Carlo Collodi was born in Florence, Italy in 1826. At the age of 22, he became a journalist to work for the Italian independence struggle and also wrote comedies and edited newspapers and reviews. In 1861, when Italy became a united nation, Collodi gave up journalism and settled down as a theatrical censor and magazine editor. He then turned to children's fantasy, and in 1881 the first chapter of Pinocchio appeared in the Giornale Dei Bambini, and became an immediate success. Collodi died in Florence in 1890. Greg Hildebrandt is a well-known children's book illustrator. He lives in New Jersey.