Geronimo Stilton
Geronimo Stilton is an Italian children's book series created by Elisabetta Dami and written under the pen name of the title character. Scholastic Corporation began publishing the English version of the series in the US in February 2004. In the UK, the English books are published by Sweet Cherry Publishing. The series focuses on the title character, a mouse who lives in New Mouse City on Mouse Island. A best-selling author in-universe, Geronimo Stilton, works as editor and publisher for the newspaper, The Rodent's Gazette. He has a younger sister named Thea Stilton, a cousin named Trap Stilton, and a nephew, nine-year-old Benjamin Stilton. Geronimo is a nervous, mild-mannered mouse who prefers a quiet life, yet keeps getting into faraway adventures with Thea, Trap, and Benjamin in both fictional and real locations. The books are written as fictional memoirs of him on these adventures. The books are designed and distributed in full color, depicting important words in the text as colored and in illustrative typefaces. In December 2025, it was announced that the book series was acquired by Italian animation studio Rainbow.
The series, combined with many spin-off series, has sold over 180 million copies worldwide and has 309 books in total. The series has also been adapted into an animated television series of the same name, theatrical shows, video games, and graphic novels.
Creation
In the 1990s, Elisabetta Dami found herself unable to have children, so she volunteered at children's hospitals to deal with that. Inspired by Patch Adams, who participates in Clown Care, she told humorous and adventurous stories starring the character of Geronimo Stilton and teaching morals to entertain patients. They appeared to love the stories, which would lead to her writing and publishing such stories.Characters
- Geronimo Stilton is the protagonist, and editor and publisher for The Rodent's Gazette, the most famous newspaper on New Mouse Island. He has a love of knowledge and has a strong sense of ethics and morals. Geronimo doesn't like to go on adventures with his family and friends, although he is passionate about writing adventure stories, which sell well in-universe. He was adopted by the Stilton family when he was young.
- Thea Stilton is Geronimo's younger sister and special correspondent for The Rodent's Gazette. Thea taught a journalism class at Mouseford Academy to five mice, Nicky, Colette, Violet, Paulina, and Pamela, who would name their group after her as the Thea Sisters and chronicle adventures of their own in the Thea Stilton series. She was also adopted by the Stilton family when she was young with her biological brother, Geronimo Stilton.
- Trap Stilton is Geronimo's cousin who travels along with him when he's called on. He is the owner of the thrift store Cheap Junk for Less and is often mentioned as a chef. He loves to tell jokes and play pranks, and often annoys Geronimo with his antics.
- Benjamin Stilton is Geronimo and Thea's young 9-year-old nephew and often comes along with him on his many adventures.
- William Shortpaws, also known as Cheap Mouse Willy, is the founder of The Rodent's Gazette and Geronimo's grandfather. He adopted Geronimo and Thea Stilton when they were young.
- Aunt Sweetfur is Geronimo's aunt, who lives with Benjamin.
- Sally Ratmousen is the main antagonist and publisher of The Daily Rat, the biggest competitor of The Rodent's Gazette. Her grandmother, Molly Ratmousen, founded The Daily Rat at the same time as The Rodent's Gazette founding.
- Creepella von Cacklefur is an enchanting and mysterious mouse who lives in Mysterious Valley and works both as a special effects designer for scary films and haunted houses and as a journalist. She is the protagonist of her own spin-off series with the same name. She has a crush on Geronimo.
- Professor Paws von Volt is a scientist and Geronimo's friend.
- Hercule Poirat is Geronimo's childhood friend and the private investigator of New Mouse City, bringing him on many of his cases. He has a crush on Geronimo's sister, Thea.
- Petunia Pretty Paws is a TV reporter and an environmentalist, whom Geronimo has a crush on. She also has a pesky niece named Bugsy Wugsy.
- Wolfgang Wild Paws: is Petunia's twin brother and a TV producer, who is also an environmentalist.
- Pinky Pink is Geronimo's teenage assistant editor at The Rodent's Gazette. She is an expert in computers and follows the latest trends.
- Tina Spicytail is a skilled cook for the Stilton family.
- Bruce Hyena is a parachutist, adventurer, and Geronimo's adventurous friend who likes to sign him up on many crazy adventures. He also has a crush on his sister, Thea.
- Shorty Tao is Bruce Hyena's cousin, the managing editor of The Rodent's Gazette, and she has a little brother, Baby Tao.
- The Paws family lived on a farm for many generations in the Giant Sequoia Valley, in Dolphin Bay. They are good friends with the Stiltons.
- *Bugsy Wugsy is the daughter of John Wugsy and Furry Paws and Benjamin's best friend.
- *Grandfather Paws is well-versed in natural sciences and once travelled the world in search of rare butterflies.
- *Grandmother Paws at a young age, she travelled all over the world when planes were not built yet.
- *Teddy Paws is the son of Grandfather and Grandmother Paws and brother of Bobby Paws.
- *Jenny Littlepaw is Teddy's wife.
- *Tom Paws is the son of Teddy and Jenny.
- *Lucy Vally is Tom's wife.
- *Lilly, Lally, and Lolly Paws are the daughters of Lucy and Tom. Lilly is five, Lally is seven, and Lolly is eleven.
- *Bobby Paws is the son of Grandfather and Grandmother Paws and brother of Teddy Paws.
- *Suzy Rattella is Bobby's wife.
- *Furry Paws is the daughter of Bobby and Suzy and sister of Petunia and Wolfgang.
- *John Wugsy is Furry's husband.
- The Shadow is a recurring antagonist, Sally Ratmousen's cousin and one of Mouse Island's most notorious criminals. She is a master thief and master of disguise who usually seduces Geronimo during their encounters.
- Champ Strongpaws is a friend of Geronimo who also likes to sign him up for adventures.
- Kornelius von Kickpaw, code name OOK, is Geronimo's childhood friend and a secret agent for the government of Mouse Island. He has a sister, Veronica von Kickpaw, who is also a secret agent and works under the code name OOV.
- Wild Willie is an archaeologist and adventurous friend of Geronimo and Bruce Hyena. He takes Geronimo on some adventures.
- Madame No is a recurring antagonist in the later books. She is the greedy, wealthy CEO of EGO Corp whose criminal endeavors often lead to her clashing with Geronimo and his friends.
Books
''Geronimo Stilton''
- Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye
- The Curse of the Cheese Pyramid
- Cat and Mouse in a Haunted House
- I'm Too Fond of My Fur!
- Four Mice Deep in the Jungle
- Paws Off, Cheddarface!
- Red Pizzas for a Blue Count / Fangs and Feasts in Transratania
- Attack of the Bandit Cats / Attack of the Pirate Cats
- A Fabumouse Vacation for Geronimo / A Fabumouse Holiday for Geronimo
- All Because of a Cup of Coffee / Hang on to Your Whiskers
- It's Halloween, You 'Fraidy Mouse!
- Merry Christmas, Geronimo!
- The Phantom of the Subway / The Ghost of the Underground
- The Temple of the Ruby of Fire / The Temple of the Fire Ruby
- The Mona Mousa Code
- A Cheese-Colored Camper / A Cheese-Colored Camper Van
- Watch Your Whiskers, Stilton! / The Mystery of the Roaring Rat
- Shipwreck on the Pirate Islands / Shipwreck on Pirate Island
- My Name Is Stilton, Geronimo Stilton
- Surf's Up, Geronimo!
- The Wild, Wild West
- The Secret of Cacklefur Castle
- Valentine's Day Disaster
- Field Trip to Niagara Falls / School Trip to Niagara Falls
- The Search for Sunken Treasure
- The Mummy with No Name
- The Christmas Toy Factory
- Wedding Crasher
- Down and Out Down Under
- The Mouse Island Marathon
- The Mysterious Cheese Thief
- Valley of the Giant Skeletons
- Geronimo and the Gold Medal Mystery
- Geronimo Stilton, Secret Agent
- A Very Merry Christmas
- Geronimo's Valentine
- The Race Across America
- A Fabumouse School Adventure / A Fantastic School Adventure
- Singing Sensation
- The Karate Mouse
- Mighty Mount Kilimanjaro
- The Peculiar Pumpkin Thief
- I'm Not a Supermouse!
- The Giant Diamond Robbery
- Save the White Whale!
- The Haunted Castle
- Run for the Hills, Geronimo!
- The Mystery in Venice
- The Way of the Samurai
- This Hotel Is Haunted!
- The Enormouse Pearl Heist
- Mouse in Space!
- Rumble in the Jungle
- Get Into Gear, Stilton!
- The Golden Statue Plot
- Flight of the Red Bandit
- The Stinky Cheese Vacation
- The Super Chef Contest
- Welcome to Moldy Manor
- The Treasure of Easter Island
- Mouse House Hunter
- Mouse Overboard!
- The Cheese Experiment
- Magical Mission
- Bollywood Burglary
- Operation: Secret Recipe
- The Chocolate Chase
- Cyber-Thief Showdown
- Hug a Tree, Geronimo
- The Phantom Bandit
- Geronimo on Ice!
- The Hawaiian Heist
- The Missing Movie
- Happy Birthday, Geronimo!
- The Sticky Situation
- Superstore Surprise
- The Last Resort Oasis
- The Mysterious Eye of the Dragon
- Garbage Dump Disaster
- Have a Heart, Geronimo
- The Super Cup Faceoff
- Mouse VS Wild
- Treasures of the Maya
- Blast From The Past
- ''The Legend of Chocolate Hills''
''Geronimo Stilton: Special Edition''
- A Christmas Tale
- Christmas Catastrophe
- The Hunt for the Golden Book
- The Hunt for the Curious Cheese
- The Hunt for the Secret Papyrus
- The Hunt for the Hundredth Key
- ''The Hunt for the Colosseum Ghost''
''Geronimo Stilton: Mini Mystery''
- The Super Scam
- The Lake Monster
- The Mouse Hoax
- The Cat Gang
- The Double Cross
- ''The Cheese Burglar''
Anniversary Edition
- The Little Book of Happiness
- The Secret World of Geronimo Stilton
''The Kingdom of Fantasy''
- The Kingdom of Fantasy
- The Quest for Paradise: The Return to the Kingdom of Fantasy
- The Amazing Voyage: The Third Adventure in the Kingdom of Fantasy
- The Dragon Prophecy: The Fourth Adventure in the Kingdom of Fantasy
- The Volcano of Fire: The Fifth Adventure in the Kingdom of Fantasy
- The Search for Treasure: The Sixth Adventure in the Kingdom of Fantasy
- The Enchanted Charms: The Seventh Adventure in the Kingdom of Fantasy
- The Hour of Magic: The Eighth Adventure in the Kingdom of Fantasy|The Hour of Magic: The Eighth Adventure in the Kingdom of Fantasy
- The Wizard's Wand: The Ninth Adventure in the Kingdom of Fantasy
- The Ship of Secrets: The Tenth Adventure in the Kingdom of Fantasy
- The Guardian of the Realm: The Eleventh Adventure in the Kingdom of Fantasy
- The Island of Dragons: The Twelfth Adventure in the Kingdom of Fantasy
- The Battle for Crystal Castle: The Thirteenth Adventure in the Kingdom of Fantasy
- The Keepers of the Empire: The Fourteenth Adventure in the Kingdom of Fantasy
- The Golden Key: The Fifteenth Adventure in the Kingdom of Fantasy
- The Treasures of the Kingdom: The Sixteenth Adventure in the Kingdom of Fantasy
- The Midnight Heist: The Seventeenth Adventure in the Kingdom of Fantasy
''The Kingdom of Fantasy: Special Edition''
- The Phoenix of Destiny: An Epic Kingdom of Fantasy Adventure
- ''The Dragon of Fortune: An Epic Kingdom of Fantasy Adventure''
''Adventure Camp Published in Italian only''
- A Night Under the Stars
- Courage at High Altitude
- Challenge Along the River
- Sea Turtle Mission
- Mountain Bike Explorers
- ''The Adventure Manual''
''Thea Stilton''
- Thea Stilton and the Dragon's Code
- Thea Stilton and the Mountain of Fire
- Thea Stilton and the Ghost of the Shipwreck
- Thea Stilton and the Secret City
- Thea Stilton and the Mystery in Paris
- Thea Stilton and the Cherry Blossom Adventure
- Thea Stilton and the Star Castaways
- Thea Stilton: Big Trouble in the Big Apple
- Thea Stilton and the Ice Treasure
- Thea Stilton and the Secret of the Old Castle
- Thea Stilton and the Blue Scarab Hunt
- Thea Stilton and the Prince's Emerald
- Thea Stilton and the Mystery on the Orient Express
- Thea Stilton and the Dancing Shadows
- Thea Stilton and the Legend of the Fire Flowers
- Thea Stilton and the Spanish Dance Mission
- Thea Stilton and the Journey to the Lion's Den
- Thea Stilton and the Great Tulip Heist
- Thea Stilton and the Chocolate Sabotage
- Thea Stilton and the Missing Myth
- Thea Stilton and the Lost Letters
- Thea Stilton and the Tropical Treasure
- Thea Stilton and the Hollywood Hoax
- Thea Stilton and the Madagascar Madness
- Thea Stilton and the Frozen Fiasco
- Thea Stilton and the Venice Masquerade
- Thea Stilton and the Niagara Splash
- Thea Stilton and the Riddle of the Ruins
- Thea Stilton and the Phantom of the Orchestra
- Thea Stilton and the Black Forest Burglary
- Thea Stilton and the Race for the Gold
- Thea Stilton and the Rainforest Rescue
- Thea Stilton and the American Dream
- Thea Stilton and the Roman Holiday
- Thea Stilton and the Fiesta in Mexico
- Thea Stilton and the Cave of Stars
- Thea Stilton and the Ghost of the Woods
- Thea Stilton and the Search for the Secret Garden
- ''Thea Stilton and the Blue Island Thief''
''Thea Stilton: Special Edition''
- The Journey to Atlantis
- The Secret of the Fairies
- The Secret of the Snow
- The Cloud Castle
- The Treasure of the Sea
- The Land of Flowers
- The Secret of the Crystal Fairies
- The Dance of the Star Fairies
- ''The Magic of the Mirror''
''Thea Stilton Mouseford Academy''
- Drama at Mouseford
- The Missing Diary
- Mouselets in Danger
- Dance Challenge
- The Secret Invention
- A Mouseford Musical
- Mice Take the Stage
- A Fashionable Mystery
- The Mysterious Love Letter
- A Dream on Ice
- Lights, Camera, Action!
- Mice on the Runway
- Sea Turtle Rescue
- The Secret Notebook
- The Friendship Recipe
- The Royal Ball
- The Puppy Problem
- The Secret of the Butterflies
- The Missing Mirror
- ''The Sweetest Dream''
''Thea Stilton and the Treasure Seekers''
- The Treasure Seekers
- The Compass of the Stars
- ''The Legend of the Maze''
''Creepella von Cacklefur''
- The Thirteen Ghosts
- Meet Me in Horrorwood
- Ghost Pirate Treasure
- Return of the Vampire
- Fright Night
- Ride for Your Life!
- A Suitcase Full of Ghosts
- The Phantom of the Theater
- ''The Haunted Dinosaur''
''Cavemice''
- The Stone of Fire
- Watch Your Tail!
- Help, I'm in Hot Lava!
- The Fast and the Frozen
- The Great Mouse Race
- Don't Wake the Dinosaur!
- I'm a Scaredy-Mouse!
- Surfing for Secrets
- Get the Scoop, Geronimo!
- My Autosaurus Will Win!
- Paws Off the Pearl!
- The Smelly Search
- Shoo, Caveflies!
- ''A Mammoth Mystery''
''Spacemice''
- Alien Escape
- You're Mine, Captain!
- Ice Planet Adventure
- The Galactic Goal
- Rescue Rebellion
- The Underwater Planet
- Beware! Space Junk!
- Away in a Star Sled
- Slurp Monster Showdown
- Pirate Spacecat Attack
- We'll Bite Your Tail, Geronimo!
- ''The Invisible Planet''
''Heromice''
- Mice to the Rescue!
- Robot Attack
- Flood Mission
- The Perilous Plants
- The Invisible Thief
- Dinosaur Danger
- Time Machine Trouble
- Charge of the Clones
- Insect Invasion
- Sweet Dreams, Sewer Rats!
- ''Revenge of the Mini-Mice!''
''Micekings''
- Attack of the Dragons
- The Famouse Fjord Race
- Pull the Dragon's Tooth!
- Stay Strong, Geronimo!
- The Mysterious Message
- The Helmet Holdup
- The Dragon Crown
- ''The Great Miceking Stone''
''The Journey Through Time''
- The Journey Through Time
- Back in Time: The Second Journey Through Time
- The Race Against Time: The Third Journey Through Time
- Lost in Time: The Fourth Journey Through Time
- No Time to Lose: The Fifth Journey Through Time
- The Test of Time: The Sixth Journey Through Time
- Time Warp: The Seventh Journey Through Time
- ''Out of Time: The Eighth Journey Through Time''
''Classic Tales''
- Treasure Island
- Little Women
- Around the World in Eighty Days
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
- Alice in Wonderland
- Moby Dick
- The Secret Garden
- Gulliver's Travels
- A Christmas Carol
- Journey to the Center of the Earth
- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
- The Jungle Book
- ''Mystery of Frankenstein''
''Thea Stilton Classic Tales''
- Romeo and Juliet
- Pride and Prejudice
- A Midsummer Night's Dream
- ''The [Phantom of the Opera (novel)|The Phantom of the Opera]''
Graphic novels
- The Discovery of America
- The Secret of the Sphinx
- The Coliseum Con
- Following the Trail of Marco Polo
- The Great Ice Age
- Who Stole the Mona Lisa?
- Dinosaurs in Action
- Play It Again, Mozart!
- The Weird Book Machine
- Geronimo Stilton Saves the Olympics
- We'll Always Have Paris
- The First Samurai
- The Fastest Train in the West
- The First Mouse on the Moon
- All for Stilton, Stilton for All!
- Lights, Camera, Stilton!
- The Mystery of the Pirate Ship
- First to the Last Place on Earth!
- Lost in Translation
- ''Saving Liberty''
''Thea Stilton'' graphic novels
- The Secret of Whale Island
- Revenge of the Lizard Club
- The Treasure of the Viking Ship
- Catching the Giant Wave
- The Secret of the Waterfall In The Woods
- The Thea Sisters and the Mystery At Sea
- A Song for the Thea Sisters
- ''The Thea Sisters and the Secret Treasure Hunt''
''Geronimo Stilton Reporter''
- Operation Shufongfong
- It's My Scoop!
- Stop Acting Around!
- The Mummy with No Name
- Barry the Moustache
- Paws Off, Cheddarface!
- Going Down to Chinatown
- Hypno Tick-Tock
- Mask of the Rat-Jitsu
- Blackrat’s Treasure
- Mystery on the Rodent Express
- Mouse House of the Future
- Reported Missing
- The Gem Gang
- Clean Sweep
- Mr. and Mrs. Matched
- Top Model Thea
- Attack of the Killer Whale
- Cheese Connection
- Starring Geronimo
- '' Rules of the Game''
''Geronimo Stilton the Graphic Novel''
- The Sewer Rat Stink
- Slime for Dinner
- Great Rat Rally
- ''Last Ride at Luna Park''
Reception
Kirkus Reviews reviews of Cavemice entry The Stone of Fire and Spacemice entry Alien Escape were positive, albeit criticized the slow pacing at the beginning of the former. Its review of Creepella Von Cacklefur entry Fright Night felt the plot wasn't "the strongest of Stilton spinoffs". Its review of The Kingdom of Fantasy entry The Enchanted Charms was mixed, criticizing the plot for not being original and appealing enough, but praising the art and incorporation of puzzles.
Other media
Two English-language eBooks, Geronimo Stilton's Illustrated Tails and Geronimo Stilton's Humorous Tails with the Secret Portrait Gallery, were published by Edizioni Piemme and sold by CyberRead and Barnes & Noble in 2000. The eBooks were part of a collaboration with Microsoft. The books Il mio primo manuale di internet, Trentino: Una Provincia Speciale!, and Il piccolo libro della pace were also adapted into eBooks. Piemme released the eBooks at the Frankfurt eBook Awards.There are also audiobooks of the Geronimo Stilton books published by Scholastic Audio Books, available on CD and as downloadables through various services such as OverDrive and Audible. There are three stories in the first three collections, book 10 is sold by itself, and the remaining books are sold in pairs. Books 1 through 10 are read by Edward Herrmann. Books 11–18, 20–22 and 24, and 25–26 are read by Bill Lobley.
Television series
In 1999, a pilot episode for an animated series of the same name, with two seasons each consisting of 26 episodes, was created by Stranemani, Graphilm, MatitAnimatA and Gertie Productions. It was directed and storyboarded by Marco A. Zanoni, written by Carlotta Mastrangelo, and animated by Federico Panella and Stefania Gallo. In 2000–2001, the series was reported to be in development at Carrère Group, in co-production with Gertie, Les Films de la Perrine, Red Whale and RAI. The series was set for broadcast on Rai 2 in 2004. Many animators and artists participated in the series' production, including Annetta Zucchi and Bruno Olivieri. The voice of Geronimo in this series was provided by Francesco Lovati. A theme song for the series was recorded by I Piccoli Cantori di Milano.Another animated series debuted in Italy on 15 September 2009. The show ran for 78 episodes across three seasons with the series finale airing on 28 February 2017.
Theatre
The Kingdom of Fantasy series has been developed into a musical theatre show, which has been performed in Spanish in Barcelona, Spain, in Dutch in Hong Kong and the Netherlands, in Dutch and Flemish in Belgium, and in both English and French in Montreal, Canada.In 2016, Oregon Children's Theatre produced Geronimo Stilton: Mouse in Space, a world-premiere adaptation of Mouse in Space! by John Maclay, and the first live-action production of Geronimo Stilton media in the United States. The production was performed in Canada in 2018.
Video games
partnered with Virtual Toys to develop two video games based on The Kingdom of Fantasy series for PlayStation Portable. The first, Geronimo Stilton in the Kingdom of Fantasy, was released in Europe on 3 November 2011. The follow-up, Geronimo Stilton: Return to the Kingdom of Fantasy, was released in the continent on 31 October 2012. In North America, both titles were released exclusively on the PlayStation Store on 16 July 2013.Quiz show
A quiz show named Topo Quiz con Geronimo Stilton was broadcast on Sky Italia and RaiSat in 2005–2008. The show, hosted by Geronimo and a presenter named Gaia, covered environmental topics, nutrition, road safety, and general life studies. Each episode would involve a team of two competing with each other. The show was directed by D. Di Santo. A talk show, Giga blu, was also broadcast on RaiSat around this time.Film
A film based on Geronimo Stilton has been in development since 2002.In February 2023, Radar Pictures acquired the rights to make a feature film based on Geronimo Stilton. The film is a co-production between Radar and Italian company Atlantyca Entertainment, which also produced the television series, with DreamWorks Animation veteran David Soren attached to write and direct and Anthony Tringali, Michael Napoliello and Maria Frisk set to produce under Radar Pictures.