Readers familiar only with the Disney adaptations of Collodi’s classic will be surprised by this dark masterpiece, a central work in the Italian literary canon. First published in serial form in 1881 in the Italian periodical Giornale dei Bambini,The Adventures of Pinocchiogarnered immediate acclaim as a children’s story. Today Italians consider Pinocchio, along withThe Divine ComedyandThe Decameron, one of their most important works of literature. Collodi did more than merely weave a captivating tale. Through metaphor and allusion he summed up the national character of Italy and made biting commentary on many of the prominent social concerns of the nineteenth century, among them the despair and hunger of poverty, the importance of an education, and the hypocrisy of the judicial and medical establishments. Indeed, the universality of Collodi’s themes led Benedetto Croce to remark, “The wood from which Pinocchio is carved is humanity itself.” This vibrant new translation fully renders Collodi’s subtle and sarcastic wit, reclaiming the book for adult readers. The evocative illustrations by Carmelo Lettere are as delightfully refreshing and timeless as the story itself.