Geppetto is a lonely woodcarver who makes a boy puppet and wishes, with all his might, that the puppet was alive. As Geppetto sleeps, Pinocchio is given life by the Blue Fairy. There’s a catch, though. Pinocchio is alive, but he won’t be a real boy until he proves himself and to help him, Jiminy Cricket is designated his Official Conscience. In the morning, Geppetto is thrilled to see that his puppet is alive and does what any father would do. He sends Pinocchio off to school – and into trouble. Pinocchio must learn to be honest, and brave, before he is allowed to become a real boy. Will he learn in time?

The pace of the story really does border on frantic. Geppetto wakes up to meet his puppet-come-to-life and within moments, it seems, has him packed off to school. Pinocchio’s two run-ins with Foulfellow seem to happen back-to-back, with one following right on the heels of his second chance from the Blue Fairy. Coco’s adaptation isn’t fantastic, but the story itself is. Illustrations by Ron Dias are very nicely done, on a par with Disney’s usual – wonderful – work.

- AnnaLovesBooks