Tomie dePaola – illustratör

Here is a delightful poem that tells the story of the night before Christmas, when Santa Claus arrives with his reindeer and clambers down the chimney to fill the stockings by the hearth. The text and pictures combine to capture the feeling of magic and excitement, and give a real sense of warmth and Christmas spirit. Tomie dePaola has set the poem in the 1840s, using his own home in a small New Hampshire village as a model. The borders to the pages are based on designs from New England quilts, giving the book a wonderfully nostalgic feel.

In My First Christmas, warm illustrations and easy-to-follow text celebrate the joys and traditions of this special holiday. From decorating the tree to putting cookies out for Santa, the Christmas spirit is beautifully captured by Tomie dePaola.

Now celebrating its 50th anniversary! When Strega Nona leaves him alone with her magic pasta pot, Big Anthony is determined to show the townspeople how it works in this classic Caldecott Honor book from Tomie dePaola.Strega Nona—"Grandma Witch"—is the source for potions, cures, magic, and comfort in her Calabrian town. Her magical everfull pasta pot is especially intriguing to hungry Big Anthony. He is supposed to look after her house and tend her garden but one day, when she goes over the mountain to visit Strega Amelia, Big Anthony recites the magic verse over the pasta pot, with disastrous results. In this retelling of an old tale, author-illustrator Tomie dePaola combines humor in the writing and warmth in the paintings as he builds the story to its hilarious climax.