In Memoriam: Tomie dePaola

Tomie dePaola, great American children's author and illustrator, died Monday March 30, 2020.  Sources say he died from complications from a fall in his studio, a converted barn.  Because of coronavirus, he died alone in the hospital.  Although he was alone, I hope he knows that all the hearts of those he touched with his works are with him in spirit and wishing his family the best.

He is most well known for his Strega Nona books, which my daughter loves.  Strega Nona took us on many wonderful journeys while rarely leaving her little town in Italy.  Big Anthony was always there to give us a laugh, whether its forgetting how to turn off the pasta pot, growing his own mess of a garden, or messing up the machines of another Strega.  He always learned a lesson and we did too.  And every once in a while he did something incredibly sweet, like messing up Strega Nona's Christmas Eve feast on purpose so that the village could surprise her for once.

Strega Nona may be the most popular, but the books I first remember reading were his interpretations of legends.  The beautiful origin story of the Indian paintbrush has always stuck with me, although he also shared the legend of the blue bonnet and poinsettia.  Everyone in our family enjoys lazy Jamie O'Rourke, whether he's catching leprechauns or using a pooka.  His illustrations in Fin M'Coul and the Legend of St. Patrick told the story so well, with Fin dressed up as a baby as his wife serves frying pans in bread and Patrick being rescued by his chariot driver.  The story of Los Posadas introduced our family to a new Christmas tradition.  The Legend of the Persian Carpet, which he wrote but Claire Ewart illustrated, is a beautiful story made all the more beautiful by this collaboration.

As an adult, I've grown to appreciate the books that focus more on his life and his family.  Like Patricia Polacco, he's grown up hearing amazing stories of his mixed heritage - Irish and Italian and chose to share his genealogy through his stories.  Many of his stories, from Strega Nona to Jamie O'Rourke explore his Irish and Italian heritage.  And his autobiographies - from The Art Lesson to Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs share wonderful bits from his life while helping children learn about loss and perseverance.

This great man will be sorely missed, but he will never be forgotten as his works continue to inspire, entertain and educate.

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