Tomie DePaola

When Lucida is unable to finish her gift for the Baby Jesus in time for the Christmas procession, a miracle enables her to offer the beautiful flower we now call the poinsettia.

When Strega Nona leaves him alone with her magic pasta pot, Big Anthony is determined to show the townspeople how it works.

Four-year-old Tommy enjoys his relationship with both his grandmother and great-grandmother, but eventually learns to face their inevitable death.

A little old lady's attempts to have pancakes for breakfast are hindered by a scarcity of supplies and the participation of her pets.

A retelling of the Comanche Indian legend of how a little girl's sacrifice brought the flower called bluebonnet to Texas.

Children's author-illustrator Tomie De Paola describes his experiences at home and in school when he was a boy.

A rival puts Strega Nona out ot the healing business until Big Anthony's assistance inadvertently sabotages the newcomer in his usual well-meaning way.

Big Anthony, well-meaning but inattentive, journeys around Italy causing one problem after another, before meeting Strega Nona.

Tomie is overjoyed because his baby sister, Maureen, is finally strong enough to come home from the hospital. Over the next months, he is in a dance recital and he gets to go to the World's Fair. Soon, the school year is at an end. Summer is full of fun things to do, like going to the beach and celebrating the Fourth of July-but Tomie can't wait for school to start again. He hopes he'll get Miss Kiniry, the first-grade teacher he likes the best. In...

Tomie has an eventful first grade year with his sixth birthday party, his first Halloween trick-or-treating followed by Thanksgiving, his first Christmas pageant, and a late night New Year's celebration.