There was once upon a time...
“A king!” my little readers will say all at once.
No, children, you are mistaken. Once upon a time there was a piece of wood.
One of the most famous incipit in children’s literature first appeared in 1881 in the Giornale dei bambini (“Children’s Magazine”). Originally published in serial form whit the title of Pinocchio, Collodi’s tale was meant to serve as a warning against bad behaviour, and it ended with Pinocchio’s fatal hanging. The disappointment of the story’s fans, however, led Collodi’s publishers to insist that he resurrect Pinocchio and continue the puppet’s adventures, with the new title of Le avventure di Pinocchio. Storia di un burattino (“The adventures of Pinocchio. Story of a puppet”). It was published for the first time as a book by Felice Paggi in 1883, with the illustrations of Enrico Mazzanti. Since then, Pinocchio has been continuously published, featuring the work of some of the greatest illustrators. In our edition, Collodi’s unabridged text, authorized by the Foundation itself, is accompanied by the wonderful illustrations of Flemish artist Carll Cneut.
• reading Pinocchio in its original version;
• discovering great literature;
• admiring the marvelous illustrations.
