The adventures of Pinocchio

“The adventures of Pinocchio” is a magical tale about the journey of a little wooden puppet who must learn important life lessons to transform into a real child. With the help of his creator, Geppetto, and a wise fairy, Pinocchio discovers the value of honesty, courage, and love.

In this article, we offer two versions of the story: the full adventure and a simplified graded reader, perfect for young English learners. Along the way, your child will expand their vocabulary and understanding of the story, with questions at the end to help reinforce what they’ve learned.

Ready for more magical English learning? Check out the Studycat Learn English app for fun lessons and interactive stories.

Let’s leap into Pinocchio’s world and follow his journey to becoming real!

The story of Pinocchio

Once upon a time, in a tiny village, there lived a kind, old carpenter named Geppetto. Geppetto was very lonely, so one day, he decided to carve a little puppet from wood. He spent hours crafting the puppet until it looked just like a real boy. “I’ll call you Pinocchio,” Geppetto said, smiling at his new creation.

That night, as Geppetto slept, a magical fairy visited his workshop. She saw how much love Geppetto had put into creating Pinocchio and, with a wave of her wand, brought the wooden boy to life. “Pinocchio,” she said, “I’m giving you the gift of life, but remember, you must be brave, truthful, and kind if you ever want to become a real boy.”

Pinocchio was overjoyed! He could move, talk, and even dance! The next morning, Geppetto woke up and couldn’t believe his eyes. “Pinocchio, you’re alive!” he exclaimed, hugging the wooden boy tightly. From that day forward, Pinocchio and Geppetto lived together like father and son.

Soon, Pinocchio began attending school. But on his way, he met a sly fox and a cunning cat who tricked him into skipping school to go on an adventure instead. “Come with us, Pinocchio! We’ll show you fun like you’ve never seen!” they said. Pinocchio was curious and agreed to follow them, even though he knew it was wrong.

The fox and cat led Pinocchio to a puppet show, where the puppet master, Stromboli, saw Pinocchio’s magic and decided to capture him to make money. Pinocchio was trapped! But that night, the fairy reappeared to help him. She asked, “Why didn’t you go to school?” Embarrassed, Pinocchio lied, “I did go to school!” But as soon as he told the lie, something strange happened—his nose grew longer!

The fairy explained, “Pinocchio, every time you tell a lie, your nose will grow! But if you are truthful, it will go back to normal.” Feeling ashamed, Pinocchio promised to be honest from then on, and the fairy forgave him.

With her help, Pinocchio escaped Stromboli’s clutches and rushed back home. But on the way, he got caught up in another adventure! He went to a place called Pleasure Island, where boys played all day and didn’t have to listen to rules. At first, it seemed like fun, but soon, the boys began turning into donkeys because of their bad behavior. Pinocchio was scared. He started to grow donkey ears and a tail! He ran away, realizing that being lazy and naughty would only bring trouble.

When he finally returned home, Pinocchio discovered that Geppetto had gone out looking for him and had been swallowed by a giant whale! Determined to save his father, Pinocchio bravely set out to find the whale. He swam far out into the ocean and found Geppetto inside the whale’s belly. “Father, I’ve come to rescue you!” Pinocchio cried.

Together, they came up with a plan to make the whale sneeze by tickling its huge throat with smoke from a fire. The whale sneezed so hard that it spat them both out into the sea! Safe at last, Pinocchio and Geppetto swam back to shore.

The fairy was so proud of Pinocchio for his bravery and kindness that she returned one last time. “Pinocchio,” she said, “you have proven yourself to be brave, truthful, and kind. You have earned your wish.” With a wave of her wand, she turned Pinocchio into a real boy!

From that day on, Pinocchio and Geppetto lived happily ever after, knowing that the greatest adventure of all was being together as a family. And Pinocchio always remembered that telling the truth, being brave, and being kind were what made him truly special.

The End.

The moral of “The adventures of Pinocchio”

Honesty, kindness, and bravery are what make us truly real.
Pinocchio’s adventures teach us that making mistakes is part of growing up, but learning from those mistakes—and being truthful—helps us become better people. Pinocchio had to learn the hard way that lying and misbehaving only led to trouble. But by showing love, courage, and responsibility, he finally became the boy he always wanted to be.

Questions about “The adventures of Pinocchio”

1. What did Geppetto carve from wood that magically came to life?
2. What happened to Pinocchio whenever he told a lie?
3. Who watched over Pinocchio and helped guide him on his journey?
4. How did Pinocchio and Geppetto escape from the whale?
5. What act of bravery helped Pinocchio become a real boy?

Answers

1. Geppetto carved Pinocchio, a wooden puppet that came to life.
2. Pinocchio’s nose grew longer whenever he told a lie.
3. The Blue Fairy watched over Pinocchio and helped guide him.
4. They lit a fire inside the whale, which caused the whale to sneeze them out.
5. Pinocchio’s bravery in risking his life to save Geppetto helped him become a real boy.

Words to learn

• Puppet: A doll or figure made of wood or cloth, controlled by strings or a hand. Pinocchio started as a wooden puppet.
• Nose: The part of the face that helps us smell. Pinocchio’s nose grew longer whenever he lied.
• Fairy: A magical being with special powers. The Blue Fairy watched over Pinocchio.
• Whale: A large sea animal. Pinocchio and Geppetto were swallowed by a whale during their adventures.
• Donkey: A four-legged animal similar to a horse. On Pleasure Island, boys who misbehaved turned into donkeys.

What type of story is “The adventures of Pinocchio”?

The Adventures of Pinocchio is a fairy tale and an adventure story filled with magical elements, danger, and important life lessons.

Who wrote “The adventures of Pinocchio”?

The Adventures of Pinocchio was written by Carlo Collodi, an Italian author. Learn more about him here.

When was “The adventures of Pinocchio” written?

The Adventures of Pinocchio was first published in 1883 by Carlo Collodi.

Who are the main characters in “The adventures of Pinocchio”?

The main characters are Pinocchio, his father Geppetto, the Blue Fairy, and other characters like Stromboli, the Fox and the Cat, and Lampwick.

What lesson can we learn from “The adventures of Pinocchio”?

We learn that honesty, bravery, and kindness are the most important qualities in life. Pinocchio’s journey shows us that lying and being selfish lead to trouble, but learning from our mistakes and doing the right thing will help us grow.

”The adventures of Pinocchio” story for young English learners (ages 2-5, Pre-A1 graded reader)

Once upon a time, there was a man named Geppetto. He was a kind old man who made wooden toys. One day, Geppetto made a wooden puppet. He called the puppet Pinocchio.

Geppetto wished that Pinocchio could be a real boy. That night, a magical fairy heard Geppetto’s wish. She came to Geppetto’s house and used her magic to bring Pinocchio to life. “You can be a real boy,” the fairy said to Pinocchio, “but you must be good, brave, and honest.”

Pinocchio could walk and talk like a real boy, but he was still made of wood. Geppetto was so happy to have Pinocchio come to life. He loved Pinocchio like a son.

The next day, Geppetto sent Pinocchio to school. “Go and learn, my boy,” Geppetto said. But Pinocchio did not want to go to school. On the way, he met a fox and a cat. They told Pinocchio, “Come with us! We will have fun. You do not need school.”

Pinocchio listened to the fox and the cat. He followed them instead of going to school. But they tricked him. They took his money and left him alone. Pinocchio was sad. “I should have listened to Geppetto,” he said.

The fairy appeared again. She asked Pinocchio, “Why didn’t you go to school?” Pinocchio lied. “I did go to school,” he said. But as soon as he told the lie, his nose started to grow longer!

“Your nose grows when you lie,” the fairy said. “Always tell the truth, Pinocchio.” Pinocchio promised to be good and honest from then on.

Pinocchio wanted to go home, but on the way, he got into more trouble. He went to a place called Pleasure Island. At first, it seemed fun. But soon, Pinocchio and the other boys there turned into donkeys because they were being bad and lazy.

Pinocchio was scared. “I want to go home,” he cried. He ran away from Pleasure Island, but on the way home, Pinocchio heard that Geppetto had gone to look for him. Geppetto had sailed across the sea to find Pinocchio.

Pinocchio wanted to find Geppetto, so he swam into the sea. Suddenly, a giant whale swallowed Pinocchio! Inside the whale’s belly, Pinocchio found Geppetto. Geppetto was trapped in the whale too!

Pinocchio had an idea. “Let’s make the whale sneeze!” he said. They built a fire inside the whale’s belly. The smoke made the whale sneeze, and Pinocchio and Geppetto were pushed out of the whale and back into the sea.

They swam home together. When they got home, the fairy appeared once more. “Pinocchio,” she said, “you have been brave and honest. Now, you will become a real boy.”

With a flash of magic, Pinocchio was no longer made of wood. He was a real boy! Geppetto was so happy, and Pinocchio promised to always be good.

Fun fact!

Did you know? In the original story of Pinocchio, the character was much naughtier and even had moments where he refused to change! Carlo Collodi’s early version of the tale was darker than the one we know today, but over time, Pinocchio’s journey toward becoming a real boy became more about learning important life lessons.