ALA Booklist

First published in Belgium, this edition of the Italian classic Pinocchio strikes a good balance between nineteenth-century writing conventions and modern readers' tastes. Translated and somewhat abridged, the text offers a story that is true to the original in spirit and detail, though many of the authorial asides have been trimmed and the dialogues have been somewhat condensed. While keeping the tale's harsher elements, the translators have created a leaner, more appealing version. Gréban, the Belgian artist who recently illustrated the Grimms' Snow White (2009), creates distinctive illustrations with notable clarity of line, drama of composition, and subtlety of watercolor washes. Even libraries with several editions of Pinocchio should consider adding this one, for the clarity and grace of its writing as well as the luminous beauty of its illustrations.

Horn Book

Also translated by Juanita Havill. This edition of the classic story features lively, expressive illustrations, both full-page and spot art, and a fresh translation. The prose retains an old-fashioned feel, eliminating some of the most flowery phrasing without sacrificing the story's details. Most pages include at least one illustration, and the paintings convey the strong feelings in the story. This is a handsome presentation of a familiar tale.

Kirkus Reviews (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

What most readers know of Pinocchio is a wooden puppet whose nose grows from telling lies. This episode—longer than a picture book but shorter than the original tale—is one small chapter in the exploits and adventures of Pinocchio, the boy wannabe. An illustrated adaptation, it follows the original M.A. Murray translation closely, yet succeeds without the long-windedness of the 1892 classic, and with all the rich language, spirited characters, and lively escapades intact. Inspired by the commedia dell'arte, the Italian traveling street theater of Collodi's time, Young (Night Visitors, 1995, etc.) has created scenes that authentically capture the playlike quality of the story. Reminiscent of his colorful cut-paper collage in Seven Blind Mice (1993), the array of characters and images cleverly reflect a stage production, complete with double-page spreads that act as scenery backdrops. It's an energetic rendition that invites the audience to meet again the mischievous puppet with all his foibles, setting the stage for an Oz-like ending that reaffirms the power of good. (Fiction. 6+)"

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

The publisher has timed this unabridged edition of Carlo Collodi's Pinocchio, illus. by Gris Grimly, to hit bookstores just before Roberto Benigni's (Life Is Beautiful) feature film based on the book. Grimly applies the same off-kilter, skewed perspectives that made his Monster Museum so memorable; in his pen-and-inks, Pinocchio resembles a wooden bird with his round belly, twig-like legs, beaky nose and bead-like eyes. A scene of Candlewick and Pinocchio changing into donkeys will likely raise goosebumps.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 4--To adapt this classic story from the length of the standard versions, thus counteracting the movie images of the Disney animation and the current live-action film, takes an exceptional individual. Young has achieved almost complete success. The artist's note explains his approach; he uses the stock-in-trade of the Italian theater, commedia dell' arte, to capture the slapstick and exaggeration of the adventures. The result is a theatrical and readable presentation with chapters defined as scenes. Overall, the large-format book is attractive, with paper-collage illustrations emphasized with textured surfaces and backgrounds. Edges of shapes are deliberately not glued flat to add dimension and attention to technique. Quibbles are that on some spreads, the black text on dark backgrounds is hard to read, and that details in the illustrations don't always match descriptions in the story. Pinocchio's "little jacket of flowered paper" is a solid green color throughout; on the final page, when Pinocchio turns into a boy, "the bright face of a real boy looked at him with wide-awake blue eyes, dark brown hair..."--but both are painted black. This picture-book rendition should not replace standard versions such as the Macmillan edition (illus. by Attilo Mussino, 1937, `69), the Macmillan Classics (illus. by Naiad Einsel, 1963), or the Knopf edition (illus. by Roberto Innocenti, 1988). But the combination of the story's popularity with Young's name recognition and appealing cover will draw a large audience.--Julie Cummins, New York Public Library