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Strega Nona's Gift

Author Tomie dePaola

Illustrated by Tomie dePaola

Hardcover

$18.99 US

Penguin Young Readers | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

8.94"W x 11.31"H x 0.4"D | 15 oz | 26 per carton

On sale Oct 18, 2011 | 32 Pages | 9780399256493

Age 4-8 years

Reading Level: Lexile AD670L

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Have a Strega Nona Fall with a feast for the ages!

In Strega Nona's village, the holiday season is a time of celebrations - and nothing says celebration like a feast! All the kitchens are bustling from the Feast of San Nicola, when the children choose the food, to the Feast of Epiphany, when someone gets to be king or queen for the day. Even the animals share in the holiday spirit, and when Big Anthony smells the delicious treats Strega Nona is cooking for them, he decides that just a taste couldn't hurt, right? Wrong! Big Anthony gets his just desserts, while Strega Nona surprises everyone with a special gift.

Starring two of Tomie dePaola's best-loved characters, this funny story features beautiful art, introduces young readers to Italian holiday traditions, and lands Big Anthony in yet another silly predicament that will delight fans young and old.

Tomie dePaola was born in Meriden, Connecticut, in 1934, to a family of Irish and Italian background. 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.

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, 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, and received the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for lifetime contribution to children's literature in 2011.

DePaola has published almost 200 children's books in 15 different countries over the past 30 years. Among his most well-known titles are the Strega Nona series, 26 Fairmount Avenue, and The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush.

DePaola lives in an interesting house in New Hampshire with his four dogs. His studio is in a large renovated 200-year-old barn.

View titles by Tomie dePaola

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"Fans of Strega Nona and her bumbling helper will delight in this funny tale. . . . Infused with warm Italian flavor and decorated with dePaola's signature charming illustrations, this is a holiday selection that readers will savor." — School Library Journal

"Glowing watercolors in warm Mediterranean colors. . . . Community, piety, ritual, and food: Strega Nona and Tomie dePaola know exactly what Christmas is all about." — The Horn Book

"A lively story. . . . Kids will enjoy the mischief and the turnarounds, shown with gentle humor in the joyful acrylic-and-watercolor pictures filled with food, singing, and dancing." — Booklist

"DePaola delivers a hearty sampler of Italian holiday traditions and seasonal cuisine." — Publishers Weekly

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