The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi

A wooden puppet carved by the kind Geppetto dreams of becoming a real boy but constantly gives in to temptation and disobedience. As he faces conmen, a talking cricket, the land of toys, and even transformation into a donkey, Pinocchio slowly learns the values of honesty, kindness, and hard work. The plot is episodic, filled with strange, fantastical characters and moral lessons. Collodi’s story is darker and more moralistic than later adaptations. It’s a rich and adventurous tale of growth, redemption, and the human heart.