Prankster's Diary

Author: Vignoli
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-09-01
Features: This is a diary-style novel with the protagonist being a nine-year-old boy known as "the mischievous Giano." Giano, inspired by his sister, starts keeping a diary, recording various legendary "mischievous" experiences over six months, turning both home and school upside down. This book is a collection of "mischievous" tales, uncovering the shared secrets of childhood for everyone, vividly portraying the nature of children while reflecting many issues in modern family education. Amidst humor and laughter, Giano evokes endless memories and deep reflections in people. Only adults can see the true meaning behind these pranks—they are absurd, yet more so, innocent. Only those who still hold a child's heart can fully experience the sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy moments within: there is the pain of being misunderstood, and there is the genuine joy of one's own cleverness. Giano is innocent and should have spent his wonderful childhood carefree, but his "mischievous" acts have led to various troubles: he goes fishing in the living room, catching the last tooth of an old man; he performs magic tricks at home, nearly blinding a guest with a dart; he ties firecrackers to his brother-in-law's button and lights them during his sister's wedding; he creates a zoo, with "monkeys" hanging from the trees being the children from the neighbor's house. According to his instructions, he just did something that boys often do, but the family always exaggerates the facts.
The Diary of a Mischievous Boy is a novel that leaves readers around the world stunned. Since 1920, it has been reprinted over 120 times in Italy and translated into 39 languages, becoming a global bestseller!
September 20, Wednesday, 1870 – The Italian army enters Rome
1897 – Giano is born
September 20 –
Okay, I’ve drawn today’s calendar in my diary. Today is the day the Italian army entered Rome, and it’s also my birthday. I wrote these two sentences on the calendar so that the friends who come to my house won’t forget to give me gifts. Below is a list of the gifts I’ve received so far:
1. Dad gave me a hand gun for target practice;
2. My sister Ada gave me a small checkered dress, but I’m not interested in it because it’s not a toy;
3. A delicate fishing rod with hooks and fishing line, which can be disassembled into sections. This was from my sister Vigninia. I really like this gift because I love fishing;
4. Luisa sister gave me a stationery box and a red and blue pencil;
5. Mom gave me a diary—it’s the best gift.
Hey! Mom’s gift is so great! She gave me this diary, which allows me to write down my thoughts and experiences. It’s like a beautiful book with a green silk cover, and every page is pure white. I don’t know how to fill it! I’ve always longed for a diary of my own to write down my memories. My sisters write about their day before bed, with their hair messy and clothes half open. Now I can do the same. I really don’t understand how these girls have so much to write about! On the other hand, I have no idea what to write. So, how can I fill every page of you, my dear diary?
My drawing skills helped me—I drew my portrait in the diary, showing what I look like at nine. But such a beautiful diary should be used to write down my thoughts, my reflections. I have an idea! Copying a passage from Ada sister’s diary would be great. She’s going out with Mom to visit someone. I went into Ada’s room, opened her desk drawer, and took her diary. Now I can copy with peace of mind.
“Ugh! If that old man would just stop coming to my house, that would be great! But he’s here again tonight! That’s impossible! I don’t like him! I don’t like him! I’ll never like him! Mom says he’s very rich, and if he proposes to me, I should marry him! Isn’t that cruel? My poor heart! His hands are so rough and red, and he only talks about wine, oil, land, farmers, and livestock with Dad. I’ve never seen him wear a fashionable outfit. Oh, if this would just end soon! If this would just end soon! My heart could finally calm down. Last night, when I was seeing him off, there was only us two at the door. He wanted to kiss my hand, but I ran away. I made his desires come to nothing. Oh, no! I love my dear Alberto de Lekis. But how unfortunate, he’s just a poor little clerk. He always makes me annoyed, and I can’t stand it anymore! How disappointed! Life is so disappointing! I’m so unlucky!!”
Okay, I’ll copy just these lines because I’ve already filled two pages of paper. Before going to sleep, I opened you again, my diary, because something serious happened tonight. As usual, around eight o’clock, Mr. Adolf Capitani arrived. He’s an old, bad man, fat and red. My sisters have every right to laugh at him! And me? I was holding my diary in the living room. Suddenly, he shouted at me—his voice was like a cat being skinned—with, “What good thing is our Giano looking at?” Naturally, I immediately handed him the diary, and he read it aloud to the whole family. At first, Mom and the sisters laughed like fools. But when he read the part I copied from Ada’s diary, he yelled and tried to tear the diary with his hands, but the diary was very sturdy. To understand what was going on, he stood up with a serious face, took his hat, and left silently. What poor manners! At this moment, Mom didn’t get angry at Capitani but instead yelled at me. The shocked Ada also started crying, tears flowing like a spring. They all went to comfort my sister! Okay! It’s better to go to sleep. At this moment, I was happy because I had already written three full pages in my dear diary!