At harvest time, this beloved “grandmother witch” shares the bounty of the season! In this humorous tale, Strega Nona attempts to teach Big Anthony about gardening and the importance of orderly planting. But when Big Anthony does not follow her directions and uses her growing spell, his small vegetable patch turns into an unruly jungle! What will they do with all the extra vegetables? With beautiful illustrations reminiscent of the artwork that won Tomie dePaola the Caldecott Honor for the original Strega Nona , this celebration of harvest and gardening will make the perfect addition to any Strega Nona collection. Grade 2–4—While its characters are familiar and their actions predictable, this tale adds a second dimension, instructing young readers on how to grow vegetables. Strega Nona saves her seeds from last year's garden, rotates her crops to keep the soil "happy and strong," and, much to Big Anthony's chagrin, explains the importance of compost and manure in the planting process. But most importantly, she stresses the need to sow seeds in orderly rows, a step Big Anthony chooses to ignore. The results are two very different gardens, as depicted by dePaola's familiar transparent acrylic illustrations, with bumbling Big Anthony having much more produce than he can handle. Sure to reap lots of fans.— C. J. Connor, Campbell County Public Library, Cold Spring, KY END After helping Strega Nona plant her vegetable garden and learning the secrets of her success, Big Anthony plants his own small garden on the sly. When his harvest far exceeds his desire to cook and store the vegetables, he secretly leaves them for Strega Nona, who prepares a feast for the nearby villagers. With echoes of the first book in the series, the pleasant story is simply told and satisfying. The illustrations, done in transparent acrylics, radiate all the warmth and gentle humor that have made the long-running Strega Nona series a favorite. Preschool-Grade 3. --Carolyn Phelan "Sure to reap lots of fans." -- School Library Journal Tomie dePaola was born in Meriden, Connecticut, in 1934 to a family of Irish and Italian background. By the time he could hold a pencil, he knew what his life's work would be. His determination to create books for children led to a BFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and an MFA from the California College of Arts & Crafts in Oakland, California. It drove him through the years of teaching, designing greeting cards and stage sets, and painting church murals until 1965, when he illustrated his first children's book, Sound , by Lisa Miller for Coward-McCann. Eventually, freed of other obligations, he plunged full time into both writing and illustrating children's books. He names Fra Angelico and Giotto, Georges Rouault, and Ben Shahn as major influences on his work, but he soon found his own unique style. His particular way with color, line, detail, and design have earned him many of the most prestigious awards in his field, among them a Caldecott Honor Award for Strega Nona , the Smithsonian Medal from the Smithsonian Institution, the Kerlan Award from the University of Minnesota for his "singular attainment in children's literature," the Catholic Library Association's Regina Medal for his "continued distinguished contribution," and the University of Southern Mississippi Medallion. He was also the 1990 United States nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for illustration. Tomie dePaola has published almost 200 children's books in fifteen different countries. He remains one of the most popular creators of books for children, receiving more than 100,000 fan letters each year. Tomie lives in an interesting house in New Hampshire with his four dogs. His studio is in a large renovated 200-year-old barn. - He has been published for over 30 years. - Over 5 million copies of his books have sold worldwide. - His books have been published in over 15 different countries. - He receives nearly 100,000 fan letters each year. Tomie dePaola has received virtually every significant recognition forhis books in the children's book world, including: - Caldecott Honor Award from American Library Association - Newbery Honor Award from American Library Association - Smithson Medal from Smithsonian Institution - USA nominee in illustration for Hans Christian Andersen Medal - Regina Medal from Catholic Library Association copyright © 2000 by Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers. All rights reserved. Tomie dePaola was born in Meriden, Connecticut, in 1934 to a family of Irish and Italian background. By the time he could hold a pencil, he knew what his life's work would be. His determination to create books for children led to a BFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and an MFA from the California College of Arts & Crafts in Oakland, California. It drove him through the years of teaching, designing greeting cards and stage sets, and painting church murals until 1965, when he illustrated his first child
