Tomie dePaola: His Art & His Stories [Hardcover]

Barbara Elleman (Author)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up

A feast for the eye, with more than 200 illustrations, spanning thirty-five years of the career of Tomie dePaola.

Tomie dePaola is among the best-known, best-loved artist/authors creating books for children today. His art and his stories, filled with imagination, humor, elegance, and curiosity, emanate from a love of life reflected in everything he does.

Barbara Elleman, a critic in her own right, explores Tomie dePaola as artist and storyteller. The result is a fascinating, complete, and highly readable account that looks first at his life and then at the many genres he has drawn upon--autobiographical memories, folktales, Christmas themes, religious stories, and more. She shows patterns and motifs that thread through his work, points out major influences on his art, and gives a rare look at his fine art and his "non-book" designs.

Ms. Elleman's thoughtful narrative and selections of artwork that illustrate Mr. dePaola's diverse styles bring a fresh appreciation to the work of this unique artist/author.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Fans of dePaola's work will gravitate toward this handsome oversized book that provides a critical overview and celebration of the subject's illustrious career. It begins with a biographical chapter and continues with sections about the author/artist's autobiographical tales, religious books, folktales, nonfiction works, collections, and drawings and paintings; a single chapter is devoted to his most famed creation-"Strega Nona." Well-chosen examples of dePaola's art effectively illustrate Elleman's critical insights; photographs and illustrations on nearly every page create an appealing presentation. While children will enjoy poring over the collected illustrations, they are not the primary audience for this scholarly text. Elleman's description of the influence of Italian Renaissance artists and those of other periods upon dePaola's work may serve as a useful educational point of departure for discussing artistic inspiration and art history. A well-crafted and thoughtful book.
Rosalyn Pierini, San Luis Obispo City-County Library, CA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Elleman delves into the life and works of one of children's literature's best-known, most-beloved creators, author-artist Tomie dePaola. An introduction by fellow artist Trina Schart Hyman points out the deceptive simplicity of dePaola's art, and certainly by the end of the book, readers will have renewed respect for both his talent and his hard work. Just as dePaola interweaves his childhood into his books, Elleman skillfully threads dePaola's biography into detailed explorations of his work. Smooth, coherent discussions of text and image are grouped into chapters considering such categories as dePaola's autobiographical, religious, folktale, and Strega Nona books. She is particularly successful in drawing out essential elements of an illustration--taking in everything from a character's eye movement to line, coloration, and use of white space--and articulating the elements so that the less-experienced eye can also find them. Additional chapters, all of which are suffused with the liveliness of dePaola's personality, fill out the picture--from his popularity with folk collectors to his groundbreaking business deal with Putnam. The book design, very much in keeping with dePaola's work, features spacious pages and enticing photographs and artwork. A section of reproductions of dePaola's single paintings adds a fascinating final look at an artist who may be of interest to writers, librarians, parents, and, perhaps most of all, to aspiring artists. Susan Dove Lempke

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile; First Edition edition (October 25, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399231293
• ISBN-13: 978-0399231292
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #556,318 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterful biography of Tomie's life & artwork., November 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Tomie dePaola: His Art & His Stories (Hardcover)

Barbara Elleman has done an excellent job of depicting Tomie dePaola as an artist and author who loves what he does and the people he does it for. Though the text is geared toward adults, it serves as a reference for all dePaola fans. Even children will enjoy looking at the extensivephotographs and illustrations of Tomie's artwork over the years. Though Tomie is a worldwide figure in the field of children's literature; Barbara presents him as a warm loving human being with family and friends. These aspects of his personality make it very easy for children to relate to him as a friend who has had experiences very much like their own. From Barbara's research and writing, fans of all ages are inspired by this artist-author. Owning a copy of this book is a must for all Tomie dePaola fans.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb book to get a glimpse of the life and art of Tomie!, October 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Tomie dePaola: His Art & His Stories (Hardcover)

Complete and thorough overview of Tomie dePaola's life and works. Barbara Elleman has done a wonderful job of capturing the essence of Tomie. The organization of this book is masterful. A Tomie fan can easily find the information about all aspects of his life and his art. This book is an excellent resource for Tomie fans. I would highly recommend the purchase of this book - if you are not a Tomie dePaola fan before reading the book, you WILL be a #1 fan AFTER reading it!!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Have!, March 5, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Tomie dePaola: His Art & His Stories (Hardcover)

I have met Tomie dePaola. This book was the next best thing to seeing him again. The text gives you insight into dePaola as an author and illustrator and a person. Many of dePaloa's books are based on events that have actually taken place in his life. Barbara Elleman shares pictures of dePaola's childhood and his memories with the reader. By the end of the book I felt as if I knew dePaola personaly. Elleman also gives the reader lots of information about dePaola's books and fine art. THIS IS A MUST HAVE FOR EDUCATORS, CHILDRENS' LITERATURE BUFFS, AND PEOPLE WHO WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE MAN BEHIND THE BOOKS THAT MANY CHILDREN AND ADULTS LOVE TO READ OVER AND OVER!!!!!!!!