Giovanni is cheerful, carefree, and curious. But whenever he takes a walk, he can't help but lose a hand, an eye, or a leg along the way. Should his mama worry? Not at all, because––and here's the refrain: "That's just the way children are."

Written by Gianni Rodari, the father of modern Italian children's literature. This is one of the most beautiful stories from Rodari's masterpiece, Telephone Tales. In this picture-book version, Beatrice Alegmana's humorous and charming illustrations bring the story to life for young readers. This bright, sweet story reminds us what children are really like in the most essential and beautiful way.

A 2024 USBBY (United States Board on Books for Young People) Outstanding International Book. Translated from the Italian by Anthony Shugaar.

Hardcover, unpaginated. 2023.