Tomie dePaola (1934–2020)
Author of Strega Nona
About the Author
Tomie dePaola was born in Meriden, Connecticut on September 15, 1934. He received a B.F.A. from Pratt Institute in 1956, a M.F.A. from California College of Arts and Crafts in 1969, and a doctoral equivalency from Lone Mountain College in 1970. He has written and/or illustrated more than 270 books show more including 26 Fairmount Avenue, Strega Nona, Meet the Barkers, Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs, and Oliver Button Is a Sissy. He has received numerous awards for his work including the Caldecott Honor Award, the Newbery Honor Award and the New Hampshire Governor's Arts Award of Living Treasure. His murals and paintings can be seen in many churches and monasteries throughout New England. He has designed greeting cards, magazine and record album covers, and theater sets. His work is shown in galleries and museums. Tomie dePaola died on March 30, 2020 because of complications he had from surgery after a fall. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Series
Works by Tomie dePaola
The Three Friends and the Pumpkins / Go to School / and the Apples / and the Leaves (2000) 8 copies, 1 review
Strega Nona's Magic Lessons - Story and Picture by Tomie de Paola - First Scholastic Paperback Edition, 1st Printing 1993 (1981) 3 copies
Tomie De Paola 3 copies
The Monsters' Ball 3 copies
Mice Squeak, We Squeak 2 copies
the par a bles of jesus 1 copy
TOO MANY BUNNIES 1 copy
THE PRINCE OF THE DOLOMITES 1 copy
My First Reader 1 copy
Book 4 1 copy
Book 5 1 copy
Snakes 1 copy
Rhyme Time 1 copy
The Popcorn Book 1 copy
Associated Works
Can't You Make Them Behave, King George? (1977) — Illustrator, some editions — 1,904 copies, 6 reviews
The Rooster Who Went to His Uncle's Wedding: A Latin American Folktale (1993) — Foreword — 532 copies, 4 reviews
The Book That Changed My Life: 71 Remarkable Writers Celebrate the Books That Matter Most to Them (2006) — Contributor — 411 copies, 18 reviews
The Emperor's New Clothes : An All-Star Retelling of the Classic Fairy Tale (with Audio CD) (1998) — Illustrator — 259 copies, 6 reviews
Frida Kahlo: The Artist who Painted Herself (Smart About Art) (2003) — Illustrator — 257 copies, 10 reviews
Good Morning To You, Valentine: Poems For Valentine's Day (1976) — Illustrator — 91 copies, 5 reviews
Beat the Drum, Independence Day Has Come: Poems for the Fourth of July (1977) — Illustrator — 28 copies, 1 review
With Warmest Regards: A Celebration of Our Customers' Recipes And Traditions: Dayton's, Marshall Field's, Hudson's (1995) — Illustrator — 19 copies
The Rocking-Chair Ghost (1969) — Illustrator, some editions; Illustrator, some editions; Illustrator, some editions — 9 copies
Cricket Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 6, February 1977 — Cover artist; Illustrator — 3 copies
Cricket Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 4, December 1978 — Illustrator — 1 copy
Cricket Magazine, Vol. 7, No. 11, July 1980 — Contributor — 1 copy
Cricket Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 6, February 1978 — Illustrator — 1 copy
Cricket Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 11, July 1978 — Illustrator — 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- dePaola, Tomie
- Legal name
- dePaola, Thomas Anthony
- Birthdate
- 1934-09-15
- Date of death
- 2020-03-30
- Gender
- male
- Education
- Pratt Institute (BFA)
California College of Arts and Crafts (MFA | 1969)
Lone Mountain College, San Francisco, California, USA - Occupations
- writer
illustrator
artist - Organizations
- Newton College of the Sacred Heart, Boston (art teacher 1962-66)
San Francisco College for Women (teacher 1967-1970)
Chamberlayne Junior College, Boston (art teacher 1972-1973)
Colby-Sawyer College, New London, New Hampshire (associate professor, designer 1973-1976)
New England College, Henniker, New Hampshire (art teacher 1976-1978) - Awards and honors
- Caldecott Honor Award from American Library Association
Newbery Honor Award from American Library Association
USA nominee in illustration for Hans Christian Andersen Medal
University of Southern Mississippi Medallion
Kerlan Award from the University of Minnesota
Smithson Medal from Smithsonian Institution (show all 11)
Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal (2011)
New Hampshire Governor's Arts Award of Living Treasure
Regina Medal from Catholic Library Association (1983)
Society of Illustrators Lifetime Achievement Award (2012)
Children's Literature Legacy Award (2011) - Agent
- Whiteman, Doug
- Short biography
- [from Michael Bird-Boy, 40th anniversary edition]
TOMIE dePAOLA is one of the most popular children's book authors and illustrators of our time and the winner of the 2011 Children's Literature Legacy Award for "significant and lasting contribution to children's literature", among other lifetime achievement awards. A Newbery Honor winner, he has written and illustrated a number of books, including Caldecott Honor book Strega Nona and its companions, as well as Oliver Button Is a Sissy; The Legend of Old Befana; The Clown of God; Michael Bird-Boy; Andy, That's My Name; and Quiet. A native of Connecticut, Mr. dePaola studied at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and now lives in New London, New Hampshire. - Cause of death
- a fall
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Meriden, Connecticut, USA
- Places of residence
- San Francisco, California, USA
New London, New Hampshire, USA
Boston, Massachusetts, USA - Place of death
- Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA (Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center)
- Burial location
- Weston Priory, Weston, Vermont, USA
- Associated Place (for map)
- USA
Members
Reviews
Bobby must contend with some unwelcome changes when Bob, his beloved grandfather, has a stroke. Used to doing everything with Bob, Bobby finds it distressing when the stroke takes him away, and then returns him a different man. Some things haven't changed however, and the most important of those is the love between grandson and grandfather, and soon Bobby is helping to teach Bob all the things—like speaking and walking—that his elder once taught him...
Originally published in 1981, Now show more One Foot, Now the Other is another one of those poignant and ultimately heartwarming family stories from author/illustrator Tomie dePaola, billed as a companion to his 1973 Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs. Like that earlier picture book, it features the loving bond between a young child and his grandparents, and the grief and confusion when illness (or death, in the earlier book) causes a separation. The story here had me tearing up a little bit, given the role reversal between Bob and Bobby, something that I think I found particularly moving owing to the fact that I am currently the caregiver for my elderly mother, who has dementia. I certainly found something I could relate to here, and I suspect many young children with elderly relatives might as well. The accompanying illustrations are trademark dePaola—I'd recognize them anywhere—and have a certain vintage appeal. Recommended to anyone seeking picture books about children and their grandparents, and stories about strokes and other illnesses in our elderly loved ones. show less
Originally published in 1981, Now show more One Foot, Now the Other is another one of those poignant and ultimately heartwarming family stories from author/illustrator Tomie dePaola, billed as a companion to his 1973 Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs. Like that earlier picture book, it features the loving bond between a young child and his grandparents, and the grief and confusion when illness (or death, in the earlier book) causes a separation. The story here had me tearing up a little bit, given the role reversal between Bob and Bobby, something that I think I found particularly moving owing to the fact that I am currently the caregiver for my elderly mother, who has dementia. I certainly found something I could relate to here, and I suspect many young children with elderly relatives might as well. The accompanying illustrations are trademark dePaola—I'd recognize them anywhere—and have a certain vintage appeal. Recommended to anyone seeking picture books about children and their grandparents, and stories about strokes and other illnesses in our elderly loved ones. show less
That grandmotherly Italian witch, Strega Nona, who first appeared in 1975, in Tomie dePaola's Caldecott Honor-winning Strega Nona, and who has since gone on to star in ten other picture-books and two early-readers, returns in this delightful pop-up book featuring the paper engineering of Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart. Here, in six marvelous 3-D scenes, Strega Nona presents the six ingredients necessary for a magical life. From family to food, from friends to celebrations, from patience show more to love - each of these ingredients is depicted in an intricate pop-up spread, with a small box of text on the page...
I grew up with Strega Nona, and have fond memories of reading and rereading the story of the Italian grandmother-witch, her bumbling assistant, Big Anthony, and the trouble he got into with her magic pasta pot. This past year (2020), I decided to revisit this old favorite, and to read all of the sequels, a project I greatly enjoyed. I'm very glad that my library was able to track down Brava, Strega Nona!: A Heartwarming Pop-Up Book, through inter-library loan, as I found it a wonderful treat, and an enchanting follow-up to the picture-books and early-readers about this character. Sabuda and Reinhart are giants in the field of paper engineering, and their pop-up books, whether created together or independently, are always a sight to behold. That is certainly true here, and I enjoyed examining the complicated and clever pop-up constructions. My favorite was undoubtedly the one featuring Strega Nona's family tree, although the banquet table under the arbor was a close runner-up. Sadly, this title appears to be out of print, but if one can obtain a copy, I recommend it to fans of Strega Nona, as well as those readers who appreciate pop-up art in general.
Note: As always, with Sabuda and/or Reinhart's work, I don't recommend this for very young children, save under the supervision of an adult, as it is expensive, and easily damaged. show less
I grew up with Strega Nona, and have fond memories of reading and rereading the story of the Italian grandmother-witch, her bumbling assistant, Big Anthony, and the trouble he got into with her magic pasta pot. This past year (2020), I decided to revisit this old favorite, and to read all of the sequels, a project I greatly enjoyed. I'm very glad that my library was able to track down Brava, Strega Nona!: A Heartwarming Pop-Up Book, through inter-library loan, as I found it a wonderful treat, and an enchanting follow-up to the picture-books and early-readers about this character. Sabuda and Reinhart are giants in the field of paper engineering, and their pop-up books, whether created together or independently, are always a sight to behold. That is certainly true here, and I enjoyed examining the complicated and clever pop-up constructions. My favorite was undoubtedly the one featuring Strega Nona's family tree, although the banquet table under the arbor was a close runner-up. Sadly, this title appears to be out of print, but if one can obtain a copy, I recommend it to fans of Strega Nona, as well as those readers who appreciate pop-up art in general.
Note: As always, with Sabuda and/or Reinhart's work, I don't recommend this for very young children, save under the supervision of an adult, as it is expensive, and easily damaged. show less
Tomie dePaola's beloved 'grandmother witch' is back in this second Christmas adventure, following upon the earlier Merry Christmas, Strega Nona. In this tale, Strega Nona and all of the other townsfolk in her Calabrian village are busy cooking for all of the traditional feasts associated with the holiday season. From the Feast of San Nicola on December 6th through the Feast of Epiphany on January 6th, there's a month of food and festivities. Big Anthony, almost run off his feet with all the show more errands, enjoys the food a little too much, stealing the goat's special dish, made on the Eve of Epiphany, when the animals are said to be able to talk to one another. As a result of his actions, he misses out on Strega Nona's special gift to all of the townsfolk...
I greatly enjoyed Strega Nona's Gift, not just for the humorous and heartwarming story and charming illustrations - something I always appreciate in Strega Nona stories - but for the glimpse it gives into the wealth of Italian traditions associated with the Christmas season. There is even an afterword here, explaining each of the feasts and observances mentioned in the story. I chuckled, of course, at Big Anthony's foolishness, shaking my head at the fact that he never learns, but I also appreciated the fact that his misadventures never arise from malice. In some ways, I think Big Anthony is meant to represent the child - perhaps the child reader - who gets into trouble through thoughtlessness, more than anything else. Recommended to Strega Nona fans, and to anyone seeking picture-books featuring Italian Christmas traditions. show less
I greatly enjoyed Strega Nona's Gift, not just for the humorous and heartwarming story and charming illustrations - something I always appreciate in Strega Nona stories - but for the glimpse it gives into the wealth of Italian traditions associated with the Christmas season. There is even an afterword here, explaining each of the feasts and observances mentioned in the story. I chuckled, of course, at Big Anthony's foolishness, shaking my head at the fact that he never learns, but I also appreciated the fact that his misadventures never arise from malice. In some ways, I think Big Anthony is meant to represent the child - perhaps the child reader - who gets into trouble through thoughtlessness, more than anything else. Recommended to Strega Nona fans, and to anyone seeking picture-books featuring Italian Christmas traditions. show less
Long before I knew about Goethe's classic poem, The Sorcerer's Apprentice (Der Zauberlehrling in the original); long before I had ever seen the Disney film Fantasia, which is based upon the poem; long before I ever had an inkling that this tale type is widespread, and that the Brothers Grimm had collected a variant known in English as The Magic Porridge Pot; I knew about Strega Nona. I grew up listening to and reading this wonderful story concerning a "Grandma Witch" from Calabria who had a show more magic pot that would cook as much pasta as she wanted. When Strega Nona leaves to visit another witch (Strega Amelia), her assistant, Big Anthony, attempts to use her pot to feed the entire town, only to discover that he lacks the knowledge necessary to end the pot's pasta production. Soon the town is in danger of being overrun by pasta, and no one knows what to do...
Exciting and amusing in equal measure, Strega Nona is a modern classic of American children's literature, awarded a Caldecott Honor in 1976 for the artwork. I read and reread it countless times as a girl, eventually destroying my childhood copy. Tomie dePaola's telling has a distinctly Italian flavor, in keeping with his own heritage, although the description of the book as an "original tale" makes it plain that it is not taken from any particular Italian tradition. Despite not having a specific source, it is clearly a remake of a classic and widespread story - a remake which adds something unique to its own creator, in the form of appealing artwork and gently humorous text. I have had the great honor and pleasure of meeting Mr. dePaola through work, and now possess an autographed copy of his book, which I treasure. Although not aware of it as a girl, there are a number of sequels to this story, that I now intend to track down. Highly recommended to all picture-book readers who enjoy folk and fairy-tales, and/or stories of magic makers. show less
Exciting and amusing in equal measure, Strega Nona is a modern classic of American children's literature, awarded a Caldecott Honor in 1976 for the artwork. I read and reread it countless times as a girl, eventually destroying my childhood copy. Tomie dePaola's telling has a distinctly Italian flavor, in keeping with his own heritage, although the description of the book as an "original tale" makes it plain that it is not taken from any particular Italian tradition. Despite not having a specific source, it is clearly a remake of a classic and widespread story - a remake which adds something unique to its own creator, in the form of appealing artwork and gently humorous text. I have had the great honor and pleasure of meeting Mr. dePaola through work, and now possess an autographed copy of his book, which I treasure. Although not aware of it as a girl, there are a number of sequels to this story, that I now intend to track down. Highly recommended to all picture-book readers who enjoy folk and fairy-tales, and/or stories of magic makers. show less
Lists
Five in a Row (1)
Five in a Row (1)
Books About Boys (1)
Christmas Books (5)
Precious People (4)
Reading Rainbow (4)
Witchy Fiction (1)
4th Grade Books (2)
Sonlight Books (2)
Wordless Books (1)
Awards
You May Also Like
Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 243
- Also by
- 89
- Members
- 98,313
- Popularity
- #93
- Rating
- 4.0
- Reviews
- 1,969
- ISBNs
- 1,523
- Languages
- 15
- Favorited
- 48
