Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola

Genre: Fanciful Fiction
Themes: Magic, Following Directions
Grade Level: K-2
Curricular Connections: Social Studies (Medieval Times), Foreign Language (Italian Words)

Strega Nona is the one everyone in town comes to when they need help or advice because she knows a bit of magic. Because she is getting older and needs some help, she puts up a notice, and abscent-minded Big Anthony decides he can help. One night when Big Anthony is milking the goat, he hears Strega Nona singing. He peeks in the window to see her magically making pasta in a pot. She calls him in for supper, and he doesn't see how she makes the magic pasta pot stop. Big Anthony goes into town and tells everyone about the magic pasta pot, but they all laugh at him. Two days later Strega Nona is going to visit a friend and leaves Big Anthony home alone with his chores. As soon as she left, Big Anthony began to sing the song he remembered Strega Nona singing over the pasta pot, and the pot began to fill. He fed all the townspeople and was a hero. Of course after everyone had their fill, he didn't know how to stop the pot, and the townspeople soon worried the pasta would take over their town. Strega Nona comes home and sees what has happened. She sings the song and blows three kisses to stop the pot. The townspeople want to string up Big Anthony, but Strega Nona says the punishment must fit the crime so Big Anthony must eat all the pasta he made come out of the pot.

Related Works: Strega Nona: Her Story, Strega Nona Meets Her Match, Strega Nona Magic Lessons, Strega Nona Takes a Vacation, Merry Christmas, Strega Nona

Classroom Suggestions:

1. Students can learn some simple Italian words such as grazie and si and practice using them in their classroom.

2. Students can write about a time they got in trouble and if their punishment fit the crime. If not, what would have been a better punishment.

3. Students can create short dramas to show their ideas on how to stop the pasta from overtaking the town. They can then act them out for their classmates.