The Adventures of Cipollino (Gianni Rodari, Dasha Tolstikova, Antony Shugaar)

In this enchantingly whimsical, darkly comic tale from Gianni Rodari (Italy’s Roald Dahl), an unlikely hero—none other than a young onion!—takes up the fight against the tyrannical Prince Lemon, with wit and heart.

Cipollino is young, brave, clever, and determined—exactly the kind of valiant hero that’s bound to triumph in fairy tales. Except, did we mention that he’s also a little onion? You read that right: In this fantastic book of high political drama—a classic of Italian children’s literature—all of the characters are fruits, vegetables, and animals.

Here, Cipollino sets out to free his wrongfully imprisoned father. In the process, he faces off against scoundrels of all kinds. What hangs in the balance is nothing more or less than the freedom of an entire kingdom from the senseless rules imposed by the tyrannical Prince Lemon, and the equal dignity of each blueberry, string bean, and spider.

Written in the atmosphere of hope and enthusiasm of post–World War II Italy, Cipollino and his friends don’t rely on weapons and violence in their battle against injustice, but rather on jokes and tricks, ingenuity and courage, heart and solidarity. With much laughter, luck, and pluck, they band together to bring fun, respect, and decency back to the land.