Alice Nizzy Nazzy: The Witch of Santa Fe

by Tony Johnston, Tomie dePaola (Illustrator)

In a whimsical "Baba Yaga meets Santa Fe" tale, young Manuela finds herself in the cooking pot of Alice Nizzy Nazzy, and when all attempts to win her freedom fail, Manuela is spared because good children taste bad to witches. BOMC Main.

Genres: Picture Books, Folklore, Fantasy, Halloween, Witches, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 19, 1995

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Tony Johnston has written many acclaimed books for young people. She and her husband lived in Mexico for fifteen years, where they raised their children. She now lives in San Marino, California.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspired by Russian lore concerning that powerful witch Baba Yaga, author/illustrator team Tony Johnston and Tomie dePaola spin a fantastic witchy yarn set in the American southwest. Residing just outside the settlement of Santa Fe, Alice Nizzy Nazzy was a fearsome witch who lived in a house with roadrunner feet, surrounded by a fence of prickly pears. She liked to eat little children, and the parents thereabouts warned their offspring to avoid her house. But one day Manuelita found herself approaching that very domicile, in search of her lost sheep. Would Alice Nizzy Nazzy eat her? Or would Manuelita prove that not only was she a good child, but a clever one too...?

Johnston and dePaola collaborated on nine picture books, including the Halloween classic, The Vanishing Pumpkin , as well as that pioneer tale, The Quilt Story . Here they offer a delightful tribute to their original witchy inspiration—just as Baba Yaga has a house on chicken legs, Alice Nizzy Nazzy has one on roadrunner legs, and both witches fly through the air with a mortar—but also craft an original story with lots of southwestern flair. I don't always care for transplanted stories such as this, but Alice Nizzy Nazzy: The Witch of Santa Fe really only uses the original Russian lore as a starting point, offering something unique and entertaining, rather than the same story in a different skin. As someone who enjoys witchy fare, I enjoyed this story of a truly wicked witch, and appreciated dePaola's signature artwork as well. dePaola is know for a far gentler magic maker, in his classic Strega Nona books, but as he himself notes, this is a very different kind of witch! Recommended to picture book readers who enjoy witchy tales, and for stories of clever children outwitting their foes.

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 1 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! Our book today is Alice Nizzy Nazzy, written by Tony Johnston and illustrated by Tomie dePaola, a re-release of the 1995 title of the same name by the author-illustrator duo.

Parents near the pueblo of Sante Fe all want their children to steer clear of Alice Nizzy Nazzy, a child-eating witch who lives in a magic house that has roadrunner legs and a fence of prickly pear. One day, a little girl named Manuela comes upon Alice Nizzy Nazzy’s strange home while in search of her missing sheep, and ventures inside. Outsmarting the house’s magical defenses, she comes face-to-face with the frightening figure herself! Can Manuela keep her wits about her?

As much as anyone, I can appreciate the impressive body of work by Johnston and dePaola; however, I don’t think this is a good book. In fact, considering the blatant cultural appropriation in the narrative, text, and artwork, I would be willing to say that this is a pretty bad book. With the intention of taking the Strega Nona fable of Russian folklore – which the pair has previously adapted to great success – “move her to a snazzy new location,” Johnston and dePaola’s work in this title uses Latin-American culture, dress, and art as set-dressing around a Russian fable adapted by two white creators, and it falls flat. With the abundance of authentic Latinx and indigenous folklore picture books available from creators who are members of these these cultures, this feels like a relic from the past by the first page. Beyond that, while some of the folklore elements are intriguing (even as they are blatantly appropriative), the story is trite and unsatisfying, with a protagonist who shows little agency and a villain who escapes punishment. Length was fine, and JJ enjoyed some of the fantastic elements, but also seemed confused by the ending. Overall, take a pass on this one. You’re not missing much.

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Alice Nizzy Nazzy' is about a wicked old witch from Santa Fe who likes to eat children and lives in a house with roadrunner feet and a cactus fence that follows the house wherever it goes. One day, a young girl named Manuela loses her flock of sheep and goes to look for them. She runs into Alice Nizzy Nazzy's house and is so charmed she decides to go inside. There she encounters Alice who tells her that she is a naughty child for losing her flock and is going to eat her up. However, she is enraged when she found that she had run out of her black cactus flower spice. Manuela says she knows where the flower grows and will take Alice there as long as she lets her flock go. Alice agrees, but once Manuela leads her to the flowers she discovers that Alice was lying. Alice continues to make her soup to eat Manuela, however when she takes a taste she spits it out and says that Manuela is a good child because good children taste sour. She then gets in her flying cauldron and flies away to find a naughty child to eat. The spell is then broken and all of Alice's fluffy pillows turn into her flock of sheep and they go back home.

This is a really fun and imaginative story about a mean old witch and a good little girl. Students will mostly appreciate this story for it's simplicity and familiar story line. However, I also feel that kids will appreciate the southwestern twist on the familiar story line. This would be a great introduction to learning about Mexican culture and traditional folk tales in different cultures too. I also think students will really appreciate Tomie DePaola's style of illustration as this was my favorite part of the book. Tomie DePaola has such a unique style of illustration that I feel students will almost always be able to find some appreciation for.

[Klarissa]

This is a magical story about an old scary witch of Santa Fe that eats naughty children. Manuela is the newest naughty child that Alice Nizzy Nazzy preys on. When Alice Nizzy Nazzy is about to eat Manuela she is told by the old witch that she has been searching for a black flower upon a cactus for far too long. This flower helps the witch stay young. In Manuela’s advantage she remembers that this flower is near the area that her sheep graze. Manuela takes the old witch to this flower and is then set free. This is a great story that is unique and imaginative. Children should read all sorts of book including ones that express if a child is naughty there may be consequences but not always to be eaten by a wicked witch. I find the intended grade level interest of kindergarten through second very fitting because older children may find this story silly.

[Miri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Baba Yaga style story.

Alice Nizzy Nazzy is a witch that eats children and lives in a house with chicken feet. One day Manuela loses her flock of sheep and wanders into Alice Nizzy Nazzy's home looking for her sheep and the witch plans to eat her up! How will Manuela outwit the witch and escape with her sheep?

Clever and fun. Wonderful illustrations!

[Lindsey Hulsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not just a fantasy book that kids will enjoy but also expresses different culture lines which still keeps its graduations family story line. Cute and funny book. Students would enjoy just as a little break book as well.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A retelling of the Russian Baba Yaga tale with a southwestern twist.

[Donna Essner · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone who loves 'witchy' stories and tales with a mix of Little Bo Peep thrown in, this is a delightful story. Tomie dePaola's illustrations add another scary, but funny, dimension to the story

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on Russian Baba Yaga, but set in Santa Fe, NM.

[Alyssa Overstreet]

Being good is good

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Baba Yaga in the SW. Always love Tomie DePaola.

[MelMon Sanchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Manenuela learned, being good pays off. And she made a new friend to take back with her sheep.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This older book is a variation on the story of Baba Yaga--a witch figure in Russian and Slovakian folklore .
It is gentled (a little bit!) for young readers by Tony Johnston's retelling and Tomie dePaola's delightful illustrations. The story is set in the Southwest region of the US. Manuela, a young shepherdess, loses her sheep. While searching for them, Manuela stumbles upon Alice Nizzy Nazzy's house--which stands on road-runner legs and is surrounded by a fence of prickly pear cactus. Alice turns out to be the kind of witch who like to eat children, and promptly puts the girl in a cooking pot. But the quick thinking child outwits Alice Nizzy Nazzy, and all ends well.
ELA: folk tales, compare with Baba Yaga, Hansel and Gretel stories.
Social Studies: discover what aspects of the story show the Southwestern setting.
Good story for Halloween season. Plenty of visual humor. And what fun to say the witch's name!
Reading level: M

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Baba Yaga in an American Southwest setting with Latin American characters.

Manuela is searching for her lost sheep and comes to the adobe house on roadrunner legs of Alice Nizzy Nazzy. The witch wants to eat her, but Manuela is a good girl and this manages to get hercout of it.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great children’s book set in the Southwest.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a southwestern view of the traditional story of Baba Yaga, a Russian story. It is really cute and the illustrator is Tomie dePaola.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Baba Yaga" was always a favorite folktale of mine when I was a child, and I found this Southwestern take on it delightful, with wonderful illustrations by Tomie dePaola.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love all of the Baba Yaga stories in whatever location they take place!

[Grandma M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice folk tale. Tomie dePaola illustrations.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much fun, and beautifully illustrated.

[A. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why, exactly, was this reprinted...?

[Melanie Gaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun twist on Baba Yaga.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

An adorable reimagining of Baba Yaga as a witch from Santa Fe. I loved all of the nods to the inspiration, like the roadrunner legs and the prickly pear fence. I'm not sure why the girl looks like she stepped out of Tim Burton's imagination in most scenes.

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books from childhood - can't even think about it without hearing my Grams doing the voices. Great adaptation of the Baba Yaga story, and especially fun if you've spent time in New Mexico or similar desert environments. Great read for kids. PLEASE do zany voices for them!!