Strega Nona

Strega Nona
by Tomie de Paola
Caldecott Honor (1976)

Strega Nona lives in a small cottage in Calabria, Italy. She is a good witch that cures the townspeople of their ailments, warts, and headaches. Anthony is hired by Strega Nona to help out. She gives him very strict instructions on what he is required to do, and what he is forbidden to do... "The one thing you must never do is touch the pasta pot". Anthony sees the witch conjur delicious cooked pasta fully formed from the pot and tries to do the same. But he didn't quite catch the way to make the pasta. He could make the pot make pasta, but couldn't make it stop! The pasta flowed all over town. Strega Nona arrives in time to put a stop to the mess. The witch punishes Anthony by asking him to eat up all the pasta!