DePaola, T. (2000). Here We All Are. G.P. Putnam's Sons.
Tomie DePaola is always one of the first featured authors I delve into studying with my second graders each fall. My personal favorites of his are the ones that are auto-biographical in nature, perhaps partially or fully inspired by the truth. His distinctive drawing style is recognizable in any of his books, whether it's a story relating to his childhood or to series such as Strega Nona, the Barkers, or Bill and Pete. In his picture books that I looked through, it seems that he uses acrylic on handmade paper in all the ones that actually stated what he used. In his "26 Fairmont Avenue" series of memoirs, he writes the collection in beginning chapter book style, with illustrations that are in printed in black and white (except on the cover.) From my last count, there are seven so far in the series, with this selection Here We All Are as the second in the series, which follows the first which was a Newbery Honor winner.
In Here We All Are, Tomie is 5 years old in this selection that picks up where the first memoir left off, and he writes in the voice and perspective of a young child, which makes his writing so accessible to children the age in my class who love to “reflect on the good old days of when they were young.” (Kindergarten was sooo long ago to them, you know!) The voice DePaola writes in as Tomie is fresh and casual, nothing stuffy or all knowing at all, and that’s what my kids like. It’s like hearing him on the tape where he is talking to them, not at them. With the prior knowledge of our autobiographical picture books, then the video, the students loved the first 26 Fairmount Avenue so much, I picked up the second one which I didn’t have, and they felt like they were getting to sit and visit with him again. One of the things the kids laughed at was when Tomie said that his mom told him his furniture was “genuine maple” and “When no one was looking, I liked the bedpost to see if it tasted like maple syrup or the maple candies we got sometimes. It didn’t.” You can hear his disappointment punctuated with the two word sentence at the end, but the kids think it’s cool that he shared that goofy, embarrassing thing he did as a child with them. Just as when I read the first book in the series, the students were able to make text-to-text connections to some of his picture books, such as when he discusses how his Kindergarten teacher mixed powder paints and how awful they were (as in The Art Lesson.) He also explains things in a simple, concise way if he feels the reader may not understand, such as what a lavatory is or a “monitor top” refrigerator, so to introduce a few things from the past without going overboard. The kids get to “visit” with Tom and his Nana again, just like in the picture book Tom, and hear about Nana Fall River visiting to take care of him when his new baby sister is born. Overall, this edition is a light, fresh read of DePaola reminiscing with the reader at a very readable, identifiable level.
One quote that I have printed up that DePaola said I extract from his website when I review it with kids during our author study is when he says that his job as an illustrator is to “make the invisible visible.” Three more that I highlight with my students comes from his video tape which we have at our school media center. One quote is: “Be willing to practice over and over again. Be willing to fix your writing.” The second is: “If you read books, you can read everything about anything and anything about everything.” The last one is: “If you want to be a writer, you have to read, because that’s how you learn about writing.” I think those three quotes are particularly powerful because my students hear Tomie talking to them as near equals, and I always try to set that tone with my students. They are being told they are not just writers, but authors. With DePaola’s role modeling of fun fantasy stories as well as his memoirs straight from everyday, good memories from growing up where he remembers what it’s like to be a kid, my students seem to have a special respect for him.
Tomie DePaola is always one of the first featured authors I delve into studying with my second graders each fall. My personal favorites of his are the ones that are auto-biographical in nature, perhaps partially or fully inspired by the truth. His distinctive drawing style is recognizable in any of his books, whether it's a story relating to his childhood or to series such as Strega Nona, the Barkers, or Bill and Pete. In his picture books that I looked through, it seems that he uses acrylic on handmade paper in all the ones that actually stated what he used. In his "26 Fairmont Avenue" series of memoirs, he writes the collection in beginning chapter book style, with illustrations that are in printed in black and white (except on the cover.) From my last count, there are seven so far in the series, with this selection Here We All Are as the second in the series, which follows the first which was a Newbery Honor winner.
In Here We All Are, Tomie is 5 years old in this selection that picks up where the first memoir left off, and he writes in the voice and perspective of a young child, which makes his writing so accessible to children the age in my class who love to “reflect on the good old days of when they were young.” (Kindergarten was sooo long ago to them, you know!) The voice DePaola writes in as Tomie is fresh and casual, nothing stuffy or all knowing at all, and that’s what my kids like. It’s like hearing him on the tape where he is talking to them, not at them. With the prior knowledge of our autobiographical picture books, then the video, the students loved the first 26 Fairmount Avenue so much, I picked up the second one which I didn’t have, and they felt like they were getting to sit and visit with him again. One of the things the kids laughed at was when Tomie said that his mom told him his furniture was “genuine maple” and “When no one was looking, I liked the bedpost to see if it tasted like maple syrup or the maple candies we got sometimes. It didn’t.” You can hear his disappointment punctuated with the two word sentence at the end, but the kids think it’s cool that he shared that goofy, embarrassing thing he did as a child with them. Just as when I read the first book in the series, the students were able to make text-to-text connections to some of his picture books, such as when he discusses how his Kindergarten teacher mixed powder paints and how awful they were (as in The Art Lesson.) He also explains things in a simple, concise way if he feels the reader may not understand, such as what a lavatory is or a “monitor top” refrigerator, so to introduce a few things from the past without going overboard. The kids get to “visit” with Tom and his Nana again, just like in the picture book Tom, and hear about Nana Fall River visiting to take care of him when his new baby sister is born. Overall, this edition is a light, fresh read of DePaola reminiscing with the reader at a very readable, identifiable level.
One quote that I have printed up that DePaola said I extract from his website when I review it with kids during our author study is when he says that his job as an illustrator is to “make the invisible visible.” Three more that I highlight with my students comes from his video tape which we have at our school media center. One quote is: “Be willing to practice over and over again. Be willing to fix your writing.” The second is: “If you read books, you can read everything about anything and anything about everything.” The last one is: “If you want to be a writer, you have to read, because that’s how you learn about writing.” I think those three quotes are particularly powerful because my students hear Tomie talking to them as near equals, and I always try to set that tone with my students. They are being told they are not just writers, but authors. With DePaola’s role modeling of fun fantasy stories as well as his memoirs straight from everyday, good memories from growing up where he remembers what it’s like to be a kid, my students seem to have a special respect for him.
PS - As a sidebar, I have a Strega Nona series book connection to share. I was at Costco one day a few years ago, perusing the book section. (Yes, I ALWAYS make a bee line straight to the book stacks anywhere, and my family has come to expect it from me!) Anyways, I began to flip through and admire some of DePaola's hard backs that were there, and lo and behold, the stack of picture books had been autographed by Tomie! They were genuine and had a sticker stating so on the front (Would Costco lie to me? I think not!) Well, I picked up a signed copy of Big Anthony, His Story that day, for around ten dollars. I honestly rarely splurge on hardbacks, but sometimes Costco reels me in with their power buying! It's on the small but growing "signed by the author" book section of my special teacher only shelf. They come down for read alouds, and with fanfare, are put back on the shelf to retain their condition. Moral of the story, keep your eyes peeled! You never know when you'll find signed copies! (Yes, I have found several signed picture books at yard sales as well!)
1 comment:
Tomie DePaola is probably my favorite childrens author. I have not read this one though, i will have to check it out.
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