Pinocchio

We are working our way through the Mensa for Kids reading list. This is not a Summer reading list. These are challenging lists that cover great literature for each age group. One of the books on the list is Pinocchio. This is not the Disney version or any of the short, easy readers. This is the full translation of the original. Hundreds of pages of small print with a drawing only every 3-4 pages. We read some every evening and many afternoons as well. I promised the kids if we finished it in time, I would take them to see the play Pinocchio.

We did it. We finished the entire book. One of the local children's theaters was doing the play so we went to see it. The kids sat amazed. At the intermission I wanted to know what they thought. They went through point by point all of the ways the book was different from the play. I tried explaining the play only had 7 people in it and they were limited in sets. I was amazed at just how much of the book they really processed and remembered. I like setting up the expectation of reading a book and going to see the stage show though. So much better than just watching a movie or cartoon.