The Grammar of Fantasy

From the father of modern Italian children’s literature, this is one of the great works about the imagination and how stories are made—featuring radiant illustrations from Matthew Forsythe and a refreshed translation from Jack Zipes.

A Marginalian Favorite Book of 2025!

"Holds great value for the adults who teach kids and the adults who write for them." —Mac Barnett, U.S. National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, for the New York Times

★ "A must-have for educators and librarians looking to inject creativity into their classrooms." —School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW!

This handbook for writers of all ages and kinds is essential reading for teachers and creatives. It offers a playful, practical path to finding your own voice through the power of storytelling. Full of ideas, glosses on fairy tales, stories, and wide-ranging activities, this book changed how creative arts were taught in Italian schools.

Gianni Rodari is not only revered as a children’s author, but also remembered for his visionary pedagogy, and it is these two fields he combines in this revolutionary essay collection. Translated into English by acclaimed scholar of folklore and children’s literature Jack Zipes, and with original art from illustrator Matthew Forsythe, this edition of The Grammar of Fantasy is one to live with and return to for its humor, intelligence, and remarkable understanding of children.