Disclosure: I received this complimentary product for Pinocchio through Raincoast Books. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and is so much appreciated. 
Aren’t we all familiar with the story of Pinocchio? A little wooden toy, a living puppet who wants to be a real boy. I don’t know about you, but I’m only familiar with the short storybook, not the original story. And wow, if you have not read the original text of Pinocchio… I urge you to do so! AND if you must read any copy, grab up Carlo Collodi’s version with illustrations by Gris Grimly. They fit the original text so well, you will be delighted. 🙂 Come, let me show you what you have been missing.
The Basic Details of Pinocchio
Title: Pinocchio
Author: Carlo Collodi
Illustrator: Gris Grimly
Introduction: Guillermo Del Toro
Pages: 224
Series: Tor Classics
Intended Audience: 10-12 years, grades 3-7
Genre: Classic Literature, Fantasy, Growing Up, Fantasy, Teen, Young Adult
Formats Available: Kindle, Paperback
Reviewed For: Raincoast Books.
About the Author and Illustration
Carlos Collodi is the pen name of Carlo Lorenzini who lived 1826 – 1890. The Adventures of Pinocchio was originally published as a series of weekly adventures. He was an author, humourist, and journalist. An Italian who was educated at a theological seminary, but he withdrew when he knew he didn’t want to become a priest. He started working in a book store where he was an assistant to a prominent Italian manuscript specialist.
About the Book
This edition has the full text of the original Pinocchio with a mixture of full-page and spot illustrations in black and white integrated in the text, in pen-and-ink style. The ink is sepia brown.
Pinocchio is the story of a wooden puppet, made by a lonely woodcarver looking for boy to call his own. When the puppet comes to life, he needs to learn how to be a boy, but he has so much to learn about being a good boy. This is his story. A tale of whimsy and magic, of mistakes and growth.
Looking Deeper
One of the biggest draws for me in reading the original text of Pinocchio, are the illustrations by Gris Grimly. They are SO true to the story! Check them out eh? You will find not only full page drawings…
but also illustrations that fit within the text. The quirkiness of the images suits the language and style of the original text. Like any good illustration, they help put a face to the characters found within.
You’ll find the text easy to read, but mind… it’s not all easy reading. Pinocchio is sometimes, really not a nice puppet. He has his moments of being good and right, but mostly… he’s just a self-centred little boog. (there’s really no nice way of putting it). 🙂 Throughout you can see how the Pinocchio story that we know and love came into being.
Recommendation
Read a classic! Enjoy illustrations that fit the story so very well. Pinocchio the classic, is much like the Pinocchio, the shortened version, but more intense, better suited to an older crowd. 🙂 I think many middle school students would enjoy this story.
As a homeschooling parent I could see asking my child to read it and then point out the differences and similarities between the modern and the classic versions.
