© Tomie dePaola
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Monday, December 30, 2013
Stanley, Stella, Edward, Nesy and a Mango
Mango
Nevins Memorial Library
Methuen, MA
Flat Stanley
Mr. Speca's Second Grade
Destiny Christian School
Rochester, NY
Flat Stanley
Mrs. Spinelli's Second Grade
Pattison Elementary
Milford, OH
Flat NESY
Mrs. Carson's Second Grade
Northville Elementary
New Milford, CT
Flat Stanley
Mrs. Damon's Second Grade
Pittston Elementary
Pittston, ME
Flat Stella
Maris, First Grader
Flat Edward the Elephant
Ms. Neugebauer's Second Grade
Garretson Elementary
Garretson, SD
Flat Stanley
Mr. Speca's Second Grade
Destiny Christian School
Rochester, NY
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Folk Art by Brita Ek
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Done. Done! DONE!
Tomie finished the illustrations for JACK minutes ago. The completed illustrations will be shipped to the publisher on Thursday, January 2, with a hoped for arrival on Friday, January 3.
JACK, written and illustrated by Tomie, will be published by Nancy Paulsen Books during the fall of 2014.
JACK, written and illustrated by Tomie, will be published by Nancy Paulsen Books during the fall of 2014.
Friday, December 27, 2013
Holiday Greetings From Lucy, Mark AND Tomie!
If "our" photograph has been used for holiday greetings, I'm unaware of it... until NOW!
Lucy and Mark in Virginia just sent me "our" Christmas card. The photograph was taken this fall at the Book Rack in Newburyport, Massachusetts.
I love it!
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Abby From Nova Scotia
Abby in Nova Scotia wrote a letter and asked some questions.
Q: Are you and your brother Buddy best friends now?
A: My brother Buddy died many years ago. We were never good friends, but we got along just fine.
Q: Are you going to write any more books about 26 Fairmount Avenue?
A: I hope to write one more "26 Fairmount Avenue" book, but it isn't scheduled, so I don't know when I will do it.
Q: In the book "Why?" you tell about your cousin Blackie bringing you a Hawaiian grass skirt. Do you still have it?
A: I no longer have the grass skirt that Blackie gave me. I'll be 80 in 2014, so I'd probably look pretty silly wearing it.
Q: In the book "Big Anthony" did you base Big Anthony's name on Blackie?
A: Big Anthony was named after my middle name, Anthony. His look was patterned after my cousin Frankie. I think we all are a little like Big Anthony. Big Anthony isn't stupid. He just doesn't pay attention.
Q: Are you and your brother Buddy best friends now?
A: My brother Buddy died many years ago. We were never good friends, but we got along just fine.
Q: Are you going to write any more books about 26 Fairmount Avenue?
A: I hope to write one more "26 Fairmount Avenue" book, but it isn't scheduled, so I don't know when I will do it.
Q: In the book "Why?" you tell about your cousin Blackie bringing you a Hawaiian grass skirt. Do you still have it?
A: I no longer have the grass skirt that Blackie gave me. I'll be 80 in 2014, so I'd probably look pretty silly wearing it.
Q: In the book "Big Anthony" did you base Big Anthony's name on Blackie?
A: Big Anthony was named after my middle name, Anthony. His look was patterned after my cousin Frankie. I think we all are a little like Big Anthony. Big Anthony isn't stupid. He just doesn't pay attention.
Four Generations of French dePaola Women
The story is...
Mireille's father was a cousin of Tomie's Italian grandfather.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Heart-pounding, Juicy and Moody Books
Ms. Pieper's second grade class in Irving, Texas, wrote letters.
Noor: Sometimes I get in moods in your books.
Sam: Your books have juicey words.
Rehoboth: Do you have a monkey?
Tomie: I do not have a monkey.
Roslyn: Your art is so beautyful it makes my hart pound.
Noor: Sometimes I get in moods in your books.
Sam: Your books have juicey words.
Rehoboth: Do you have a monkey?
Tomie: I do not have a monkey.
Roslyn: Your art is so beautyful it makes my hart pound.
Stained Glass Sunshine
Monday, December 23, 2013
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Sunday, December 22, 2013
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Then and Now and In Between
"Tomie
dePaola: Then" closed on Friday, December 20, 2013, at Colby-Sawyer
College in New London, NH. "Then" featured artwork from junior high
school through the mid-1970s.
"Tomie dePaola: Now" will open at Colby-Sawyer College in New London, NH, on Friday, September 19, 2014, four days after Tomie's 80th birthday on Monday, September 15, 2014. "Now" will feature artwork from the mid-1970s until "now."
In between the exhibits of "Then" and "Now," there is a wonderful electronic exhibition on the University of Connecticut website.
Andrew Maloney of Simmons College created the electronic exhibit "A Life in Art: The Tomie dePaola Papers," with the help of Terri Goldich, Curator, Northeast Children's Literature Collection (NCLC). Andrew interned during the summer of 2013 at NCLC where most of Tomie's archives are stored. NCLC is at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, at the University of Connecticut, in Storrs, Connecticut.
http://doddcenter.uconn.edu/asc/exhibits/electronic.htm
"A Life in Art: The Tomie dePaola Papers"
Click on "View the Exhibit."
(Adults might want to view pages 9, 93 and 107 of the 140-page PDF before showing to children.)
The Picture Index begins on page 137.
"Tomie dePaola: Now" will open at Colby-Sawyer College in New London, NH, on Friday, September 19, 2014, four days after Tomie's 80th birthday on Monday, September 15, 2014. "Now" will feature artwork from the mid-1970s until "now."
In between the exhibits of "Then" and "Now," there is a wonderful electronic exhibition on the University of Connecticut website.
Andrew Maloney of Simmons College created the electronic exhibit "A Life in Art: The Tomie dePaola Papers," with the help of Terri Goldich, Curator, Northeast Children's Literature Collection (NCLC). Andrew interned during the summer of 2013 at NCLC where most of Tomie's archives are stored. NCLC is at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, at the University of Connecticut, in Storrs, Connecticut.
http://doddcenter.uconn.edu/asc/exhibits/electronic.htm
"A Life in Art: The Tomie dePaola Papers"
Click on "View the Exhibit."
(Adults might want to view pages 9, 93 and 107 of the 140-page PDF before showing to children.)
The Picture Index begins on page 137.
Saturday, December 21, 2013
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The Key to Happiness
Jameion is in Mrs. McClure's second grade class in Edmond, Oklahoma. Jameion wrote, "Win I am happy I read your books to make me much happier."
Friday, December 20, 2013
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Thursday, December 19, 2013
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Andy's Poem for Tomie
Andy is a middle school student in Marysville, Washington. He wrote:
You're on my top ten list of favorite authors. I made a poem for you:
Books are great,
Books are fun,
Tommy is amazing
and I love him too.
Not the best poem, but it's for you. Thank you for all the books you written!
You're on my top ten list of favorite authors. I made a poem for you:
Books are great,
Books are fun,
Tommy is amazing
and I love him too.
Not the best poem, but it's for you. Thank you for all the books you written!
Airedales and Convertibles
Photograph of Tomie and Bronte © Julie Maris/Semel
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
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Tuesday, December 17, 2013
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Mauli Wreath 2013
www.natureswildart.com
Jim and Kathy of the AP
Jim had been a student of Tomie's when Tomie taught at New England College in Henniker, NH, in the mid-to-late 1970s.
www.bigstory.ap.org/article/strega-nona-tomie-depaolas-stories-endure
Monday, December 16, 2013
A Visit with Andrew and J
They next came to Tomie's studio.
Andrew Spahr is Director of Collections and Exhibitions at the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, New Hampshire. The Currier had bought two panels of original artwork from TOMIE DEPAOLA'S MOTHER GOOSE STORY STREAMERS several months ago.
Tomie decided to give the Currier the original artwork for the remaining three sets of panels, and pocket folder jacket, so that the Currier would have all of the artwork for the STORY STREAMERS. Andrew and J came to the studio to pick up Tomie's donation of artwork.
www.currier.org
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Passings
One week ago, Don Elleman died. He was the wonderful husband of Barbara Elleman (TOMIE DEPAOLA, HIS ART & HIS STORIES), and Tomie's friend.
Nearly six months ago, Harlow Carlson died. He was the wonderful husband of retired school teacher Karen Carlson, and Tomie's friend.
Although Tomie knew of these two passings from Barbara and from Karen, Tomie is learning of the final days of others through notes sent with Christmas cards.
Christmas joy mixed with some sadness.
Nearly six months ago, Harlow Carlson died. He was the wonderful husband of retired school teacher Karen Carlson, and Tomie's friend.
Although Tomie knew of these two passings from Barbara and from Karen, Tomie is learning of the final days of others through notes sent with Christmas cards.
Christmas joy mixed with some sadness.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
If You Had a Magic Pot...
During Mr. Menta's library class in Milford, Connecticut, Mrs. Toole's second graders answered the question: If you had a magic pot like Strega Nona, how would you help people and why?
Some of the answers were:
If some people were blind I would try to make eye cameras and put it on their eyes. If some people did not have money I will give them golden eggs. When people are sick I will give them good treats. When people are kidnapped I will get a scary snake and scare the kidnappers. If people were hurt I would give them a first aid kit.
I would feed the poor popcorn. And I would give the poor a big pot of pasta. And I will make clouse for peopole that dont have any. I will make pizza for eveyboby.
I will give food to the uther pepel. I will give them mony for clows. I will sing them a song. I will give them ice crem. I will give them books to read.
I would giv pleop muney. Be cas peopl can get food. Food is inpornet. They need food. for they can be strong and brave.
Some of the answers were:
If some people were blind I would try to make eye cameras and put it on their eyes. If some people did not have money I will give them golden eggs. When people are sick I will give them good treats. When people are kidnapped I will get a scary snake and scare the kidnappers. If people were hurt I would give them a first aid kit.
I would feed the poor popcorn. And I would give the poor a big pot of pasta. And I will make clouse for peopole that dont have any. I will make pizza for eveyboby.
I will give food to the uther pepel. I will give them mony for clows. I will sing them a song. I will give them ice crem. I will give them books to read.
I would giv pleop muney. Be cas peopl can get food. Food is inpornet. They need food. for they can be strong and brave.
Three Stars for Two Stars
LITTLE POEMS FOR TINY EARS, written by Star Lin Oliver, and illustrated by Star Tomie, received starred reviews from PUBLISHERS WEEKLY and BOOKLIST in November.
KIRKUS has just given LITTLE POEMS FOR TINY EARS another starred review: "Oliver pens a set of poems tailor-made for tiny ears and tiny minds... Varied rhythm and rhyme schemes enrich a baby's exploration of sound at the time when his or her developing mind needs it most.... A tenderly crafted collection that captures the joyous individual moments of infant discoveries."
LITTLE POEMS FOR TINY EARS, Nancy Paulsen Books, Publication Date: February 11, 2014
KIRKUS has just given LITTLE POEMS FOR TINY EARS another starred review: "Oliver pens a set of poems tailor-made for tiny ears and tiny minds... Varied rhythm and rhyme schemes enrich a baby's exploration of sound at the time when his or her developing mind needs it most.... A tenderly crafted collection that captures the joyous individual moments of infant discoveries."
LITTLE POEMS FOR TINY EARS, Nancy Paulsen Books, Publication Date: February 11, 2014
