First published 1882
Pinocchio springs to life in Geppetto's workshop, a wooden puppet with a kind heart but terrible judgment. He abandons his poor maker and stumbles into one disaster after another. His nose grows each time he tells a lie. The mischievous puppet plants gold coins in the Field of Miracles, hoping to grow rich overnight. Assassins chase him through the countryside. The villainous Cat and Fox scheme to steal his money. He performs in a circus and frolics in the Land of Boobies, where boys play endlessly without school or work. A giant sea monster called the Dogfish swallows him whole. Through each misadventure, a kind Fairy watches over Pinocchio. She promises he can become a real boy if he learns to behave, study hard, and work diligently. Pinocchio must overcome his laziness and disobedience to earn his humanity and reunite with his beloved papa.
Genres: classics, classic-literature, coming-of-age, fantasy, fairy-tales, childrens, childrens-classics
Vibes: adventurous, fantastical, heartwarming, moralistic, whimsical
Tropes: coming-of-age, found-family, magical-mentor, redemption-arc
Setting: Geppetto's Workshop, Field of Miracles, Land of Boobies, Italy
Period: 19th-century
262 pages · Paperback · Puffin Books