Pinocchio (Cartoon Classics) retold by Kate McMullan –NO

McMullan, Pinocchio (Cartoon Classics)  134 pgs. Henry Holt, 2014. $12.99 Content: Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G Violence: PG13
Retold from the 1880’s Italian newspaper cartoons by Carlo Collodi, this follows the adventures of Pinocchio as he learns to navigate the world and turn from selfish to selfless. It roughly follows the Disney version with many other small stories included. The many illustrations are in black and shades of orange and are simple.
I have fond memories of the Disney version but this more to the original retelling was just disturbing. It featured Pinocchio burning off his own feet, being hung until he died, an illustration of a tiny coffin, and him chained up to a doghouse. There were some other nightmare inducing sequences as well, did I mention he kills Cricket!? I got to a certain point and thought to myself that my life would be better off if I didn’t keep reading, so I didn’t finish the book. Too gruesome for elementary and too childish for middle school.
EL –NO  Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.