Childrens Book Review of Strega Nona Does It Again by Tomie dePaola, Twelfth in the Series

Calabria’s hillside villagers consider their grandmotherly witch, Strega Nona, a solitary figure whose heavy work load demands the delegation of:

• Garden and household chores to clumsy, inattentive, well-meaning Big Anthony;
• Herbal remedies to agile, hard-working, observant Bambolona.

They deem Bambolona one of them, a familiar insider and former bakery assistant whose father, Signor Bambo, is in fact the village baker. They do not know Big Anthony’s familial background, which traces back to farmers way up north in peninsular Italy. But they embrace him as a welcome newcomer because of his hapless but permanent personal and professional links to Grandma Witch Nona. They love Strega Nona for herself and as granddaughter of previous village wise woman Grandma Concetta.

All of the villagers soon become acquainted with someone from Strega Nona’s extended family. A desperate plea comes from their grandmotherly witch’s cousin. Duke Andrea di Limone’s super-gorgeous daughter drives all but one young man in the area crazy with unrequited love.  Angelina contrastingly falls ironically head over heels in love with her super-vain male counterpart. She finds her exile at Strega Nona’s miserable despite:

• Behaving like a self-centered, spoiled two-year-old;
• Redecorating the bedroom;
• Taking advantage of family ties;
• Treating Bambolona and Big Anthony like abused, overworked servants.

Strega Nona nevertheless gets beyond unlikeable personalities when communal, familial, or individual problems require mitigation or resolution. She knows that:

• Angelina and Hugo deserve each other;
• Like likes like.

Tomie dePaola thus far claims unique honors as the only Sarah Josepha Hale Award recipient known predominantly for illustrating and writing children’s books. The Richards Free Library trustees in Newport, New Hampshire, grant the award as one of New England’s most distinguished, long-standing literary recognitions. Based upon nominations by a national board of judges, the recognition has two components:

• A bronze award;
• An honorarium from the Holden-Yeomans Memorial Fund.

It intends to embrace the recipient’s complete works. It is not at all surprising that Thomas Anthony dePaola’s output gets acknowledged since Strega Nona Does It Again! expectedly embodies deep truths which pertain outside the author – illustrator’s target audience of:

• Ages 4 – 8+;
• Grades preschool through third grade.

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Transplants from northern Italy may be undergoing culture shock as they make waves in settling in Calabria: first distracted Big Anthony and now spoiled Angelina, but Strega Nona relies on traditional wisdom for answers.
Limone borders scenic Lake Garda, from which the north central Italian town's full name of Limone sul Garda derives.
Limone sul Garda, Brescia Province, Lombardy region, north central Italy: Cits, CC BY SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Limone_sul_garda_visto_dal_battello.jpg

Strega Nona's practical wisdom guides her to solve personality conflicts through props, such as mirrors.
antique makeup mirror: Jurii, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Make-up_mirror.jpg

Tomie dePaola holds the honor of being the only children's author-illustrator to receive the Sarah Josepha Hale Award, administered by the Richards Free Library.
Previous recipients of the award, presented annually since 1956, include Robert Frost, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Arthur Miller, and Roger Tory Peterson.
58 North Main Street, Newport, central Sullivan County, southwest New Hampshire: Darien Library, CC BY ND 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/darienlibrary/227340411/

"Telling Stories with Tomie 'Every Picture Tells a Story'" (4:33) ~ Tomie dePaola's trio of characters -- Strega Nona, Big Anthony, and Bambolona -- come to life via The Jim Henson Company.
Uploaded March 8, 2013, by The Jim Henson Company to YouTube ~ URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55jp9pc3dp0

"About Tomie: Recognitions." Tomie.com. Retrieved January 5, 2015.

• Available at: http://www.tomie.com/about_tomie/recognitions.html

dePaola, Tomie. 2013. Strega Nona Does It Again! New York, NY: Nancy Paulsen Books, Penguin USA Young Readers Group imprint.

“Tomie dePaola, ‘Strega Nona Does It Again'.” Rjjulia.com: Event. Madison, CT: R.J. Julia Independent Booksellers. Retrieved January 5, 2015.

• Available at: http://www.rjjulia.com/event/tomie-depaola-strega-nona-does-it-again