Strega Nona

Strega Nona. ISBN 0-671-66283. 1975. Tommy DePaolo. Caldecott Honor. Ages 4-8. Italian.

Strega Nona is the tale of an old woman with magical powers that lived long ago. The story takes place in the town of Calabria, which is in southern Italy. Strega Nona is often visited by the townspeople seeking help with their various problems, ranging from headaches to warts, though they all whisper about her behind her back. Strega Nona means, "Grandma Witch", after all. When Big Anthony is hired to help her around the house, her only requirement of him is that he does not touch her pasta pot. He overhears her casting a spell over the pot one day, realizes that she is able to magically make pasta, and can not resist giving it a shot when she leaves town. Big Anthony does not know how to make the pot stop producing pasta, however, and is responsible for engulfing the town in pasta. He is punished by Strega Nona. She makes him eat all of the pasta, as this punishment fits the crime.

There is a strong moral message in Strega Nona involving listening to elders, and doing what you are told. Not listening seems to be a strong temptation for all children, so this would be a valuable lesson to discuss with a class. Making choices that involve certain consequences could be discussed as well. There are many illustrations that go along with the story. They are all brightly colored in tones of pink, blue, gold, and green, which makes the story more vibrant. Children will be intrigued by the colorful pictures that literally tell the story as it unfolds. If I were reading this story, I would be sure to include a strong Italian accent when reading the part of Strega Nona to make the story more fun, and to emphasize the idea that this story takes place in Italy. Our class could then discuss our own culturally diverse backgrounds.