Tomie dePaola

Welcome to the beautiful town in Italy where magic is always bubbling in the pasta pot. This spectacular treasury brings together six of the most beloved adventures featuring Strega Nona, the wise grandmother witch, and her clumsy but lovable helper, Big Anthony. You will experience the classic original story where a magical pasta pot overflows and buries the entire town in noodles. You will also follow along as Strega Nona meets her match, takes a vacation, and teaches magical lessons. Along with these hilarious and heartwarming tales, this collection includes special behind the scenes secrets, a map of the village, and even a lovely lullaby you can sing. It is the perfect way to explore a charming world where common sense is the best kind of magic, and a good bowl of pasta can solve almost anything.

The holiday season has arrived in the little Italian village, and that means it is time for wonderful feasts and grand celebrations. Everyone is busy preparing amazing foods and sharing the joyful spirit, from the lively Feast of San Nicola all the way to the Feast of Epiphany. Even the farm animals get to join in on the fun. Strega Nona, the wise and kindly village witch, is cooking up delicious, magical treats for all the animals to enjoy. But her bumbling assistant, Big Anthony, smells the food and decides that sneaking just one little bite will not hurt anyone. As usual, Big Anthony's stomach gets him into a massive, hilarious mess. Join the warm holiday fun in this silly, heartwarming story as Strega Nona delivers a very special surprise to her friends.

Are you ready for a little magic and a lot of laughs? Even Strega Nona, the beloved "grandmother witch," needs a break sometimes! Lately, she’s been a bit distracted, so she decides it’s time for a relaxing vacation at her Grandma Concetta’s seashore house. You can imagine all the fun she'll have! While Strega Nona is away, she leaves her well-meaning but often bumbling helpers, Bambolona and Big Anthony, in charge of her important daily remedies and chores. What could possibly go wrong when Big Anthony is left to his own devices? Get ready for a bubbly, hilarious adventure as he tries (and maybe fails!) to keep everything running smoothly. You'll giggle along as you discover the silly surprises that pop up when Strega Nona isn't around!

Strega Nona is the beloved grandmother witch of her small Italian village. Everyone comes to her for old fashioned magic, warm advice, and cures for everything from headaches to warts. But things change quickly when her friend Strega Amelia comes down from the mountain for a visit. Amelia decides to set up her very own magical shop right in town. Instead of using ancient spells, Amelia uses shiny modern gadgets and offers everyone fancy cappuccino and sweet treats. Suddenly, all of Strega Nona's regular friends are flocking to the new shop. It looks like the classic village witch has finally met her match. But Strega Nona is wise and clever. Can she figure out the perfect magic trick to win back her neighbors and prove that the old ways are sometimes the very best?

Jump in Bambolona is completely exhausted from working long, hard hours in her father's bakery. She decides she needs a big change, so she marches over to the wise Strega Nona to learn the secrets of real magic instead. Why it pulls you in Learning magic takes patience and serious focus, which Bambolona has plenty of. But then bumbling Big Anthony decides that he wants to be a magician, too! Since Strega Nona only teaches girls, he creates a hilarious disguise to trick her. You will be giggling as Big Anthony completely fails to follow directions, mixing up spells and creating a gigantic, chaotic mess all over the village. Who it is for Readers who love funny magical disasters and learning why there are no shortcuts to doing things the right way.

It is harvest season in the village, and the wise grandmother witch, Strega Nona, is ready to plant her garden. She tries to teach her helper, Big Anthony, all about the importance of being careful and planting seeds in perfectly straight, orderly rows. But Big Anthony thinks gardening is too much hard work. Instead of listening to her wise advice, he secretly decides to use Strega Nona's growing spell to make the vegetables grow faster. You can probably guess what happens next! The small vegetable patch completely explodes into a massive, wild jungle of vines and giant vegetables. You will giggle as Big Anthony tries to figure out what to do with a mountain of runaway produce. This hilarious adventure celebrates the autumn season, the fun of growing food, and the messy consequences of taking magical shortcuts.

Jump in Spring has arrived in Italy, and bumbling Big Anthony has a bad case of spring fever. He wants to go out dancing and enjoy the beautiful weather, but he thinks he needs a little extra charm to impress anyone. So, he decides to borrow something that does not belong to him. Why it pulls you in Big Anthony secretly takes Strega Nona's magic ring, hoping it will turn him into the most handsome man in the village. As always, using magic without permission leads to complete disaster! You will laugh out loud as Big Anthony gets way more attention than he ever wanted, causing hilarious chaos all over town. Who it is for Perfect for fans of funny disasters, magical mix ups, and anyone who loves seeing what happens when Big Anthony makes another gigantic mistake.

Jump in The beloved grandmother witch, Strega Nona, is back to share her very best advice for living a happy life. This time, her magical world literally jumps right off the page to greet you! Why it pulls you in This spectacular pop up book brings the charming Italian village to life like never before. You will turn the pages to reveal incredible, detailed scenes that pop up and move, while Strega Nona reveals her six secret ingredients for a perfect life. As you explore the amazing paper engineering, you will even learn a few fun Italian words to share with your friends. Who it is for Perfect for young readers who love interactive surprises, beautiful paper art, and heartwarming lessons about joy and family.