Looking to add to your collection? Here is a list of Books to celebrate Tomie dePaola.
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Tomie dePaola Books for K–12: Stories, Art, Folklore & Memoir
Some illustrators have a style you recognize before you ever look at the name on the cover. Tomie dePaola was one of them.
Tomie dePaola has always been a favorite of mine. In college, I had the opportunity to meet him when he came to Calvin College for their Young Authors Day.
With his distinctive colors, expressive characters, folk-art influences, gentle humor, and remarkable ability to tell a story through pictures, dePaola created and illustrated books that generations of children have loved. He published more than 250 children’s books, including the beloved Strega Nona stories, folktales and legends, religious stories, informational books, and autobiographical works.
September is a great time to celebrate his work: Tomie dePaola was born September 15, 1934. This collection includes familiar favorites along with books that may be new to your students—and perhaps a few you’ve forgotten yourself.
Picture Books
Strega Nona — Tomie dePaola — Fiction/Folktale *
No Tomie dePaola list could begin anywhere else. When Big Anthony ignores Strega Nona’s warning about her magical pasta pot, he quickly discovers that making the pasta appear is much easier than making it stop. The original Strega Nona received a Caldecott Honor and launched a series that eventually included more than a dozen stories.
Find Strega Nona on Amazon https://amzn.to/3SRsrEV
The Art Lesson — Tomie dePaola — Autobiographical Fiction *
Young Tommy has always known he wants to be an artist, so he can’t wait for his first school art lesson. Unfortunately, school has rules about art—including how many crayons he’s allowed to use. Inspired by dePaola’s own childhood, this wonderful story celebrates creativity, individuality, and finding adults willing to nurture a child’s gifts.
Find The Art Lesson on Amazon https://amzn.to/4xky0tB
Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs — Tomie dePaola — Autobiographical Fiction *
Four-year-old Tommy loves both his grandmother, Nana Downstairs, and his great-grandmother, Nana Upstairs. Based on dePaola’s own family, this tender story introduces young children to aging, death, grief, and how our memories keep the people we love close.
Find Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs on Amazon https://amzn.to/46hxQIy
The Knight and the Dragon — Tomie dePaola — Fiction
A knight who has never fought a dragon and a dragon who has never fought a knight prepare diligently for their first battle—with less-than-impressive results. Much of the humor comes through the illustrations, making this an excellent choice for teaching visual literacy and inference.
Find The Knight and the Dragon on Amazon https://amzn.to/4hlI6Wh
The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush — Tomie dePaola — Legend *
Little Gopher isn’t a warrior like the other boys in his Plains Indian community. His gift is painting, and he longs to capture the sunset’s brilliant colors. DePaola’s retelling celebrates artistic gifts and finding one’s own way to contribute.
Find The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush on Amazon https://amzn.to/4xjtATW
The Legend of the Bluebonnet — Tomie dePaola — Legend *
In dePaola’s retelling of a Comanche legend, a young girl makes a tremendous sacrifice for her people during a drought. Bluebonnets become a symbol of her generosity and courage.
Find The Legend of the Bluebonnet on Amazon https://amzn.to/4ywYbOJ
Adelita: A Mexican Cinderella Story — Tomie dePaola — Folktale/Fairy Tale
DePaola reimagines Cinderella in Mexico, replacing the fairy godmother and glass slipper with culturally specific details—including a beautiful shawl. It’s an excellent book for comparing different versions of a familiar folktale.
Find Adelita on Amazon https://amzn.to/4xOv09Z
The Clown of God — Tomie dePaola — Legend
This retelling of an old legend follows Giovanni, a poor boy who becomes a talented juggler and ultimately offers his greatest gift to God. The story has strong themes of faith, vocation, generosity, and using one’s talents, although librarians will want to preview its emotional ending before sharing it with young children.
Find The Clown of God on Amazon https://amzn.to/4xpEmYJ
Pancakes for Breakfast — Tomie dePaola — Wordless Fiction
A determined woman encounters one obstacle after another as she tries to make pancakes. Told entirely through pictures, this nearly wordless story is terrific for sequencing, prediction, oral storytelling, and showing young readers that illustrations can carry an entire narrative.
Find Pancakes for Breakfast on Amazon https://amzn.to/46VD8JK
The Cloud Book — Tomie dePaola — Nonfiction
DePaola turns his attention to science in this accessible introduction to clouds. Children learn basic cloud types and weather information alongside folklore and sayings about clouds, all presented with his characteristic illustrations.
Find The Cloud Book on Amazon https://amzn.to/4iWRZLd
Elementary
26 Fairmount Avenue — Tomie dePaola — Memoir/Nonfiction
In the first of eight autobiographical chapter books, dePaola recounts life as a five-year-old in 1938 as his family builds a new house. A hurricane, kindergarten, family adventures, and even his memorable reaction to Disney’s Snow White fill this warm and funny memoir. The book received a Newbery Honor and is particularly well suited to children making the transition to chapter books.
Find 26 Fairmount Avenue on Amazon https://amzn.to/4xlcMff
Here We All Are — Tomie dePaola — Memoir/Nonfiction
Young Tomie and his family have finally moved into their new home, but another major change is coming: a new baby. Family stories, childhood expectations, and dePaola’s humor make this second installment an inviting continuation of his memoir.
Find Here We All Are on Amazon https://amzn.to/4yBmf3b
On My Way — Tomie dePaola — Memoir/Nonfiction
Tomie continues recounting his childhood as his baby sister comes home, he participates in a dance recital, visits the World’s Fair, and eagerly anticipates first grade—when he will finally learn to read and perhaps get his own library card.
Find On My Way on Amazon https://amzn.to/3T3o1uu
What a Year! — Tomie dePaola — Memoir/Nonfiction
The fourth 26 Fairmount Avenue book continues Tomie’s childhood adventures through family life, school, holidays, and everyday experiences that become memorable through dePaola’s eyes. It’s another approachable example of memoir writing for young students.
Find What a Year! on Amazon https://amzn.to/3UCCtdF
Bill and Pete — Tomie dePaola — Fiction
Bill is a young crocodile, and Pete is his toothbrush—a small bird who helps keep Bill’s teeth clean. Their adventures combine friendship, humor, and a little suspense while offering plenty of dePaola’s trademark visual storytelling.
Find Bill and Pete on Amazon https://amzn.to/3UCCxKr
Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato — Tomie dePaola — Folktale
DePaola draws on Irish storytelling traditions in this humorous tale about Jamie, who would much rather avoid work than do it. When a magical encounter leads to an enormous potato, Jamie discovers that getting exactly what you want can create some unexpected problems.
Find Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato on Amazon https://amzn.to/46BQ5sp
Tomie dePaola’s Big Book of Favorite Legends — Tomie dePaola — Folklore
This collection brings together several of dePaola’s retellings and makes a particularly useful choice for an author study. Students can compare legends, examine recurring themes, and look at the ways dePaola uses both words and pictures to retell traditional stories. His official bibliography lists the collection among his later works.
Find Tomie dePaola’s Big Book of Favorite Legends on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4gUvWCs
Middle School
Tomie’s personal childhood experiences intersect with World War II.
Things Will Never Be the Same: The War Years — Tomie dePaola — Memoir/Nonfiction
Young Tomie records the events of 1941 in his new diary: school, art lessons, family outings, movies, holidays, and ordinary childhood pleasures. Then news of the attack on Pearl Harbor reaches his family, and suddenly the world has changed. This is a fascinating way to pair personal memoir with a larger historical event.
Find Things Will Never Be the Same on Amazon https://amzn.to/3Tp8KV9
I’m Still Scared: The War Years — Tomie dePaola — Memoir/Nonfiction
World War II is now part of young Tomie’s everyday life. Although school, dance lessons, music, and family activities continue, war news and fears intrude into childhood. The book gives students a child’s perspective on living through an uncertain historical period.
Find I’m Still Scared on Amazon https://amzn.to/4yzT8NG
Why?: The War Years — Tomie dePaola — Memoir/Nonfiction
As the war continues, Tomie becomes increasingly aware of events beyond his family and neighborhood. This later installment provides another opportunity to consider how children understand frightening events that adults themselves struggle to explain.
Find Why? The War Years on Amazon https://amzn.to/4r5rTYs
For the Duration: The War Years — Tomie dePaola — Memoir/Nonfiction
The final published 26 Fairmount Avenue volume continues Tomie’s experiences during World War II as rationing and other wartime changes become part of ordinary American life. Taken together, the series provides middle school students with an accessible model for examining history through personal memory.
Find For the Duration on Amazon https://amzn.to/46jfnew
Christmas Remembered — Tomie dePaola — Memoir/Personal Essays
Rather than one continuous story, dePaola shares memories of Christmases throughout his life. Older students can use the collection to explore personal narrative, family traditions, memory, and how an author turns real experiences into stories. His official bibliography lists the collection among his autobiographical and holiday works.
Find Christmas Remembered on Amazon https://amzn.to/4A4vKcq
High School: Studying Tomie dePaola as an Artist & Storyteller
Tomie dePaola’s picture books can be primary texts for studying illustration, visual literacy, memoir, adaptation, folklore, artistic style, and children’s literature.
Tomie dePaola: His Art & His Stories — Barbara Elleman — Biography/Art
For older students interested in illustration, children’s literature, or dePaola himself, this examination of his life and work provides context for the artistic influences and experiences behind his books. It would be particularly useful for an author/illustrator study or an art class exploring children’s book illustration.
Find Tomie dePaola: His Art & His Stories on Amazon https://amzn.to/4gJU5Ng
26 Fairmount Avenue series — Tomie dePaola — Memoir/Nonfiction
Although written for much younger readers, the complete eight-book series offers older students something different: an opportunity to study memoir as craft. Students can examine how an adult author reconstructs childhood, establishes a child’s voice, selects memories, incorporates historical events, and uses illustration alongside prose. The series spans dePaola’s childhood into the World War II years.
Find the 26 Fairmount Avenue series on Amazon https://amzn.to/4ypoUwy
Strega Nona — Tomie dePaola — Fiction/Folklore Study
Yes, a high school student can study Strega Nona. Older students studying art, folklore, children’s literature, or education can examine dePaola’s visual style, characterization, page design, adaptation of folk traditions, and the relationship between illustration and text. The book’s Caldecott Honor makes it particularly appropriate for studying excellence in picture-book illustration.
Find Strega Nona on Amazon https://amzn.to/3SRsrEV
The Art Lesson — Tomie dePaola — Autobiographical Fiction/Art Study *
At the high school level, this deceptively simple picture book can prompt much bigger conversations: How should schools balance instruction with creativity? When do rules support artists, and when do they constrain them? Students can also compare the fictionalized childhood story with dePaola’s autobiographical writing.
Find The Art Lesson on Amazon https://amzn.to/4xDaSa5
Adelita and dePaola’s Legend Collections — Tomie dePaola — Folklore/Adaptation Study
Older students can compare dePaola’s retellings with source traditions and other versions of the same stories. How does an author retell a traditional tale for children? What does the illustrator add? What changes, and what remains? Those questions can turn children’s books into sophisticated texts for studying adaptation and visual storytelling.
Find Tomie dePaola folklore books on Amazon https://amzn.to/4gZaBI5
Celebrating a Storyteller
Tomie dePaola once said through countless books what librarians already know: stories don’t have to be complicated to matter.
His books can make us laugh at Big Anthony and his overflowing pasta pot, grieve alongside little Tommy, travel through legends from different cultures, learn about clouds, remember family traditions, or recognize the gift of a child who sees the world a little differently.
For younger children, dePaola’s books are simply wonderful stories.
As students grow older, those same books can become something more. They can examine how an illustrator tells a story without words, how family memories become memoir, how traditional tales are adapted for new audiences, how art creates mood and character, and how childhood experiences influence an artist’s work.
And perhaps that’s one of the best reasons to keep Tomie dePaola on our library shelves.
Children can grow up with him.
*I have read this book.
I have not read all of these books. Please preview them for yourself before adding them to your school library.
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