Pinocchio Goes Postmodern Perils of a Puppet in the United States [Hardcover]

In the first full-length study in English of Carlo Collodi's The Adventures of Pinocchio, the authors show how the checkered history of the puppet illuminates social change from the pre World War One era to the present. The authors argue that most Americans know a trivialized, diluted version of the tale, one such source is Disney's perennial classic. The authors also discover that when adults are introduced to the 'real' story, they often deem it as unsuitable for children. Placing the puppet in a variety of contexts, the authors chart the progression of this childhood tale that has frequently undergone dramatic revisions to suit America's idea of children's literature.

Pinocchio Goes Postmodern succeeds as an analysis of children's literature and culture, offering an enlightening discussion of how Pinocchio's tale has been diluted and distorted since its arrival in America. Illustrated with pictures from some of the many versions of Pinocchio's adventures, this book should be read by anyone who wants to know where Pinocchio has gone and may be going. Phillip Nel, Kansas State University, Children's Literature