The Adventures of Cipollino

If you loved Telephone Tales, meet Rodari's other great gift to children: Cipollino, a brave little onion who sets out to free his wrongfully imprisoned father from the grips of tyrannical Prince Lemon. Written in post-war Italy and translated into English for the very first time, it's funny and politically sharp. Dasha Tolstikova's lush watercolors of anthropomorphic fruits and vegetables are some of my favorite, and this past winter, she graced our shop windows with the dreamiest wintry scenes. It's a wonderful read-aloud for ages nine and up and one that feels startlingly relevant right now.