Synopsis
In Geppetto's hand a piece of wood that talks becomes a living mischievous marionette and eventually, after many trials and errors, a real boy.
Children's Literature
While the purpose of these books is clearly explained in the introduction and further expanded upon in the reading reinforcement exercises at the end of the early reader, they still may not be the most exciting selections for beginning readers. Repetition and simple sentences often lead to success in reading. This series reminded me a lot of both Dick and Jane and The Bobsey Twins books that I read as a child. The stories that Hillert has written focus on daily life and the retelling of classic fairy tales. The ones that relate to early years in a kids' life are more successful than the watered down and sanitized versions of legends and fairy tales. Pinocchio is an example of a story that seems to lose a bit in the transition to early reader. The events occur as in the original story, but the tension of Pinocchio deliberately disobeying his father and getting caught up in bad company does not come across. The episode in the whale and his final redemption are also a bit abrupt. The illustrations in cartoon style may have some appeal, especially to kids who have grown up watching TV cartoons. From the "Beginning to Read" series.