Strega Nona's Magic Lessons

Rating:
Summary: Good witch!
Review: As a wiccan, it's important to me to show my daughter positive examples of witches in stories and through my own actions...her auntie sends her Strega Nona books for every special occasion and she LOVES them! She's still too young to understand much of what goes on, but she loves it when my husband or I change voices to give life to certain characters (she loves my husband's Big Anthony voice) and at 1 year knows already which one in the pictures in front of her is Big Anthony, which one is Strega Nona and now which one is Bambolona! BIG Bravo to Tomie de Paola for showing folks out there that witches can be good and wise...and fun!

Rating:
Summary: You'll be spellbound
Review: Poor Big Anthony! He tries so hard, but he just hasn't quite learned that his talent lies in other areas. You and your child will love this tale told by Tomie de Paolo (the master!). The artwork is colorful and the story is full of grins and giggles. Girls will like this book because the girl in the story can do things better than Big Anthony. Boys will like this book because it shows that you can make mistakes and learn from them. I loved it, and so will you.

Rating:
Summary: Strega Nona's magic lessons wrtten by Tomie de Paola
Review: The three main characters in this book are Bambolona, Strega Nona, Bid Anthony, and Antonia. The story starts off with Bambolona having to work at her father's bakery. She always had to wake up before the sun rise and was sick and tired of it. She told her father that she had too much to do and that she could use some help. Her father just told her to get up earlier. Bambolona has enough with working athe the bakery, so she decides that she is going to go see Strega Nona, so she can learn how to do magic.
Strega Nona is overjoyed to have Bambolona learn magic. Big Anthony, who works around the yard outside and around the house, wanted to learn magic too. Strega Nona says no to him. Big anthony gets upset and decides to go work at the bakery. the baker fires him because he eats the food and doesn't do what he is told. he decides to go back to Strega Nona's house.
When Strega Nona answers the door, a girl is standing there and is named Antonia. Strega Nona is happy that she is there and will teach her magic too. Bambolona does a great job and Antonia doesn't do anything right. Strega Nona thinks that Bambolona is ready for harder magic. Antonia thinks she is too, eventhough Strega Nona says no.
Antonia decides to steal Bambolona's book of hard spells. The next day, she tries to turn an iron kettle into gold. She ends up turning Strega Nona into a toad. She didn't know what to do, so she decides to ask Bambolona for help. She says she can't help her.
Will Strega Nona ever become human again, or will she stay a toad forever? Read the book to find out. I enjoyed this book because my parents use to read it to me all the time when I was younger.