Happy Birthday, Strega Nona!
DePaola has over 250 books to his name, and shows no signs of slowing down. To commemorate the anniversary of Strega Nona, the magical Italian grandmother, Simon & Schuster will publish an anthology of stories, The Magical World of Strega Nona: A Treasury.
I never knew when I had the original book on my drawing board that Strega Nona would have such a long life and so many stories. If I had known, I’d have been more careful and drawn the pictures more slowly! My initial plan was to do just one book—I jokingly said that I’d have to wait for Strega Nona to whisper in my ear, ‘Do I have a story for you.’ (Publishers Weekly)
