Pinocchio is a fictional character who is the puppet hero of the children’s story Le avventure di Pinocchio: Storia di un burattino (“The Adventures of Pinocchio: The Story of a Puppet”) by C. Collodi. The story of Pinocchio first appeared in serial form in 1881 in the Giornale dei bambini (“Children’s Magazine”) and was published in book form in 1883. It appeared in English under a variety of titles.
Pinocchio was carved out of a piece of wood by the old wood-carver Gepetto (also spelled Geppetto). The puppet acts like a human child: he frequently gets into trouble and is often impulsive and mischievous. When he tells a lie, his nose grows longer, and when he tells the truth, his nose resumes its normal size. The Good Fairy finally grants him his wish to be a real little boy after he learns to care for his “father” Gepetto.