Tomie dePaola

"Reading is important, because if you can read, you can learn anything about everything and everything about anything."

• Tomie dePaolo has been published for over 40 years and has written and/or illustrated nearly 250 books. 
• He is best known for his children's books.
• DePaolo was born September 1934 in Connecticut to a family of Irish and Italian heritage. DePaola was attracted to art at an early age and credits his family with encouraging his development as an artists and influencing the themes of his works. 
• After high school, dePaola attended art school at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. Depaola graduated in 1956 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
• He received a Master of Fine Arts degree from California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland in 1969, as well as a doctoral equivalency from Lone Mountain College in San Francisco.
• From 1973 to 1976 he worked at Colby-Sawyer College in New London, New Hampshire, as an associate professor, designer, and technical director in the speech theater department and as writer and set and costume designer fro the Children's Theater Project.
• His first illstrated book was the 1965 science book, Sound.
• As an actor, dePaola has appeared in several episodes of Barney & Friends as himself. 
• On May 18, 2009, Pratt Institute honored him with an honorary doctorate.
• DePaola currently resides in New London, New Hampshire with his four dogs.
• His studio is in a large renovated 200-year-old barn.
• Over 5 million copies of his books are been sold worldwide
• His books have been published in over 15 different countries.
• He receives nearly 100,000 fan letters each year.

Awards:

Tomie dePaola has received virtually every significant recognition for his books in the children's book world, including:

• Caldecott Honor Award from American Library Association
• Newbery Honor Award from American Library Association
• Smithson Medal from Smithsonian Institution
• USA nominee in illustrations for Hans Christian Anderson Medal
• Regina Medal from Catholic Library Association

• January 2011: awarded the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal by the American Library Association recognizing his cumulative "significant and lasting contributions to children's literature"
• 2000: won the Southwest Book Award from the Border Regional Library Association for Night of Las Posadas
• 2000: won the Jeremiah Ludington Memorial Award from the Educational Paperback Association for his cumulative "significant contribution to the educational paperback business"
• 2000: runner-up for the Newbery Medal for 26 Fairmount Avenue
• 1994: won the Aesop Prize from the American Folklore Society for Christopher, the Holy Giant 
• 1987: runner-up for the Golden Kite Award for What the Mailman Brought
• 1983: for single works he has won the Golden Kite Award, Picture Book Illustration, from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators for Giorgio's Village
• 1982: runner-up for the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for The Friendly Beasts: An Old English Christmas Carol
• 1976: runner-up for the Caldecott Medal for Strega Nona

Books written and/or illustrated by dePaola: 

 

"Why reading is important":

Book Reflections: 

The Art Lesson 

Summary: Tommy knows he wants to be an artist when he grows up. He can't wait to get to school and have real art lessons. When Tommy gets to school and finds out that the art lessons are full of "rules", he is surprised and dismayed. How the wise art teacher finds a way to give Tommy the freedom to create and stay within the "rules" makes a wonderfully perceptive picture book about growing up and keeping one's individuality.

Personal Response: I really liked that the book showed the differences between Tomie and his friends of activities they like to do. This would be a great story to introduce the class to art classes, providing cross- curricular instruction in the classroom.

 Strega Nona 

 Summary: Strega Nona -- "Grandma Witch" -- is the source for potions, cures, magic, and comfort in her Calabrian town. Her magical everfull pasta pot is especially intriguing to hungry Big Anthony. He is supposed to look after her house and tend her garden but one day, when she goes over the mountain to visit Strega Amelia, Big Anthony recites the magic verse over the pasta pot, with disastrous results.

 Personal Response: This is a  classic story by dePalo that creates an element of magic to the story of Strega Nona. This story shows the consequences of not listening to your elders and not following directions. The ending makes the character sick from overeating, creating comedy for the reader.  

The Legend of the Poinsettia 

Summary: In Mexico, the poinsettia is called flor de la Nochebuenao flower of the Holy Night. At Christmastime, the flower blooms and flourishes, the quite exquisite red stars lighting up the countryside. This Mexican legend tells how the poinsettia came to be, through a little girl's unselfish gift to the Christ Child. Beloved Newbery honor-winning author and Caldecott honor-winning illustrator Tomie dePaola has embraced the legend using his own special feeling for Christmas. His glorious paintings capture not only the brilliant colors of Mexico and its art, but also the excitement of the children preparing for Christmas and the hope of Lucida, who comes to see what makes a gift truly beautiful.

Personal Response: I love legend stories. I especially like teaching students about legends. The thing I like the most about teaching legends to students is that the students get to use their imagination on where things came from. Using legend stories can lead into having students write their own legend stories. Tomie dePaola has written many stories about legends and I feel that this is one of the major pieces of work he is known for. 

Meet the Barkers: Morgan and Moffat Go to School 

Summary: Morgie and Moffie can't wait to start school!  They buy backpacks and pencil boxes, and off they go.  Moffie, who knows the answers to all of the teacher's questions, gets a lot of gold stars. And Morgie, who likes sharing his dinosaur book, makes two new friends. But by the end of the week Morgie and Moffie help each other to understand that it's important to both get gold stars and make new friends.  And they agree that they love school!

Personal Response: I like that this book is geared towards younger students and has a complete series of books using the same characters. I like that the pictures are bright and colorful. I also like the idea of using this book to introduce a great author to younger students.

General Characteristics of dePaola's writing/illustrations: 

• Usually does own illustrations
• Uses lots of colors and water colors/pastels
• Outlines images in black
• Everything is round- no real straight edges
• Lots of dialogue in stories
• Stories usually about himself/family
• "Comic book" style layout of books
• Not a lot of text-broken up with images
• Unique characters in story 

Other Resources:

Tomie.com
Wikipedia: Tomie dePaola
Reading Rockets: A Video Interview with Tomie dePaola
Amazon: Tomie dePaola 
Scholastic: Tomie dePaola 
About.com: Children's Books - Tomie dePaola
The Official Tomie dePaola Blog