Pinocchio (Penguin Classics) [Paperback]

Carlo Collodi (Author), Charles Folkard (Author), M. A. Murray (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Penguin Classics

Pinocchio plays pranks upon the kindly woodcarver Geppetto, is duped by the Fox and the Cat, kills the pedantic Talking Cricket, and narrowly escapes death, with the help of the blue-haired Fairy. A wooden puppet without strings, Pinocchio is a tragicomic figure, a poor, illiterate, naughty peasant boy who has few choices in life but usually chooses to shirk his responsibilities and get into trouble. This sly and imaginative novel, alternately catastrophic and ridiculous, takes Pinocchio from one predicament to the next, and finally to an optimistic, if uncertain, ending. In his compelling introduction, Jack Zipes places Pinocchio within the traditions of the oral folk tale and the literary fairy tale, showing how Collodi subverts those traditions while raising questions about "how we 'civilize' children in uncivilized times."

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Italian --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Carlo Collodi (1826-1890) was the pen name of Carlo Lorenzini, an Italian journalist born in Florence. Collodi's life and writings were dedicated to the Italian liberation movement to free the country from Austrian domination and establish a national identity. In 1875, Collodi put aside his political struggles and turned to a new interest: writing for children.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics (April 30, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142437069
• ISBN-13: 978-0142437063
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #568,147 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Story As It Was Meant To Be!, October 22, 2002

By 

hikeeba_com (Tallahassee, FL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pinocchio (Hardcover)

Before Disney Studios produced their version of "Pinocchio" there was the original by Carlo Collodi, and it's a story everyone should read. The little wooden head didn't start out as the adorable creature you are probably used to; this is a bad boy with a deeply buried heart of gold. In fact, there is a veritable mountain of bad deeds and decisions for Pinocchio to climb out of to redeem himself and earn humanity. Collodi's dry, sly wit is what has kept this book in print since the 1800s. The author took chances and subjected his characters to torments The Mouse would never dare to draw. Fortunately for readers, the perfect tonic for erasing those whimical images is found in the twisted illustrations of Gris Grimly. One look at the cover and you know right away this is hardwood troublemaker just looking for some dilemna to jump into. Grimly's...well...grim creations find a perfect home in this tale of coming-of-age and losing-of-wood.

No matter how much you think you love your "Pinocchio" DVD, give this faithful treatment a try. You'll find yourself distressed that you have been missing out on the wickedly funny original all these years. And, you'll be a Grimly fan for life!

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pinocchio was written by a man who knew children, September 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Pinocchio: Tie-In (Paperback)

Carlo Collodi remembered his childhood and realized that children must learn responsibility to truly become people.This is the ultimate lesson the story of Pinocchio teaches-while entertaining at the same time.

Getting Gepetto out of the whale was only the first step in Pinocchio's tranformation.He became a hard worker,working for a farmer whose donkey was ill.(This donkey had been a friend of Pinocchio's,who'd conned him into going to that place where boys became donkeys.)Pinocchio rebuffed the Fox and the Cat,apologized to the Talking Cricket and really helped support Gepetto- and later gave the money he'd been saving to a snail who said that the Fairy with Blue Hair needed money.This proved how changed Pinocchio was because this time selfish intentions were swept away by a wish to help others-instead of the other way around.Pinocchio became a real boy not long afterwards.

Today's society pampers children much much more than Collodi's society did in the mid-19th century.Children are supposed to be nice little boys and girls who only have fun and play with all kinds of toys(and Madison Avenue wants to keep them that way as long as possible).Thus,the Pinocchio story was reconstructed by adapters- including that Walton Dizzy fellow-to fit today's society.But children haven't really changed.Perhaps there is more of a need than ever for them to realize that everything cannot be handed to them on a silver platter.The real Pinocchio should become more well-known again.

To the reader in Wisconsin-this is not our fathers' Pinocchio,alright.This is our great-great-grandfathers' Pinocchio.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is not your father's Pinocchio., August 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Pinocchio: Tie-In (Paperback)

I grew up with a sanatized Pinocchio.

Walt Disney had presented a charming little boy, who had a little cricket friend, who learned his lesson and lived happily ever after.

A bit shocking to learn that Pinocchio is a brat.

The story itself is not at all what I expected, having been told for years that "Pinocchio" was a pleasant little tale. There is a dark side to the little wooden puppet -- a selfishness that is not usually portrayed in cartoons.

There is a lesson to be learned here; however, the lesson did not come as I expected it to. The book was definitely worth reading; just be prepared for a Pinocchio of a different color.