Merry Christmas, Strega Nona

4.5

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Author(s)

Tomie dePaola

Publisher

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

September 12, 2023

ISBN

978-1481477659

Buy This Book

In this holiday follow-up to Tomie dePaola’s Caldecott Honor–winning Strega Nona, our favorite Grandma-Witch is back and bringing her magic to Christmas with a town feast—can she count on Big Anthony as her only helper?

It’s Christmas time in Calabria and with Strega Nona’s annual feast around the corner, she has no time for her usual magical tasks. Christmas has a magic of its own, and no one knows magic like Strega Nona does, especially Big Anthony. But with the clock ticking on her preparations, will Big Anthony finally be able to prove that he can be counted on with some magic of his own?

With warm illustrations in Tomie’s classic folk-art style, this refreshed addition to the Strega Nona series is a must-have for fans of all ages.

Editor review

1 review

Captures Christmas Spirit

December 18, 2023

Overall rating

4.5

Plot

4.0

Characters

5.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

Having grown up reading Strega Nona I was excited to have the opportunity to review Merry Christmas, Strega Nona, and reconnect with a piece of my childhood.

Strega Nona is preparing for the Christmas Day feast in her home. Her assistant Big Anthony is helping her with the preparations, but as readers of Strega Nona know Big Anthony often messes things up. In this book, he forgets to get many of the food items on the shopping list and Strega Nona cancels the feast. The townspeople hear of this and surprise Strega Nona with a feast instead.

What I Liked: This book evoked such a sense of nostalgia for me. As I
read this, I felt as though I was transported back to my childhood, and I enjoyed that connection. I love the little hints of Italian culture scattered throughout Strega Nona, which reminds me of my grandmother. Tomie dePaola has such a distinct illustration style that captures the spirit of Strega Nona well.

Merry Christmas, Strega Nona celebrates the magic of Christmas and is a must-read for a fan of the series.