Tomie’s cousin, Maureen Malavase, wanted her Massachusetts first graders to turn pumpkins into book characters.
She made a Pumpkin Strega Nona to give them an idea on how they might do it. (Bob)
Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality
REMEMBERING TOMIE on October 27, 2020
Tomie’s words, October, 2003.
“Halloween, one of my favorite days of the year, comes at the end of October.
“When I was younger, I loved getting dressed up in a costume and going trick-or-treating. Our family would often have a big party in our basement after all of the kids had gotten their candy. We bobbed for apples and played other games. There was a life-size cutout skeleton that hung in the doorway to the back room of our basement. One year, as we were busy playing our games, we heard a weird noise coming from the skeleton. The skeleton started to jump up and down. We were so scared that we ran upstairs to the kitchen.
“Then, I heard my mother’s laughter. She had been behind the curtain making the noise and pulling the string so the skeleton danced. It was a good joke on all of us.
“Now that I’m older, I don’t dress up in Halloween costumes as often as I did and I don’t have as many Halloween parties as my family did, but I love to decorate my house for fall and for Halloween.
“This September and October, I’ve replaced the geraniums and other annual flowers in the flower pots that I have outside EVERYWHERE with mums. Now, I have pots of mums outside EVERYWHERE. I’ve hung Indian corn by my front door.
“I’ve got pumpkins in the house and by the front door and by the barn doors and in my studio and by the gate to the courtyard. ALL of the pumpkins and gourds have been grown in a pumpkin patch in my yard. I especially love Cinderella pumpkins. Their color is red-orange and their shape is similar to the shape of Cinderella’s carriage. If the nighttime temperatures get too close to 32 degrees, the outside pumpkins will be covered with blankets, sheets and towels so that they don’t freeze. If the pumpkins freeze, they’ll get soft when the daytime temperatures get warmer. If I can prevent them from freezing, they can continue to decorate the entrances to my courtyard, house and barn for many more days.
“The leaves have almost all fallen. But, it was a gorgeous season for fall foliage.
“Halloween night, I’ll line the walkway to my front door with glass pumpkins. Each glass pumpkin has a candle in it. The glass pumpkins are red and orange and they have jack-o’-lantern faces.
“November 2, I’ll celebrate The Day of the Dead. The Day of the Dead is a Mexican tradition. I’ll make a small offrende so that the souls of my family and relatives who have died can have a party. There are some wonderful children’s books that explain The Day of the Dead. One is DAY OF THE DEAD, written by Tony Johnston and illustrated by Jeanette Winter.
“I’ve been working on several projects. I’ve finished the artwork for GUESS WHO’S COMING TO SANTA’S FOR DINNER. (It will be published Fall 2004.) I submitted to my editor the first draft of a story for a picture book. (I think the book should be called STAGESTRUCK.) I’m working on illustrations for a science poster for “The Weather Notebook” (for New Hampshire’s Mount Washington Observatory). I’ve sent out invitations to my 70th birthday party (to be held in September 2004). (This year, on my 69th birthday, Nancy Dutton sent me a card wishing me a Happy 74th Birthday!) I’ve traveled to Mexico, New York City, California, Minnesota and Wisconsin. I’ve begun to think about Christmas plans and cards and presents and parties.
“Enough for now.”
Illustration Copyright (c) 1988 by Tomie dePaola. From the book, TOMIE DEPAOLA’S BOOK OF POEMS. (Bob)
Copyright - Estate of Tomie dePaola and Whitebird, Inc.
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REMEMBERING TOMIE on October 26, 2020
Jan Ziolkowski, Director of Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, DC, asked Tomie to participate in his exhibition in 2018, “Juggling the Middle Ages,” by lending artwork from THE CLOWN OF GOD and speaking at an exhibition event.
Tomie spoke and autographed in the Music Room at Dumbarton Oaks. (The photo is of Tomie, Jan Ziolkowski, and Jewell Stoddard, retired Director of Children’s Services, Politics and Prose Bookstore.)
The Music Room is where the “Dumbarton Oaks Conversations” took place in 1944 during which the United Nations was formulated.
Tomie read THE CLOWN OF GOD in the Music Room. I used my phone to capture the reading. It’s a crude recording, yet it IS a recording - the last recording - of Tomie reading THE CLOWN OF GOD. I gave the recording to Simon & Schuster, the publisher of the new edition of THE CLOWN OF GOD. Maybe they’ll post it someday. (Bob)
http://jugglingthemiddleages.com/events/
https://blogs.openbookpublishers.com/the-death-of-tomie-depaola-and-the-juggler-of-notre-dame/
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REMEMBERING TOMIE on October 25, 2020
Travel writer Guiomar Ochoa (in red) and her family visited New Hampshire and Tomie in May, 2018.
Guiomar’s other job was at the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, DC. She invited Tomie to visit the offices during his next trip to Washington, DC.
So, that’s what he did when we were in Washington, DC, in November, 2018. He spoke to career employees and autographed books.
We were advised to be sensitive with our comments because government appointees would be in the audience.
We, including Tomie!, were on our best behavior. (Bob)
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REMEMBERING TOMIE on October 24, 2020
Simon & Schuster arranged for Tomie to speak with Rachel Martin of National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition” about his book, QUIET, in October, 2018.
Tomie spoke to Rachel Martin from a local radio station’s rather cluttered studio.
On March 31 of this year, “Morning Edition” featured excerpts of some past NPR interviews, including one from 1998 with Linda Wertheimer on “All Things Considered.” The new full-color edition of NANA UPSTAIRS & NANA DOWNSTAIRS was the main focus of the interview.
The March 31 piece used a segment of actress Mary Steenburgen’s reading of STREGA NONA. Although Mary doesn’t say “Strega Nona” during this segment, her full recording is amusing. She pronounces “nona” as if it’s a Spanish word with a tilde above the “n.” (Bob)
https://www.npr.org/2018/10/10/656079766/childrens-picture-book-quiet-celebrates-enjoying-the-moment
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