Here We All Are (26 Fairmount Avenue Books) [Paperback]

Tomie dePaola (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: 26 Fairmount Avenue Books

Tomie can't believe that anything could be more exciting than moving to a new house. Then he finds out that a new baby is coming. Will it be a sister? That's what Tomie hopes. While he is waiting for her to arrive, there is plenty to keep him busy, including tap dancing lessons and the tryouts for a play about Peter Rabbit. Once again, Tomie dePaola takes us back to his childhood and shares the funny personal memories that make us all wish we could grow up at 26 Fairmount Avenue too.

"Children will be tickled." (School Library Journal)

"Readers will find [Tomie's] buoyancy irresistible." (Kirkus Reviews)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Good for Tomie dePaola! Few of us get to go back to childhood and explain just what in the world we were thinking when we did things like (a) licking a bedpost to see if it tasted like maple syrup (Tomie's mom told him his furniture was "genuine maple"), (b) wearing lipstick and pretending to be Mae West, or (c) refusing to go to the bathroom for days (Tomie was pretty distressed to have his mom trapped in the hospital after delivering his brand-new baby sister). But award-winning author-illustrator dePaola elaborates on all of this and more in a charming--and winningly evenhanded--tell-all memoir, recounted in an artfully convincing 5-year-old's voice.

The sequel to the 2000 Newbery Honor winner 26 Fairmount Avenue, Here We All Are has Tomie, his 9-year-old brother, Buddy, and Mom and Dad settling into the new house on Fairmount as Tomie continues kindergarten with Miss Immick. Part Linus Van Pelt, part Calvin (minus Hobbes), the budding performer Tomie proves to be as endearing--and sometimes aggravating--as you'd expect a 5-year-old to be. In this second installment of the 26 Fairmount series, Tomie enrolls in tap classes at Miss Leah's Dancing School, upstages Peter Rabbit in a school play while hamming it up as Flopsy, and faces off against his hilariously terrifying Italian grandmother, Nana Fall-River. (Ages 7 to 10) --Paul Hughes --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

In a starred review PW wrote, "DePaola continues to share engaging childhood memories in this breezy follow-up to 26 Fairmount Avenue, his inaugural chapter book and a Newbery Honor title." Ages 7-10.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (October 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0698119096
• ISBN-13: 978-0698119093
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.9 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #140,601 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #23 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Biographies > Literary
  • #31 in Books > Children's Books > Biographies > Literary

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

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great easy chapter book for boys, May 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Here We All Are (A 26 Fairmount Avenue Book) (Hardcover)

My second grade son enjoyed this book so much he read it in two days. He related to the story because it was about a boy near his age and his trials and tribulations about a younger sister and school etc. Highly recommended.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Our fourth grade class LOVED it!, January 15, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Here We All Are (A 26 Fairmount Avenue Book) (Hardcover)

Here We All Are is the latest chapter book by Tomie dePaola about his childhood. It tells the story of Tomie and his family as they move into their new house at 26 Fairmount Avenue in Meriden, Connecticut, and the exciting things that happen to Tomie during his first year in school. Tomie is a very bright and curious little boy, but he doesn't always follow the rules his strict teacher sets out. He steals the show when the kindergartners put on a play, and often breaks into song when he is supposed to be napping. Things go better for Tomie when he begins taking dance lessons with the kind Miss Leah. The highlight of the book is the birth of Tomie's baby sister "with a red ribbon in her hair", just as Tomie hoped and prayed.

Our favorite parts of the book probably were the parts where Tomie caused trouble in school without really meaning too, especially when he totally derails the class production of "Peter Rabbit". Lots of kids can relate to the experience of getting in trouble for just being themselves. Knowing that young Tomie grew up to be a successful author, artist, and dancer helps kids see that they don't have to be perfect or just like everyone else in order to do well in life.

We would recommend this great book to anyone in grades K through 4. The stories in it are ones that children of that age would love to hear and would definitely be able to connect with, although it would probably need to be read aloud to kindergarten and first graders. The reading level is just about perfect for second and third grade. Fourth graders probably won't find the reading hard, but they will be able to use this book as a way to get a look into how Tomie's other stories and artwork came to be.

By the way, this book is the second in a series of chapter books about Tomie's childhood. The first is called 26 Fairmount Avenue, and it is just as good. The third one should be out later this year.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Autobiography in Touch with the Magic of Childhood, January 4, 2004

By 

Daniel L. Berek (Flanders, NJ, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Here We All Are (26 Fairmount Avenue Books) (Paperback)

What makes Tomie de Paola such an endearing (and enduring) children's book writer is the fact that he has never lost touch with the magic of childhood. An autobiography that embodies this quality is bound to appeal to children, especially as Mr. de Paola relates this slice-of-life story from the perspective of a young boy growing up. In this installment of the 26 Fairmount Avenue series, Tomie recounts the arrival of his new baby sister, Maureen; to this day, he is extremely close to his younger sibling. The book, with de Paola's customary gentle wit, provides young readers and writers with an admirable example of the art of autobiography. The author's charming illustrations complement the lyrical text.