Tomie dePaola

Tomie dePaola

Tomie dePaola is an award winning, beloved American author and illustrator. His books highlight folktales from many different cultures, including Spanish, Native American, and Italian.

Time Line

1934

Tomie dePaola was born

In 1966 Tomie dePaola's first book was published which he both authored and illustrated. The book, The Wonderful Dragon of Timlin, was the first of over 100 books he would both write and illustrate. In addition, he has illustrated almost 150 other books.

In 1976 dePaola won a Caldecott honor for Strega Nona. It is one of 11 stories about a grandma witch in Italy who helps the towns people with her magic. Ideas for teaching:• Have students fill in cause and effect table• Have students write a blog as Strega Nona or Big Anthony• Have students write and illustrate a story about them going to Strega Nona with a problem.

In 2000, Tomie dePaola was honored with a Newberry Honor for 26 Fairmont Avenue, a series of chapter books based on his childhood.

You can write to dePaola and he will write back. He sends postcards for all the students in the class.

1966

First published story

1976

Caldecott honor

2000

2011

Newberry honor

Strega Nona's Gift published

dePaola was born in September 1934 in Connecticut to a strong Irish/Italian family. He wanted to draw and write stories as long as he can remember. He went to school at Brooklyn's Pratt Institute and the California College of Arts & Crafts.

Genre: picture books, folklore, biographies, and nonfictionArtistic Style: watercolor, tempera, and acrylic; folk-traditional

Awards: Caldecott Honor Award for STREGA NONA from American Library Association (ALA)Newbery Honor Award for 26 FAIRMOUNT AVENUE from ALALaura Ingalls Wilder Award from ALA for "substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children"Smithson Medal from Smithsonian InstitutionRegina Medal from Catholic Library AssociationLiving Treasure from New Hampshire Governor's Arts Awards1994 Aesop Prize from the American Folklore Society for CHRISTOPHER, THE HOLY GIANT1983 Golden Kite Award, Picture Book Illustration, from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators for GIORGIO'S VILLAGEU.S. nominee in 1990 for the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award

dePaola wrote several books about God and several that mention God. You should look closely before reading in public school.

Here is a list of dePaola's books

References: dePaola, T. (1975). Strega Nona. New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc.dePaola, T. (1999). The night of Las Posada. New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc.dePaola, T. (1983). The legend of the bluebonnet. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons.dePaola, T. (1992). Jingle the Christmas clown. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons.dePaola, T. (1973) Nana upstairs & Nana downstairs. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. dePaola, T. (1987). Bill and Pete go down the Nile. New York: The Putnam and Grosset Group.dePaola, T. Tomie. 2011. Available at: http://tomie.com/main.html