REMEMBERING TOMIE on October 13, 2020

Tomie was disappointed that more parties weren’t planned to celebrate his 75th birthday. So, he threw his own party at the New London Inn. Attendees “Heather bookkeeper” and her son, Josiah, are in this photo.

Because of his disappointment, I took over planning surprise birthday gatherings for the next ten years.

I felt his recovery time was longer after the 85th birthday celebrations, so the 86th birthday surprises were going to need to be as much fun as the ones during the previous ten years, but they needed to be less energy exhausting.

I had yet to settle on a plan by the time March 30 changed everything. (Bob)

Copyright - Estate of Tomie dePaola and Whitebird, Inc.

Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality

REMEMBERING TOMIE on October 12, 2020

Because of the success of Tomie’s autobiographical book, NANA UPSTAIRS & NANA DOWNSTAIRS, about the loss of his grandmother and great-grandmother, Tomie’s editor, Margaret Frith, wanted him to consider writing a companion story about his grandfather.

NANA is at its core a story about young Tomie’s love for his Irish grandmother and Irish great-grandmother.

The grandfather story he wrote was NOW ONE FOOT, NOW THE OTHER, published in 1981. At its core, it’s about young Tomie’s relationship with his Irish grandfather, Tom. Tom’s stroke is central to this book, and toy wooden blocks play an important role.

NOW ONE FOOT isn’t purely autobiographical, yet it is about events that indeed happened in Tomie’s life. But, Tomie wasn’t a child in real life when Tom had a stroke.

In 1979, I told Tomie about my relationship with my maternal grandfather. My grandfather had also had a stroke. Tomie named the grandfather Bob and the grandson Bobby. Bobby’s father in the book was illustrated as an idealized me back in 1980.

Tomie displayed the wooden blocks in his house and occasionally wrote messages with them. (Bob)

Copyright - Estate of Tomie dePaola and Whitebird, Inc.

Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality

REMEMBERING TOMIE on October 11, 2020

Tomie’s sister, Judie, was working on the October 9 crossword puzzle in the HARTFORD COURANT last night and came across this clue…

“Strega ____”: Tomie dePaola Caldecott winner whose title means “Grandma Witch.”

She answered correctly!

(To set the record straight, STREGA NONA was a Caldecott Honor award recipient and not the Caldecott Medal winner.) (Bob)

REMEMBERING TOMIE on October 10, 2020

Dr. Randy Hanson, Professor of Social Sciences and Education at Colby-Sawyer College, visits Mexico with regularity.

Randy gave Tomie several pieces of art by the naive artists known as la Familia Lorenzo. Their artwork is painted on masonite board.

Randy also commissioned Aureliano Lorenzo to create two paintings featuring Tomie: one with the Lady of Guadalupe, and the other showcasing several of Tomie’s book characters.

Here are some links regarding la Familia Lorenzo. (Bob)

https://www.phillymagicgardens.org/public-programs/exhibitions/la-familia-lorenzo/

http://ifamstories.org/artists/la-familia-lorenzo/

Day Nine of the October, 2020, Peace Novena

Think and say the word.

Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality