Strega Nona

By Tomie dePaola

Book Overview

Now celebrating its 50th anniversary When Strega Nona leaves him alone with her magic pasta pot, Big Anthony is determined to show the townspeople how it works in this classic Caldecott Honor book... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0590370383
• ISBN13: 9780590370387
• Release Date: January 1975
• Publisher: Scholastic Inc
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.28 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Strega Nona was always one of my favorites!

Great condition upon arrival! I’ve always loved this book! Ever since I was a kid. My grandmother is Italian and so I sometimes would call her Nona to honor her in her culture. I’m so glad to finally add this book to my collection and share it with my children.

Fun book!

Absolutely love this book. My girls love reading it. Book was in good condition.

Great pictures

A lot of words. My toddler losses interest. Cute though.

My real first name is Nona, so I have given this book as gifts for years! This one arrived in perfec

It's really about what happens if someone doesn't follow instructions.

Strega Nona

Great Book! Excellent for children that do not listen. Unfortunately, I didn't realize it was written in Spanish. I had to go to a local book store to purchase the English Version. Having both versions worked out for me as my son and daughter-in-law are going to teach my granddaughter to be bi-lingual.

4 1/2* Pasta d'Amore

This is a lovely and warm book about Grandma Concetta, an Italian "strega" (someone with "lotions and potions" and "good advice"), and her devoted granddaughter, Nona. Nona and her friend Amelia go to a modern school for magic, but Nona misses her grandmother and the village and leaves the "Accademia." (Italian words are sprinkled throughout for atmosphere and authenticity.) She envies Amelia's diploma from the Academy for Stregas. But Grandma Concetta consoles her: "you don't need a diploma to be a true strega. You already have everything you need... And when I pass my practice over to you, I will tell you the ingrediente segreto-the secret ingredient. Then you will not only be a true strega, but a great one." Concetta eventually reveals that the secret ingredient to all the potions made in her pasta pot is love. This is a quiet magic story, with no great adventures or battles. There's a bit of humor(Amelia curls Nona's hair until it becomes a beehive of a perm; Nona uses olive oil -instead of magic-to get a goat off the roof), but it's not really a funny book. Mostly it is a calm, sweet tale of tradition and of people helping each other. The illustrations are beautiful: The long flowing lines, religious icons, rich colors, and patterned borders recall a tapestry, but lighter and simpler, like the book itself.

Grandma Witch

Most all kids love pasta and will also love Strega Nona. This Grandma Witch in Italy teaches Big Anthony (her big lug of an assistant) a few lessons in cooking pasta and about life. A beautifully told and illustrated story by Tommie Depaola. Kids and adults of all ages and ethnicities will love this Italian folk tale.

Grandma Witch's Magic Pasta Pot Produces Plenty!

Researchers constantly find that reading to children is valuable in a variety of ways, not least of which are instilling a love of reading and improved reading skills. With better parent-child bonding from reading, your child will also be more emotionally secure and able to relate better to others. Intellectual performance will expand as well. Spending time together watching television fails as a substitute. To help other parents apply this advice, as a parent of four I consulted an expert, our youngest child, and asked her to share with me her favorite books that were read to her as a young child. Strega Nona was one of her picks.This is an engaging tale of an elderly woman everyone called Grandma Witch, or Strega Nona. She helped everyone with their troubles, even the priest and the sisters in the convent. She could cure headaches, help girls get husbands, and get rid of warts. Because she was old, she hired Big Anthony to help her with the indoor and outdoor chores. Big Anthony was told not to touch the pasta pot, and he agreed. But one day he saw that she could turn it into a magic pasta pot by singing to it. Unfortunately, Big Anthony did not see all of the magic spell she used. One day when Strega Nona went to visit her friend Strega Amelia, Big Anthony saw his chance!Using the magic pasta pot by invoking the magic words, soon Big Anthony has enough pasta for everyone in town. People are very impressed and eat with him. Then he says the magic words to make it stop, and it continues (because he hadn't seen Strega Nona blow three kisses as part of the spell). Soon the pasta is coming out the door and threatens the town!Fortunately, Strega Nona returns and saves the day. But she wants to sleep in her bed that night. So she tells Big Anthony to start eating pasta to make room for her!The illustrations are very colorful and beautiful to behold. They are in a simple style that is appealing to young children. I would have enjoyed the book personally, just for the illustrations.The story is told in a friendly, humorous way rather than a frightening way. You can compare this story to Walt Disney's The Sorcerer's Apprentice and this one is definitely lighter and more appealing for young children.My daughter loved to read this story to me, as well as having me read it to her. She loved to laugh at the sight of all that pasta!The story has won a Caldecott award, which is well deserved.Overcome your stalled thinking that children don't enjoy stories about witches! In fact, love of this book may be behind the interest in Harry Potter!