In this photo taken Sunday Dec. 1, 2013, Tomie dePaola poses with his artwork in his studio in New London, N.H. The beloved children's author and illustrator has died at the age of 85. DePaola delighted generations with tales of Strega Nona, the kindly and helpful old witch in Italy. His literary agent says dePaola died Monday from surgery complications after taking a bad fall last week.
He worked on over 270 books in more than half a century of publishing, and nearly 25 million copies have been sold worldwide and his books have been translated into more than 20 languages. Reflecting on her popularity, dePaola told The Associated Press in 2013, “I think it’s because she’s like everybody’s grandmother. She’s cute, she’s not pretty, she’s kind of funny-looking, but she’s sweet, she’s understanding. And she’s a little saucy, she gets a little irritated every once in a while.”
“I remember laughing at the pictures of Big Anthony, the townspeople, and even cute little Strega Nona,” wrote one of his many fans in 2013, a woman who recalled her mother reading the book to her growing up. “She is ingrained in my childhood ... I hope to read Strega Nona to my kids one day.”“Tomie dePaola is masterful at creating seemingly simple stories that have surprising depth and reflect tremendous emotional honesty,” the committee chair Megan Schliesman said at the time.
DePaola wrote about doodling on his bedsheets and on his math work in second grade, telling his teacher he wasn’t going to be an “arithmetic-er.” “Even though I love doing my books and I try to be as creative as possible, there’s always a restriction,” he said in 2013. “I have to please other people, I have to please my art director, my editor, and then there’s all the public to please. Some of the books I’ve considered my best artistic personal accomplishments aren’t necessarily the books that appeal to children. And that’s OK.”
He lives on every day in the smile of child who blows three kisses to the moon Wonderopolis NCFL Edchat the 'ingrediente segreto'
RIP. Part of my childhood.
❤️❤️❤️❤️🙏🏻
AjitPaiFCC 😔
'Liking' this news story about Tomie dePaola seems wrong, but the heart evokes what everyone is expressing for this beloved author and illustrator.
A Caldecott Award winner. Wonderful for kids + parents.
Tommie dePaola will live forever in his beautiful books. He had a tremendous impact on children literature.
And my mother just said “he gets to see Nana upstairs AND Nana downstairs now”. What and impact he had.
I loved his books!
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NO
What a wonderful artist, have a book of illustrated Christmas Carols of his that is a family treasure. RIP, thanks for the delightful beauty of your drawings. 💜🙏🏻😔
My favorite storyteller as a child 💕💕
That was my favorite book in elementary school 😭😭😭😭😭😭 why did he have to go
🙏🙏🙏🙏
Tomie's books r the stuff of legend in our household. Have many of his books. He brought us great joy through some tough times. I'll b 4ever grateful for our family's memories his stories helped create. World is truly darker today. Ty Tomie! You will be missed. ❤ tomiedepaola
Great book. RIP Tomie.
Your illustrations are iconic. Rest 💕
You have broken my heart. One of my favorite authors. Rest In Peace, Tomie dePaola. Rest in peace.
Strega Nona was my favorite growing up, Rest In Peace 💔
One of my favorite children's books. RIP
Rest In Peace :(
😞
Oh no 😭
I am so so sad!! Love his books and have several.
So sad. Grew up on his illustrations. RIPTomiedePaola
R.I.P🙏🏽❤️
😢 I spent years reading his books to my dual language classrooms! 💖RIP
😭💔
Bambolona, the baker’s daughter, was hair goals. Bill and Pete were friendship goals. The Clown of God was as close as I ever came to believing. And the Prince of the Dolomites was relationship goals (but I keep finding Big Anthony). Thank you for everything, Mr. dePaola.
AlyssaMGoard 🙏🏼
readingrainbow levarburton austinpbs PBSKIDS 🙏🏻🌅🌈📚 penguinrandom ♥️
Read his books to my children and had a blast doing so! 💔
This is awful. My kids loved his stories. I’ve had enough of the sad news. Today I had 4 different friends lose loved ones. The youngest loss was 26. I pray for the day when there is more happy news than all this sadness.
newestmaddi omg
I loved this book so much. Saddened to hear of his passing. ❤️
His memory will live on forever, I’ll read his books to my kids someday ❤️
He’s always been one of my favorite authors. So sad to see he has passed.
I was just reading a book by him earlier today. RIP Tomie dePaola. 🙏😔
☹️
You shall be greatly missed...🙏😞💕
Omg one of my all time favorites! Bless, and Rest In Peace ❤️
My kids favorite story teller and illustrator. He was such a sweet and kind man,and generous with his time to reply to a child’s fanletter.
RIP!!! I loved Strega Nona!!! 😘🙏😘
I will read Strega Nona story to honor you Tomie
MeganFrankPBS39 One of my favorite books as a child!
Oh no! I LOVE this author! I can’t tell you how much children enjoy his books, they’re really great for struggling readers. Fantastic stories from a fantastic author
Rip 💔
Sad
I loved that book when I was little 😢❤️
Loved that book.
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