But, since she is getting old, she employs the assistance of a young man named big anthony to help her with her chores. Merry christmas, strega nona is another classic from tomie depaolas strega nona series and is probably the most heartwarming of all the strega nona stories. What you get teacher discussion guide book project and activity ideas. Strega nona is an italian witch renowned for her magical pasta pot. Strega nona author tomie depaola is dead at age 85. Tomie depaola, the prolific childrens author and illustrator who delighted generations with tales of strega nona, the kindly and helpful old witch in italy, died monday at.
Book 2 chapter 15, book 2 chapter 16, book 2 chapter 17 54 terms. Strega nonas reaction when shown this book was, bravissimo, mio caro tomie. Mcdonoughs gravelly voice is an agreeable match for these stories set in calabria. Strega nonas assistant big anthony tries to use the pot without understanding the magic secret to stop the pasta, and he floods the entire town with heaps of cooked pasta. Free strega nona study unit worksheets for teachers to print. This study has a variety of resources and can be used for preschool, kindergarten, or 1st grade. As tomie depaola is fond of pointing out, calabria is located in the toe of the boot that is italy. See the complete strega nona series book list in order, box sets or. Acclaimed childrens book author tomie depaolawho wrote the beloved strega nona picture book seriesdied monday at the age of 85. Novembers virtual book club is about the author tomie depaola. Big anthony works for strega nona, the grandmother witch. Her new apprentice, big anthony, doesnt watch how to stop production of her magic pasta.
We had so much fun the past few weeks reading all of tomies books about strega nona. 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 from tomie depaola. In this humorous tale, strega nona attempts to teach big anthony about gardening and the importance of order. Childrens book author tomie depaola dead at 85 boston. Strega nonagrandma witchis the source for potions, cures. It starts with the magic words only she knows and it stops making pasta when she says the ending magic words. Strega nonas meddling assistant big anthony is determined to prove to the townspeople his knowledge of the magic secrets contained in the pasta pot of strega nona. But when big anthony does not follow her directions and tries to use her growing spell. Tomie depaola, whose picture book tales of bullied children, christian saints and a magically overflowing pasta pot delighted generations of young readers and sold millions of copies, died march. Big anthony causes the title characters magic pasta pot to create so much pasta that it nearly floods and buries a town. His first strega nona book won the 1976 caldecott honor book award.
The book, which is likely depaolas bestknown work, was. Strega nona is a witch who helps her fellow villagers with their troubles. See more ideas about author studies, book activities and teaching reading. Lets have fun with strega nona books by tomie depaula. The first strega nona book came about because depaola was asked to retell a folktale.
She helps people with all sorts of things and is a good woman. Strega nona, his most endearing character, originated as a doodle at a dull faculty meeting at colby sawyer college in new london, new hampshire, where depaola was a member of the theater department. Strega nona is not only an excellent anchor text for teaching comprehension strategies, but it also pairs well with a phonics lesson about short vowels. He changed the traditional story of the porridge pot into a new classic about a pasta pot. Tomie depaolas strega nona has been loved by generations of childrens book readers, but theyve never seen her like this. Strega nona arrives just in time to save the village from disaster. It was eventually made into a cartoon and several other childrens merchandise, all fun and educational toys as kids grew up. The other detail we learn about the setting in the very first sentence of the book is that it takes place a long time ago 7. Seasoned narrator john mcdonough offers a lively reading of the 1976 caldecott honor book, now an ala 2000 notable recording. It concerns strega nona grandma witch in broken italian and her helper, big anthony. From beloved author tomie depaola comes the classic, caldecott honorwinning story strega nona as a resized classic board book. Join strega nona in her quest to learn about the true spirit of christmas when a special someone gives her a gift that she will never forget. Tomie depaola filled thousands upon thousands of pages in his childrens books with talking animals, irish giants, trolls, nativeamerican guiding spirits, and strega nona, a homespun, affable. Strega nonagrandma witchis the source for potions, cures, magic, and comfort in her calabrian town.
Strega nona, or grandmother witch, is a witch doctor who helps the people in her village with her remedies. Strega nona printables, classroom activities, teacher. One day, he observes her singing a spell to a magic pasta pot to produce large amounts of cooked pasta. Comprehension by chapter, vocabulary challenges, creative reading response activities and projects, tests, and much more.
Strega nona is a childrens book written and illustrated by tomie depaola. He has also written a number of informational books like charlie needs a cloak, which is the story of the creation of a wool cloak, from shearing. See more ideas about author studies, book activities and tomie depaola books. There were so many to choose from but we decided to select his books about strega nona first. Explore classroom activities, puzzles, teacher resources. Free strega nona worksheets and literature unit for. Depaola executes a clever concept with his trademark charm and humor, offering a prequel to the series that began in 1976 with the caldecott honor book strega nona.
And strega nona takes place in a small town somewhere in that region. In 1976, it was awarded the caldecott honor and it was voted one of the top 100 picture books of all time in a 2012 poll sponsored by the school library journal. Strega nona and the twins by tomie depaola, paperback. She then gives him a punishment that suits the crime. In so doing, he unleashes a torrent of pasta which threatens to engulf their little italian town.
Tomie depaola, creator of gently humorous picture books. Review strega nona by tomie depaola is the first book in a classic childrens literature series from the 1970s and 1980s. I read this book to my children and bought it so they can read it to theirs. Strega nona grandma witchis the source for potions, cures, magic, and comfort in her calabrian town. The admiring fans of the much loved grandma witch, strega nona, will cheer to the news of this recorded book. Based on the illustrations in the book, it may be suggested that the. Her magical everfull pasta pot is especially intriguing to hungry big anthony. Tomie depaola, the childrens book author and illustrator known for modern classics like strega nona, little grunt and the big egg, and the clown of god, died monday at the age of 85, the washington post reports depaola was injured in a fall several days ago. Tomie depaola, 85, creator of gently humorous picture.
Strega nona grandma witch is the source for potions, cures, magic and comfort in her calabrian town. Strega nona is the first in a series of pictures books featuring nona and big anthony. Strega nona book by tomie depaola official publisher. He is supposed to look after her house and tend her garden, but one day, when she goes over the mountain to visit strega amelia, big anthony recites the magic verse over the pasta pot, with. Either download the strega nona super pack or this individual word work package to access lesson plans, interactive games and fun worksheets that directly tie word study to your classroom reading. She helps villagers with all kinds of maladies, from warts to headaches. Strega nona paperback picture book, sep 3 1979 amazon.