Strega Nona's Magic Lessons

Strega Nona #3

by Tomie dePaola

Big Anthony disguises himself as a girl in order to take magic lessons from Strega Nona.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fantasy, Fiction, Magic, Italy, Humor

32 pages, Paperback

First published October 29, 1982

About the author

Tomie dePaola (pronounced Tommy da-POW-la) was best known for his books for children.

He had a five-decade writing and illustrating career during which he published more than 270 books, including 26 Fairmount Avenue, Strega Nona, and Meet the Barkers.

Tomie dePaola and his work have been recognized with the Caldecott Honor Award, the Newbery Honor Award, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, and the New Hampshire Governor's Arts Award of Living Treasure.

Reviews

[Debbie W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally got the chance to read this one aloud to a Grade 4 class (9-year-olds) and get their thoughts:
- "I love this author!"
- "He (Tomie dePaola) works so hard on his illustrations!"
- "The story and pictures were funny!"
- "I like stories about magic."
- "It was so creative!"
- "I like how Strega Nona taught Big Anthony a lesson again."
- "I like the background and expressions!"

An excellent read aloud for ages 6 and up!

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strega Nona and her assistant Big Anthony return in this cross-dressing adventure from author/illustrator Tomie dePaola. When the grandmotherly witch takes on Bambolona the baker's daughter as a pupil, Big Anthony asks if he too can learn magic. Told that men don't become strega (witches), he disguises himself as a girl, in order to take Strega Nona's magic lessons. Unfortunately, his poor memory, inattention to detail, and tendency to use Strega Nona's magic without her supervision, once again backfire, and he ends up turning his teacher into a toad. Can he ever set things right...?

Published in 1982, Strega Nona's Magic Lessons is the third picture-book featuring these characters, following upon the Caldecott Honor-winning Strega Nona and Big Anthony and the Magic Ring (more recently released as Strega Nona's Magic Ring . Although it covers similar territory to those earlier stories, in the sense that Big Anthony once again uses some of Strega Nona's magic illicitly, with poor results, it was still quite entertaining. I did feel rather bad for him, being told that men couldn't become strega, but in the end, his efforts to learn magic were torpedoed by his own laziness and rule-breaking, rather than by his gender. The artwork is every bit as appealing as in previous entries in the series, and accentuates the humor of the story. Recommended to fans of Strega Nona, and to anyone who enjoys magical tales with a sense of humor.

[Ronyell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been reading the “Strega Nona” series ever since I was a child and there were many “Strega Nona” books that I have really enjoyed over the years! One of my favorites was this little gem called “Strega Nona’s Magic Lessons” by Tomie dePaola and it is about how Big Anthony wanted to learn magic like Strega Nona, but might have to go through drastic measures to learn magic! “Strega Nona’s Magic Lessons” is a truly clever and hilarious story for “Strega Nona” fans!

Bambolona, the baker’s daughter was extremely upset with her job since she is the only employee working at her father’s bakery while her father just sits in the town square chatting away with his friends. When Bambolona tried to tell her father that she needs help with the bakery, her father just told her to work harder and that caused Bambolona to leave her father’s bakery and go to Strega Nona’s house. Strega Nona then tells Bambolona that she could teach her magic, but when Big Anthony wanted to learn magic too, Strega Nona told him that he could not learn magic. Big Anthony was so upset at this that he leaves Strega Nona to work for the baker, only to end up losing his job at the bakery on the first day. When Big Anthony realizes that the only way he could learn magic is if he is a woman, he decides to dress up like a Strega and try to learn some magic! .

Everything about this book is so perfectly humorous and creative that I just had to read this book over and over again! Tomie dePaola’s writing and illustrations are both extremely creative and hilarious at the same time and together they made this story into quite a treat to read! I loved the way that Tomie dePaola portrayed all the characters in this story as they are all interesting to read about, especially Strega Nona, Bambolona and Big Anthony! Now, I keep forgetting that Bambolona’s actual first appearance was in “Big Anthony and the Magic Ring,” but she did not have a speaking role in that book. This book however, is Bambolona’s first speaking role in the “Strega Nona” series and it was great that she has become apart of the popular cast of “Strega Nona” as she is like a clever folly to Big Anthony’s foolishness. Big Anthony’s latest mischief is just as hilarious as his incident with the pasta pot in “Strega Nona” and I loved seeing him dressed up as a woman in order to learn magic from Strega Nona. Tomie dePaola’s illustrations are extremely hilarious and creative at the same time as Strega Nona is as always shown as a wise looking woman who is always wearing an apron and a white shawl on her head. My favorite illustrations were of when both Bambolona and Antonia were learning cures for the people and while Bambolona was always getting the cures right, Antonia was always getting the cures wrong.

Overall, “Strega Nona’s Magic Lessons” is a truly hilarious and creative book for children who are fans of the “Strega Nona” series and who love seeing a little magic in their lives! I would recommend this book to children ages five and up since the Italian phrases might be a bit too difficult for smaller children to understand.

Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog

[Sue Poduska · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable story of being true to yourself.

[Kelly Tessitore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a wonderful story about a young girl not settling for her hard life with a lazy father. She asserts her independence and goes to a sagacious old woman named Strega Nona for help. Strega Nona immediately offers to show her how to perform magic. A young man named Anthony comes into the story and wants to learn magic too, but he can not because he is a boy. Thus, he decides to pretend to be a woman in order to learn the magic. But Bambolona and Strega Nona trick him and he reveals that he is actually Anthony and not a girl. This book is a simple, cute childrens book with a humorous plot about how hard work overcomes laziness and that it is never good to lie. The illustrations are adorable and appeal to a young age group.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, Big Anthony is at it again and is trying to do magic. This story tells about how Bambalona comes to work with Strega Nona and becomes her apprentice. The story is funny and the illustrations (especially with Big Anthony in a dress) are hilarious. We really enjoyed this story in the Strega Nona series by Tomie dePaola, and we will certainly look for the last few books in the series we have not yet read.

[Irma Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Strega Nona’s Magic Lessons," is a fantasy story involving magic and a moral to be told.Showing how hard work pays off while using tricks to get ahead will only lead to disaster and a lesson to be learned in the end. Two characters; one is hard-working, while the other is lazy. Both characters will learn magic, but their results will be different because of their patience and practice put into their magic. This story has very nice drawing that matches the story line well. The characters are unique; both visually and personality-wise. Each page is silly and will make you laugh.

[LeAnn Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

These were a favorite in my family growing up. It was wonderful to read about Strega Nona again!

[✨Arline✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

We (6yo and I) lol’d. 🥰

[Robert John]

Bambolona wants to learn magic from Strega Nona and so does Big Anthony. Only girls can learn magic so Big Anthony dresses up like a girl. Big Anthony says the wrong words to a magic trick and it ends up going bad for Strega Nona.

[Amar Pai · Rating 3 out of 5]

Big Anthony is so incompetent! He just doesn't listen
Cashin sequels are never as good as the original but I do support dePaola's right to cash in. Same as with any successful children's book author. Make that guap!

[Hazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tomie dePaola writes beautiful stories and has amazing pictures to go with them.

[Delie Dell Chua · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Strega Nona's series!

[Ketutar Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like Tomie de Paola's books, especially the ones about Strega Nona :-)

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books, it's amazing with wonderful illustrations.

[Telps · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Strega Nona and the way she teaches her lessons.

[Halina Hetman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Вже кілька років я бачу на Pinterest (друга за улюбленістю та відвідуваністю соцмережа в моєму житті після Goodreads) картинки зі Strega Nona. Вона розумна, хитра та затишна італійська бабуся-відьма, яка допомагає жителям маленького села та живе своє найкраще життя в стилі cottagecore. Я й не думала, що це - персонажка дитячої книжки! Скоріш за все, деякі з тих картинок були зі зміненим текстом, щоб було смішніше для дорослих (існує навіть комуністична критика цих мемів та серії про Нону в цілому!), але, в будь-якому разі, я вирішила прочитати оригінальну серію книжок про неї в бібліотеці. І вони не розчаровують! Можливо, тому що я не комуністка.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. Big Anthony gets jealous when Strega Nona starts teaching Bambolona magic, so he dresses up as a girl to try to trick Strega Nona into teaching him, too. Surprises and humor. Fantastic.

[Tina Hoggatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

How I love Strega Nona! With her cunning ways and practical bent, she is the trickster who always makes things come out right in the end. In Bambolona and Big Anthony we have two characters who want to change their lives, to become someone else. Love how dePaola got Big Anthony into a dress in this book, and rescued the slavish baker Bambolona from her toil. Brava! Bravo!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an entertaining and amusing little tale that had nice illustrations to go along with it. I'd recommend it if you were a fan of Tomie de Paola.

*Taken from my book reviews blog: http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2008...

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big Anthony always makes me laugh! I can't believe he thought he could fool Strega Nona. I hope he learned his lesson.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

The pacing of the story is wonderful and on each page there is so much to look at for the detailed observer.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to do something right, you can't rush the process of learning.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

We get to see Big Anthony in Drag. He sure is tall. See, a Strega can only be a girl and Big Anthony wants to learn magic. He dresses up as a girl to learn magic. It's funny. Everyone is so potato faced, that he fits right in, he's just tall.

Strega Nona took on a new apprentice Bombalina and she is going to teach her magic. Big Anthony wants in on it as well. How Strega Nona deals with the problem is funny. She is turned into a toad, or so Big Anthony thinks. Anthony means well but he always seems to get everything wrong. I guess only Strega could deal with him.

Same Tomie artwork. The artwork is silly and it matches the story, giving a light-hearted air about it.

I love the Strega Series and I'm getting close to having read them all.

This is a classic series and kids will love to read it if they like hijinks.

[FM Family · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good one! Some of the Strega Nona sequels weren't as strong but I feel like this one works, and introduces Bamobolona into the mix. I had some concerns about how Big Anthony being told he can't be a strega because he's male and then dressing as a woman to be included should be interpreted today as we have a much more sophisticated understanding of gender identity than we did in 1984 when this came out. But it seems like it's not really a book about "identity" it's not like Big Anthony identifies as a strega/female and is being told no, he's just a nuisance who likes to stick his nose into things and not pay attention. A fun one, well done that my 4 year old enjoyed a lot. Good as a story about magic without spooky/scary stuff.

[Laura DeGrave · Rating 4 out of 5]

The baker's daughter is done with her family trade and goes to Strega Nona for help.
Strega Nona takes the girl in as a student to magic.
Big Anthony becomes jealous, wanting to learn too.
Only girls can be witches.
He disguises himself in one of the town's folk dresses to be included.
Strega Nona teaches both "girls".
The baker's daughter, Bambolona is a excellent student while Antonia (Big Anthony) causes trouble.
His focus never quite matches his enthusiasm to prove others wrong.
Strega Nona promotes Bambolona to more complex knowledge.
Antonia sticks his nose inside Strega Nona's spell book.
What kind of pickle will he get into this time?
Life lessons on envy, attention, and basics first.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strega Nona gets an apprentice with Bambolona, the baker's daughter. Fed up with men in this village they go to work to learning the appropriate magic spells. But Strega Nona's helper Big Anthony strikes again. When Nona refuses to teach him magic (because he doesn't listen) he goes to work for Bambolona's dad, who is the laziest baker ever. And baking requires precision. Big Anthony screws it up and gets fired. He takes advice from another villager and suddenly Strega Nona has two apprentices. This was a cute story about listening and not rushing things. I did not like the strict gender roles imprinted on this story however.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

How am I just now learning about Strega Nona (Grandma Witch)? There were books in this series on my library’s shelf, that I had never seen until now. This one was written in 1982!

Strega Nona’s Magic Lessons is clever, funny and gentle, with illustrations that have a unique charm. I plan to read more!

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me: Did Bambolona ever resolve the situation with her father? I know she quit and he certainly wasn't doing any work. Or did she become a strega like Strega Nona? I mean, she'd be much better off as a strega than a baker's daughter. Better working conditions as well.

The Rabbit: *falls asleep*

Guinea Pigs: G-1 ate hay before getting comfortable. G-2 seemed to actually listening for once.