Pinocchio
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. Grades 3-5. --Carolyn Phelan