Intended AudienceYoung Adult Audience
ReviewsHigh Praise for LIES OF A TOYMAKER "Jacobson takes her readers on a captivating journey in Lies of a Toymaker , an imaginative retelling told with grit and heart." --Meagan Brother, author, Weird Girl and What's His Name " Lies of a Toymaker gleefully turns folklore on its head, gender-bending, raising the stakes, and leaving the reader to question how we understand the world. If toys come to life, might life also be reduced to the confines of a toy? Jacobson tempers whimsy with a severe, dark edge in this wonderfully imagined retelling. --Michael Chin, author, This Year's Ghost "A gripping hero's journey, full of lush prose and heart-rending storytelling. Absolutely perfect for teen readers!" --Micki Janae, author, Of Blood and Lightning "Creepy and dreadful in all the best ways, Jacobson's poetic prose brings a sinister modern bent to the classic Pinnochio tale, stringing the reader into an engrossing family mystery unravelled only as far as she allows it. Lies of a Toymaker 's ethereal story will slowly sneak its way into your thoughts when you're not reading it, and you won't realize you're hooked until it's too late." --Rie Lee, author, Vessel Past Praise for Kelly Ann Jacobson For Robin and Her Misfits "A diverse and entertaining twist on a popular legend . . . Unreservedly recommended." --Midwest Book Review , Children's Bookwatch, LGBT Fiction Shelf "A queer retelling of Robin Hood full of heists, heart, and Florida humidity . . . Captures all the nuances of each main characters' personalities as well as the found family that made Robin Hood and his Merry Men such a beloved classic." --The Southern Bookseller Review "[A] rousing heist adventure . . . Jacobson's take on the well-known tale, told through a cinematic plotline, centers themes of found family and queer love." --Publishers Weekly For Tink and Wendy Gold Medal Winner, Young Adult Fiction Foreword INDIES Awards "This atmospheric reimaging is rife with divided loyalties and harsh tragedies. Introspective and character-driven, it retains the misty, fairy-tale feel of impossible things and childhood yearning . . . Jacobson shines in thoughtfully rendering the classic characters as well-rounded, complex, and flawed individuals." --School Library Journal "A masterful reinvention of the classic. Full of teenage angst and yearning, it is poignant, relatable, and full of contemporary appeal." --Foreword Reviews "A modern tale that completely reinvents the characters ... both beautiful and heartbreaking all in one." --The Southern Bookseller Review, Past Praise for Kelly Ann Jacobson For Robin and Her Misfits "A diverse and entertaining twist on a popular legend . . . Unreservedly recommended." --Midwest Book Review , Children's Bookwatch, LGBT Fiction Shelf "A queer retelling of Robin Hood full of heists, heart, and Florida humidity . . . Captures all the nuances of each main characters' personalities as well as the found family that made Robin Hood and his Merry Men such a beloved classic." --The Southern Bookseller Review "[A] rousing heist adventure . . . Jacobson's take on the well-known tale, told through a cinematic plotline, centers themes of found family and queer love." --Publishers Weekly For Tink and Wendy Gold Medal Winner, Young Adult Fiction Foreword INDIES Awards "This atmospheric reimaging is rife with divided loyalties and harsh tragedies. Introspective and character-driven, it retains the misty, fairy-tale feel of impossible things and childhood yearning . . . Jacobson shines in thoughtfully rendering the classic characters as well-rounded, complex, and flawed individuals." --School Library Journal "A masterful reinvention of the classic. Full of teenage angst and yearning, it is poignant, relatable, and full of contemporary appeal." --Foreword Reviews "A modern tale that completely reinvents the characters ... both beautiful and heartbreaking all in one." --The Southern Bookseller Review, High Praise for LIES OF A TOYMAKER "In this complex, fantasy nod toward Pinocchio, our heroine is brash and clever, wildly uninformed about her own life but equipped with a strong sense of justice that guides her choices. ... Although a foreknowledge of the influencing story is not necessary, true Pinocchio fans will appreciate the overlapping themes and scenes, including the welcome appearance of a snarky cricket." --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "In the fun fantasy novel Lies of a Toymaker , a girl explores her sense of identity and purpose in a world where toys come alive." --Foreword Reviews "A wild ride which artfully twists Carlo Collodi's classic children's novel into anunforgettable dark adventure . . . A page-turning pleasure " --Julia Watts, author, Needlework "Jacobson takes her readers on a captivating journey in Lies of a Toymaker , an imaginative retelling told with grit and heart." --Meagan Brother, author, Weird Girl and What's His Name " Lies of a Toymaker gleefully turns folklore on its head, gender-bending, raising the stakes, and leaving the reader to question how we understand the world. If toys come to life, might life also be reduced to the confines of a toy? Jacobson tempers whimsy with a severe, dark edge in this wonderfully imagined retelling. --Michael Chin, author, This Year's Ghost "A gripping hero's journey, full of lush prose and heart-rending storytelling. Absolutely perfect for teen readers!" --Micki Janae, author, Of Blood and Lightning "Creepy and dreadful in all the best ways, Jacobson's poetic prose brings a sinister modern bent to the classic Pinnochio tale, stringing the reader into an engrossing family mystery unravelled only as far as she allows it. Lies of a Toymaker 's ethereal story will slowly sneak its way into your thoughts when you're not reading it, and you won't realize you're hooked until it's too late." --Rie Lee, author, Vessel Past Praise for Kelly Ann Jacobson For Robin and Her Misfits "A diverse and entertaining twist on a popular legend . . . Unreservedly recommended." --Midwest Book Review , Children's Bookwatch, LGBT Fiction Shelf "A queer retelling of Robin Hood full of heists, heart, and Florida humidity . . . Captures all the nuances of each main characters' personalities as well as the found family that made Robin Hood and his Merry Men such a beloved classic." --The Southern Bookseller Review "[A] rousing heist adventure . . . Jacobson's take on the well-known tale, told through a cinematic plotline, centers themes of found family and queer love." --Publishers Weekly For Tink and Wendy Gold Medal Winner, Young Adult Fiction Foreword INDIES Awards "This atmospheric reimaging is rife with divided loyalties and harsh tragedies. Introspective and character-driven, it retains the misty, fairy-tale feel of impossible things and childhood yearning . . . Jacobson shines in thoughtfully rendering the classic characters as well-rounded, complex, and flawed individuals." --School Library Journal "A masterful reinvention of the classic. Full of teenage angst and yearning, it is poignant, relatable, and full of contemporary appeal." --Foreword Reviews "A modern tale that completely reinvents the characters ... both beautiful and heartbreaking all in one." --The Southern Bookseller Review, High Praise for LIES OF A TOYMAKER "In the fun fantasy novel Lies of a Toymaker , a girl explores her sense of identity and purpose in a world where toys come alive." --Foreword Reviews "Jacobson takes her readers on a captivating journey in Lies of a Toymaker , an imaginative retelling told with grit and heart." --Meagan Brother, author, Weird Girl and What's His Name " Lies of a Toymaker gleefully turns folklore on its head, gender-bending, raising the stakes, and leaving the reader to question how we understand the world. If toys come to life, might life also be reduced to the confines of a toy? Jacobson tempers whimsy with a severe, dark edge in this wonderfully imagined retelling. --Michael Chin, author, This Year's Ghost "A gripping hero's journey, full of lush prose and heart-rending storytelling. Absolutely perfect for teen readers!" --Micki Janae, author, Of Blood and Lightning "Creepy and dreadful in all the best ways, Jacobson's poetic prose brings a sinister modern bent to the classic Pinnochio tale, stringing the reader into an engrossing family mystery unravelled only as far as she allows it. Lies of a Toymaker 's ethereal story will slowly sneak its way into your thoughts when you're not reading it, and you won't realize you're hooked until it's too late." --Rie Lee, author, Vessel Past Praise for Kelly Ann Jacobson For Robin and Her Misfits "A diverse and entertaining twist on a popular legend . . . Unreservedly recommended." --Midwest Book Review , Children's Bookwatch, LGBT Fiction Shelf "A queer retelling of Robin Hood full of heists, heart, and Florida humidity . . . Captures all the nuances of each main characters' personalities as well as the found family that made Robin Hood and his Merry Men such a beloved classic." --The Southern Bookseller Review "[A] rousing heist adventure . . . Jacobson's take on the well-known tale, told through a cinematic plotline, centers themes of found family and queer love." --Publishers Weekly For Tink and Wendy Gold Medal Winner, Young Adult Fiction Foreword INDIES Awards "This atmospheric reimaging is rife with divided loyalties and harsh tragedies. Introspective and character-driven, it retains the misty, fairy-tale feel of impossible things and childhood yearning . . . Jacobson shines in thoughtfully rendering the classic characters as well-rounded, complex, and flawed individuals." --School Library Journal "A masterful reinvention of the classic. Full of teenage angst and yearning, it is poignant, relatable, and full of contemporary appeal." --Foreword Reviews "A modern tale that completely reinvents the characters ... both beautiful and heartbreaking all in one." --The Southern Bookseller Review, High Praise for LIES OF A TOYMAKER "In the fun fantasy novel Lies of a Toymaker , a girl explores her sense of identity and purpose in a world where toys come alive." --Foreword Reviews "A wild ride which artfully twists Carlo Collodi's classic children's novel into anunforgettable dark adventure . . . A page-turning pleasure " --Julia Watts, author, Needlework "Jacobson takes her readers on a captivating journey in Lies of a Toymaker , an imaginative retelling told with grit and heart." --Meagan Brother, author, Weird Girl and What's His Name " Lies of a Toymaker gleefully turns folklore on its head, gender-bending, raising the stakes, and leaving the reader to question how we understand the world. If toys come to life, might life also be reduced to the confines of a toy? Jacobson tempers whimsy with a severe, dark edge in this wonderfully imagined retelling. --Michael Chin, author, This Year's Ghost "A gripping hero's journey, full of lush prose and heart-rending storytelling. Absolutely perfect for teen readers!" --Micki Janae, author, Of Blood and Lightning "Creepy and dreadful in all the best ways, Jacobson's poetic prose brings a sinister modern bent to the classic Pinnochio tale, stringing the reader into an engrossing family mystery unravelled only as far as she allows it. Lies of a Toymaker 's ethereal story will slowly sneak its way into your thoughts when you're not reading it, and you won't realize you're hooked until it's too late." --Rie Lee, author, Vessel Past Praise for Kelly Ann Jacobson For Robin and Her Misfits "A diverse and entertaining twist on a popular legend . . . Unreservedly recommended." --Midwest Book Review , Children's Bookwatch, LGBT Fiction Shelf "A queer retelling of Robin Hood full of heists, heart, and Florida humidity . . . Captures all the nuances of each main characters' personalities as well as the found family that made Robin Hood and his Merry Men such a beloved classic." --The Southern Bookseller Review "[A] rousing heist adventure . . . Jacobson's take on the well-known tale, told through a cinematic plotline, centers themes of found family and queer love." --Publishers Weekly For Tink and Wendy Gold Medal Winner, Young Adult Fiction Foreword INDIES Awards "This atmospheric reimaging is rife with divided loyalties and harsh tragedies. Introspective and character-driven, it retains the misty, fairy-tale feel of impossible things and childhood yearning . . . Jacobson shines in thoughtfully rendering the classic characters as well-rounded, complex, and flawed individuals." --School Library Journal "A masterful reinvention of the classic. Full of teenage angst and yearning, it is poignant, relatable, and full of contemporary appeal." --Foreword Reviews "A modern tale that completely reinvents the characters ... both beautiful and heartbreaking all in one." --The Southern Bookseller Review, High Praise for LIES OF A TOYMAKER "A gripping hero's journey, full of lush prose and heart-rending storytelling. Absolutely perfect for teen readers!" --Micki Janae, author, Of Blood and Lightning "What starts as a contemporary tale of a decaying mother-daughter relationship slips steadily into a fever dream of mysterious fairies and stolen childhoods, underscored by a haunting song. Creepy and dreadful in all the best ways, Jacobson's poetic prose brings a sinister modern bent to the classic Pinnochio tale, stringing the reader into an engrossing family mystery unravelled only as far as she allows it. Lies of a Toymaker's ethereal story will slowly sneak its way into your thoughts when you're not reading it, and you won't realize you're hooked until it's too late." --Rie Lee, author, Vessel Past Praise for Kelly Ann Jacobson For Robin and Her Misfits "A diverse and entertaining twist on a popular legend . . . Unreservedly recommended." --Midwest Book Review , Children's Bookwatch, LGBT Fiction Shelf "A queer retelling of Robin Hood full of heists, heart, and Florida humidity . . . Captures all the nuances of each main characters' personalities as well as the found family that made Robin Hood and his Merry Men such a beloved classic." --The Southern Bookseller Review "[A] rousing heist adventure . . . Jacobson's take on the well-known tale, told through a cinematic plotline, centers themes of found family and queer love." --Publishers Weekly For Tink and Wendy Gold Medal Winner, Young Adult Fiction Foreword INDIES Awards "This atmospheric reimaging is rife with divided loyalties and harsh tragedies. Introspective and character-driven, it retains the misty, fairy-tale feel of impossible things and childhood yearning . . . Jacobson shines in thoughtfully rendering the classic characters as well-rounded, complex, and flawed individuals." --School Library Journal "A masterful reinvention of the classic. Full of teenage angst and yearning, it is poignant, relatable, and full of contemporary appeal." --Foreword Reviews "A modern tale that completely reinvents the characters ... both beautiful and heartbreaking all in one." --The Southern Bookseller Review, High Praise for LIES OF A TOYMAKER "In Kelly Ann Jacobson's retelling of Pinocchio, Lies of a Toymaker , a girl embraces heroism and self-discovery . . . Between Paige bickering with a plastic cricket companion with an attitude and fending off possessed animatronic clown-penguin abomination, strangeness and fun are plentiful.'" --Foreword Reviews "Jacobson takes her readers on a captivating journey in Lies of a Toymaker , an imaginative retelling told with grit and heart." --Meagan Brother, author, Weird Girl and What's His Name " Lies of a Toymaker gleefully turns folklore on its head, gender-bending, raising the stakes, and leaving the reader to question how we understand the world. If toys come to life, might life also be reduced to the confines of a toy? Jacobson tempers whimsy with a severe, dark edge in this wonderfully imagined retelling. --Michael Chin, author, This Year's Ghost "A gripping hero's journey, full of lush prose and heart-rending storytelling. Absolutely perfect for teen readers!" --Micki Janae, author, Of Blood and Lightning "Creepy and dreadful in all the best ways, Jacobson's poetic prose brings a sinister modern bent to the classic Pinnochio tale, stringing the reader into an engrossing family mystery unravelled only as far as she allows it. Lies of a Toymaker 's ethereal story will slowly sneak its way into your thoughts when you're not reading it, and you won't realize you're hooked until it's too late." --Rie Lee, author, Vessel Past Praise for Kelly Ann Jacobson For Robin and Her Misfits "A diverse and entertaining twist on a popular legend . . . Unreservedly recommended." --Midwest Book Review , Children's Bookwatch, LGBT Fiction Shelf "A queer retelling of Robin Hood full of heists, heart, and Florida humidity . . . Captures all the nuances of each main characters' personalities as well as the found family that made Robin Hood and his Merry Men such a beloved classic." --The Southern Bookseller Review "[A] rousing heist adventure . . . Jacobson's take on the well-known tale, told through a cinematic plotline, centers themes of found family and queer love." --Publishers Weekly For Tink and Wendy Gold Medal Winner, Young Adult Fiction Foreword INDIES Awards "This atmospheric reimaging is rife with divided loyalties and harsh tragedies. Introspective and character-driven, it retains the misty, fairy-tale feel of impossible things and childhood yearning . . . Jacobson shines in thoughtfully rendering the classic characters as well-rounded, complex, and flawed individuals." --School Library Journal "A masterful reinvention of the classic. Full of teenage angst and yearning, it is poignant, relatable, and full of contemporary appeal." --Foreword Reviews "A modern tale that completely reinvents the characters ... both beautiful and heartbreaking all in one." --The Southern Bookseller Review