New History of the Life and Adventures of Tom Thumb

Born from a wish for a child, Tom Thumb is no larger than his father’s thumb—but his courage, cleverness, and appetite for adventure are anything but small. With the help of Merlin and the Fairy Queen, this tiny hero begins life in a humble cottage, where even an ordinary pudding becomes a perilous journey.

Tom’s size makes the world a place of astonishing dangers and unexpected escapes. He tumbles into boiling batter, outwits playmates, survives a frightening fever, and is carried through the air by a coach drawn by flying mice. Soon he finds himself at the court of King Arthur, where a mishap involving a bowl of soup sends him into fresh trouble, followed by an extraordinary encounter in the river. Told with playful exaggeration and old-fashioned charm, these early adventures invite listeners into a story where kitchens, rivers, and royal courts are all vast landscapes—and a very small boy can cause a remarkably large commotion.