Christmas Remembered [Mass Market Paperback]

Tomie dePaola (Author)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up

Tomie dePaola shares his love for Christmas in fifteen vivid memories, spanning six decades. Wherever he lived?as a teenager in Connecticut, an art student in Brooklyn, a novice monk in Vermont, or an artist in New Hampshire?Tomie?s enthusiasm for the holiday reflects the original style in which he has always celebrated Christmas.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3 Up–The beloved children's author/illustrator shares Christmas reminiscences, beginning in 1937, when he was three, and continuing through his adult years. Youngsters familiar with dePaola's autobiographical books, such as 26 Fairmount Avenue (Putnam, 1999), will recognize some of the family members and settings in the childhood anecdotes. However, the most compelling narratives are the memories of the author's adult years as a monk in a Vermont priory, a Brooklyn art student, a young man in San Francisco, and a visitor in Santa Fe. Their child appeal is limited, but adults will enjoy these glimpses into the personal life of a creative member of the children's literature community. The border decorations and occasional paintings capture the color and nostalgia of Christmas past and present.–Virginia Walter, University of California, Los Angeles
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

With many Christmas picture books to his credit, dePaola now regales readers with 15 personal tales of Christmases past. The first chapters vividly recall family and community celebrations of the holidays, followed by memories of Christmas as a high-school and college student and as a novice at a Vermont priory. The last three selections describe Christmases as an adult celebrated in San Francisco, New York City, and New Hampshire. Brightening the pages are illustrations in varied styles and media, from an intriguing portrait of dePaola's Italian grandmother to decorative paper collages to iconic paintings of great stillness and beauty. The jacket flap calls this dePaola's "first book for all ages," and, in truth, it probably will appeal to adults as much as children. Written with dialogue and humor as well as reflection, the episodic stories may interest children who enjoyed dePaola's 26 Fairmont Avenue series. Teachers and librarians on the lookout for books of memoirs will want to make a note of this one. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Puffin; Reprint edition (October 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142414816
• ISBN-13: 978-0142414811
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,152,272 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

"Tomie dePaola was born in Meriden, Connecticut, in 1934 to a family of Irish and Italian background. By the time he could hold a pencil, he knew what his life's work would be. His determination to create books for children led to a BFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and an MFA from the California College of Arts & Crafts in Oakland, California.
It drove him through the years of teaching, designing greeting cards and stage sets, and painting church murals until 1965, when he illustrated his first children's book, Sound, by Lisa Miller for Coward-McCann. Eventually, freed of other obligations, he plunged full time into both writing and illustrating children's books.
He names Fra Angelico and Giotto, Georges Rouault, and Ben Shahn as major influences on his work, but he soon found his own unique style. His particular way with color, line, detail, and design have earned him many of the most prestigious awards in his field, among them a Caldecott Honor Award for Strega Nona, the Smithsonian Medal from the Smithsonian Institution, the Kerlan Award from the University of Minnesota for his ""singular attainment in children's literature,"" the Catholic Library Association's Regina Medal for his ""continued distinguished contribution,"" and the University of Southern Mississippi Medallion. He was also the 1990 United States nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for illustration.
Tomie dePaola has published almost 200 children's books in fifteen different countries. He remains one of the most popular creators of books for children, receiving more than 100,000 fan letters each year.
Tomie lives in an interesting house in New Hampshire with his four dogs. His studio is in a large renovated 200-year-old barn.
- He has been published for over 30 years.
- Over 5 million copies of his books have sold worldwide.
- His books have been published in over 15 different countries.
- He receives nearly 100,000 fan letters each year.
Tomie dePaola has received virtually every significant recognition for his books in the children's book world, including:
- Caldecott Honor Award from American Library Association
- Newbery Honor Award from American Library Association
- Smithson Medal from Smithsonian Institution
- USA nominee in illustration for Hans Christian Andersen Medal
- Regina Medal from Catholic Library Association

"

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Charming, but needs a stronger audience focus, February 8, 2007

By 

M. Ritchie (Columbus, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Christmas Remembered (Hardcover)

I'm an adult (without children) who loves children's picture books and I have always enjoyed those of dePaola. This is supposedly, according to the jacket copy, his first book for all ages, but it isn't really. He tries to pitch it at both kids and adults, but I can't imagine many of the younger children most of his books are aimed at getting interested in these short vignettes about dePaola's most memorable Christmases. As an adult, I was interested in them, but they felt like abridged stories from Reader's Digest and I wanted to know more about the people involved, especially since most of the Christmases narrated are not rich in incident, but in character. Still, I found the simple sentence style charming, and the moods created were nicely nostalgic. The high point is when he relates his Christmas with the people who inspired the movie "Come to the Stable," a favorite holiday movie of mine. The illustrations, while quite lovely, are often frustratingly vague, especially when he has included a rudimentary description of something in his text that would seem to cry out for an illustration, and it's not there.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Christmas collection that won't soon be forgotten, November 27, 2007

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Christmas Remembered (Hardcover)

Over the years, Tomie DePaola has mesmerized people of all ages with his breathtaking illustrations, and engaging stories. But none of his previous work can compare to CHRISTMAS REMEMBERED. For once, DePaola fans are given the opportunity to receive a sneak peek into the world of the DePaola family. DePaola takes readers on a trip down memory lane as he recounts the Christmases he shared with his family and friends as he was growing up.

CHRISTMAS REMEMBERED is home to fifteen individual stories, in addition to a lively - yet brief - preface. Each story is short, but sweet, and can be read in one sitting. My personal favorite would have to be A CANDY CANE CHRISTMAS, as DePaola invites readers to accompany him as he recounts the year he worked at a candy store, where he made candy of all different shapes and sizes. Of course, each story is equally impressive, and harbors an illustration or two, depicting the wonderful prose.

DePaola's stories bring readers back to a simpler time when TV's were scarce, and family was everyone's number one priority. Families will love CHRISTMAS REMEMBERED, and may even find themselves reading a story a night until Christmas Day is upon us. A Christmas collection that won't soon be forgotten.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Christmas Remembered, November 16, 2009

By 

Savannah "outdoors" - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Christmas Remembered (Mass Market Paperback)

Great book with lots of Christmas memories. Takes you back to your own Christmas pasts!