories, and I hope that he also left a note for his parents. I know he said he didn't say goodbye, but who knows, maybe he left something written. I hope so.

I had a laugh at his adventures to get through the woods. He acts all smarty-pants, and indeed a bit show-offish, but you can see that he doesn't know all the things. He is learning as he goes, and that makes me happy. I was already thinking he would just manage his way out in a flash, but no.

I liked the red-haired woman who is protecting the valley. I did agree with what she said to Timo, he is quite arrogant which is something he should ditch very fast or it indeed will bite him in his ass.

Ohhhh, I do like that we see journal parts. OK, sure, it is mostly a recap of what we just saw which is a shame, but still fun to see Timo's thoughts and drawings. As the journey continues we see more of his journal and I had a laugh at his imagination. Come on, that bear was so clearly not a sage, but oh well. He is now I guess. :P

I am getting a bit tired of Timo's whining and fancy talking. Yes, questing is hard. Yes, adventuring isn't always fun and happiness. I am sure your books would have told you that as well. :| But at least he is continuing his journey and not giving up.

I just adore seeing this world, the animals (they are so many adorable and fluffy ones, but also bigger tougher ones), the landscape, I wish I could explore this world.

Um Timo, you had to go through some wall/glass thingie, you see something in the midst of a ruined room chained up as much as it can be, and you free it? Dang, that is just not something you may want to do. Then again, this is Timo. He doesn't seem to get various things. I wonder what Broof is and why he was chained up. Why did the animals go all weird when he was freed. What kind of consequences will come because of this?

I am still not sure how I feel about Broof, he seems to at least have his heart in the right places.. at times. I loved how he went to save Timo's life when he found out about the bite.

That ending though, holy crap. I need the second volume of this series. I need to know what is going to happen to Timo. I need to know why letting out Broof was bad. I want to see more adventures!

The art was just amazing, I love the style oh so much. I definitely do need to check if the artist has done any other works. And then hope they are in English, German, or Dutch, or very easy Spanish/French. :P

I would recommend this fun book to everyone. Adventure, magic, fun, mysterious monsters, and a boy with a thirst to find out about this world and bring back stories to his family and friends.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I was able to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
***
Timo is a young boy with a voracious reading appetite about adventures and the wider world. When his small village can no longer meet his reading needs he decides its time for him to stop reading and become a person worth writing stories about.
This comic has a wonderfully fun art style that is sure to hook children and keep them entertained as they follow the unprepared Timo on his journey for adventure and exploration. My only complaint is it’s such a short book and ends on a cliffhanger. Patience thy name is not me. I look forward to book 2.