Author. Real name Carlo Lorenzini. Born in Florence, he took his pen name from his mother's native village. He worked for many years as a journalist and began wrote The Adventures of Pinocchio, first serialized in The Children's Magazine as the adventure of Pinocchio (1881-1883).
After several months of the series' well received publication, Pinocchio was left for dead hanging from the branch of an oak tree by two robbers. There was such an outpouring of grief and demand for a continuation that Collodi acquiesced. The novel Pinocchio became a best-seller, the adventures of the now iconic puppet-boy appealing universally to children from all over North America, Europe, and numerous other countries. He inspired many movie producers to adapt him to the big screen including Walt Disney. Created by his poor woodcarver father Geppetto, Pinocchio is a mischievous boy who's nose grows if he tells a lie. At times dark and comical, with allegory to the socio-political times in Italy, Jiminy Cricket and The Blue Fairy accompany him as he redeems himself to become a "real" boy whilst learning the moral of the story.