Strega Nona’s Gift by Tomie dePaola
Schema: Saints days, Christmas
Text-to-Self Connections: Each Saint holiday from December 6th through January 6th is included.
Text-to-Text Connections: Strega Nona’s Christmas
Big Anthony is once again the star of the show as he gobbles up the goats special turnips.
Author’s Purpose: to share the culture of Italy and the special Saint’s days.
Drawing Conclusions: What do you conclude is the reason that Big Anthony gave his special meal to the goat?
The story is set in Calabria at Christmas time. The community celebrates the Feast of Sn Nicola, Feast of Santa Lucia, and several other special days. The food and customs of each day are detailed with the characters actions. The Eve of Epifania was extra special because they believed that animals may be able to speak that night. They wanted to feed them well. Big Anthony ate the goat’s special food so the goat eats Big Anthony’s blanket. Strega Nona gives a special blessing to the people of a dream of food which Big Anthony can not enjoy because he is cold and not sleeping well. On The Feast of Epifania Big Anthony finds the bean in the King’s Cake and gets to be king. Strega Nona will make him anything he desires. He requests the turnips that were for the goat that he had eaten so he can give them to the goat. Children whose culture celebrates the saint days will especially enjoy the story.
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