Toy Academy: Some Assembly Required

Gr 1–3—Grumbolt, a stuffed toy shoddily constructed from an advanced sewing pattern, first came to consciousness in the garbage can. He liked it there (if he got hungry, there was half a waffle) until he saw the angry letter addressed to "U CAN SEW" from his eight-year-old creator: "he is simply unplayable. His arms are two different lengths, his head is too big for his body." So begins the epic adventure of a rejected homemade toy trying to find his true place in the world. A few chance encounters land him a seat at Toy World's Toy Academy, "Commander Hedgehog's Institute for Novelty Academia," where he dreams of a future with a kid but cannot find his strengths as a toy. While he looks like a "plush" rather than an action figure, collectible, or educational toy, he struggles in his Tea Parties 101 class and Introduction to Dress Up. Meanwhile, when Commander Hedgehog's arm goes missing and fingers start pointing at nearby Evil Toy Academy, the action accelerates along with Grumbolt's troubles. The simple plot is made more interesting with the amusing and clever details about the toys and Toy World itself. The freshman dorms are "actually Princess Dream Mansions that Margie, the most successful doll ever, had graciously donated." Grumbolt's roommate is a neat and tidy paper doll, and his friend Micro is an action figure who wears a bag over her head and dreams of being a collectible. High-energy illustrations on every page help to keep less confident readers engaged while amplifying the silliness of the story.