Pinocchio

By C. Collodi

First written in 1881-1882.

This edition printed in 1940.

 

 I recently returned from a visit to Columbia, Mo. with a couple of Bur oak acorns, some hedge apples, a recipe for a delicious gorgonzola cheese cake, and many fun memories.  Oh, and one more thing – a vintage copy of the book Pinocchio. (Thanks to the Myers.) This is the real, unabridged, non-Disney version, and I have to say I was in for a shock.  

My prior knowledge of the wooden puppet came from the Disney musical in which a wooden puppet carved by Geppetto learns the lesson to be brave, truthful, and unselfish through a few encounters with some unsavory characters, ultimately living happily ever after as a real boy.  However, when Jiminy Cricket appears in chapter 4 of the book, he is swiftly murdered by Pinocchio.  

 “When he heard these words Pinocchio jumped up in a rage and, snatching a hammer from the table, threw it at the Talking Cricket.

It struck the unfortunate insect exactly on the head, so that he had hardly breath to cry ‘Cri-cri-cri’ before he died, dried up and flattened against the wall.”

Yes, this would definitely be different tale than the one I knew!

Pinocchio, without Jiminy to guide him, falls into innumerable tragic situations before the story’s end.  

His feet burn off while he warmed himself by the fire.

He was hung from a tree by swindlers, one of whom had a paw bitten off by Pinocchio.

He is chained to a doghouse and forced to become a watchdog for a farmer.

His foot gets stuck in a door after he became impatient with a snail was taking too long to answer his knock.   

Pinocchio remains a spoiled, selfish, ungrateful little puppet for much longer than he should have with all of these potential learning experiences.

Lesson learned:

If you think you know a classic story because you’ve seen the Disney movie, think again!  Read the book!

The Big Green Book

By Robert Graves

Illustrated by Maurice Sendak

Copyright 1962

Not long before writing Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak illustrated this book for early readers.  In it, an orphan boy who is unhappy living with his aunt and uncle finds a book of magic spells in the attic.  He launches a plan to teach his guardians a lesson.  After turning himself into a little old man, Jack cheats his aunt and uncle out of “about a hundred thousand dollars” and their house in a game of cards and forces them to become his servants for life.  He plays other pranks too, including making his uncle’s fingernails grow through the palms of his hands. “Ow!”  Eventually, Jack turns back into himself, freeing his guardians and allowing them to remain in their home.  

This is a strange tale – certainly not the same type of plot as your typical easy reader book today.  But I can see why a child would be captivated by the story.  What child wouldn’t love to find a book of spells?  Lacking the ability to control most of what happens in their day-to-day lives, a child could imagine all sorts of possibilities for spells to cast.  

 This story reminds me that any book can be magical for a child if it reaches him at the right moment.  In this case, an unhappy and lonely little boy finds a book in the attic.  This one happens to be a book of spells.  Regardless, any book has the power to transform.  Escaping temporarily into a fictional world just might give one the strength and rest to endure hardship and pain in the real world.   

The Little Fur Family

By Margaret Wise Brown

Pictures by Garth Williams

Originally published 1946

This edition 1985

 

This story of the little fur family is very simple and the rhythmic text is so comforting and beautiful.  It’s a tiny book and it is covered in soft fur.  

 

In the story, there is no danger for the little fur child to face.  He has small adventures in the “wild” wood – friendly encounters with a fish, a bug, and the tiniest fur animal.  Then a brief visit with Grandpa who comes out of his log just to say “Bless you” to his little fur grandchild.  His day ends when his big fur parents tuck him in bed “all soft and warm”, and sing him to sleep.  

Sleep, sleep, our little fur child,

Out of the windiness,

Out of the wild.

Sleep warm in your fur

All night long,

In your little fur family.

This is a song.

The little fur child had his little adventures and knew that at the end of the day he would return to the steady comfort of a loving home.

We know that one day the little fur child will grow up.  He will go out into the wild world and it will not always be as friendly and comforting.  But for now, it is.  And for now, that’s all we can do.  It has to be enough.

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles

By Julie Edwards

Copyright 1974

Pax amor et lepos in iocando

Written by Mary Poppins (aka Julie Andrews Edwards), with a motto of "peace love and a sense of fun", this children’s book was destined to be magical.  Three children, with the guidance of a Nobel winning science professor, attempt to harness their imaginations to reach Whangdoodleland, where all magical creatures retreated when humans stopped believing in them.  Whangdoodle, the king of this land, has some pretty awesome magical powers.  Not only can he change colors at will, but he can randomly grow his own bedroom slippers.  Sadly, though, he is the last of his kind and is quite lonely.

One of my favorite characters the children meet is the Whiffle Bird.  She is a fluffy, feathery, colorful creature, who protectively shouts out warnings of danger to the travelers.  Unfortunately, it takes a while for them to take the warnings seriously.  After climbing on the Jolly Boat, which only starts to move after you tell it jokes, the Whifflebird shouts, “YOU’RE BEING TAKEN FOR A RIDE”.  Only too late did they realize they were being warned of a deception.  

What I found unusual about this book is the combination of crazy fantasy and imagination mixed with serious science.  The professor’s area of expertise is genetics, but don’t take his science lessons as fact.  This book was written in 1974, after all.  The point is clear though; knowledge, skill, determination, imagination, and faith were all necessary for the children and the professor to reach Whangdoodleland  and to grant the Whangdoodle his heart’s desire.

Knowledge and faith can and should coexist.