In a masterful reimagining of Pinocchio, John Claude Bemis weaves an enchanting, thrilling adventure that at its heart is the story of one boy’s quest to discover what it means to be a friend, a son, and a hero. With the emperor’s airmen closing in fast, Lazuli learns that the only hope for saving her father - and her beloved home - lies in Pinocchio and Geppetto.

Praise for The Wooden Prince 'Wow John Claude Bemis hides new magic in old stories. Her father, Prester John, has been captured by the Venetian Empire, and Lazuli is desperate to rescue him. In a masterful reimagining of Pinocchio, John Claude Bemis weaves an enchanting, thrilling adventure that at its heart is the story of one boys quest to. In a masterful reimagining of Pinocchio, John Claude Bemis weaves an enchanting, thrilling adventure for middle-grade readers in the first installment in the Out of Abaton duology. Meanwhile, Princess Lazuli, the daughter of the ruler of a magical kingdom called Abaton, is also on a quest through the emperor’s territory. Determined to find Geppetto again, Pinocchio begins a harrowing journey across the empire, where danger in the form of half-beast outlaws and winged airmen abounds for a lost automa. Before Geppetto and Pinocchio can uncover the mystery surrounding the automa’s transformation, Pinocchio is stolen away.

But most curious is the way Pinocchio seems to be changing from a wooden servant into a living, human boy. So when Pinocchio finds himself locked in a trunk and delivered to a new master - a wanted criminal and alchemist named Geppetto - he is curious about everything around him. The automa Pinocchio has always been duty-bound to serve in the floating palace of Venice’s emperor.

The Wooden Prince by John Claude Bemis