Review by Booklist Review
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.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2009 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
DePaola's bighearted witch returns in a winning tale about generosity and cooperation. When the full moon shines at the end of May, Strega Nona enlists Big Anthony and Bambolona to help plant her annual vegetable garden. After singing to the moon, bidding it to "let the moonbeams shine from thee,/ To make my garden grow," she adds her familiar "ingrediente segreto-secret ingredient": three kisses she blows to the moon. In a diverting subplot, Big Anthony, who wants to impress bossy Bambolona with his green thumb, grows his own (considerably more slapdash) garden next door (he blows six kisses to the moon "just to be sure"). In the fall, both gardens flourish, and Big Anthony anonymously leaves huge piles of veggies outside Strega Nona's door. She, too, decides to share her bountiful harvest, hosting a feast for the grateful villagers. Readers get an introduction to some basic Italian words throughout, defined within the text or, in the case of the vegetables, in dePaola's signature, cheerful acrylic illustrations. Without an ounce of moralizing, dePaola demonstrates the benefits of sharing (not to mention eating locally). Ages 3-5. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 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 (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
