Tomie dePaola
“The end (for the time being).”
That is the line with which Tomie dePaola, a beloved children’s author and illustrator, brings his first book in his memoir series, 26 Fairmount Avenue, to a conclusion. It’s an ending to be sure, but it’s also full of promise. The promise that there were more books to come in the series, but also the promise that there was so much life left to live after New Year’s Eve in 1940, the climactic event of that book. And oh, how Tomie lived it.
Sadly, though, that quaint and charming life came to an end on Monday, as revealed in a devastating Facebook post from the dePaola family on Tomie’s page. He was old and the news was not necessarily shocking, but it was still sad that someone so jovial and creative died, especially at a time like our current time; we need creativity more than ever.
To honor Tomie dePaola, I decided to reread 26 Fairmount Avenue. There’s a lot that’s special about this book, the first chapter book I ever read. Hungrily, I read it over and over as a child. I was delighted to read the story of someone’s life, which made reference to Disney movies, Christmas seasons, and the most memorable moments from childhood. Not only did it inspire me to read as many books as I can as a small child, but I’m sure it inspired many others to continue reading, too. (dePaola’s Strega Nona might have had a more prevalent hand in this.)
What’s more, it inspired me to write. The book was revelatory for me in that it was a person’s memoir, blended with children’s literature, our most important genre. I had no idea that one could write about one’s own life and dePaola’s writing was the first exposure I ever had to the memoir genre. As I prepare to finally publish my first book, I can only imagine it wouldn’t have happened without dePaola’s early influence on my development. Perhaps a dedication is due.
More than just recounting the stories of his childhood, dePaola also recounted his feelings and, in so doing, gave a lens of validity to the experiences of our youth. They matter and they should be preserved. He saved Nana Upstairs just as much as he saved his young fears, anxieties, and pleasantries by writing them down. The domestic reflection is so important and dePaola showed kids who read his books that their experiences were important, too. Even if it was just a trip to the movies.
Reading 26 Fairmount Avenue now, I see that it’s about a lot more than just moving from one house to another, starting kindergarten, and going to the theater to see Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In the backdrop of everything, there are real problems and conflicts the adults in Tomie’s life have to deal with. Nana Upstairs passes away, a house almost burns down, a hurricane blows through town, and the Great Depression looms over the story. (World War II would later become a feature in the series, as well.)
Even though Tomie was a bit clueless as to what was actually going on, his feelings and emotions were attuned to the shift in culture in the world, even if it was on an unconscious level. In the dark times of tumult when it seemed like the world was going to end, Tomie’s spirit prevailed and allowed him to put art back into the world.
Maybe that’s what is worth thinking about during this time, when every news bulletin could spell doom for us all. When every tweet seems to compare our lives to those in Mad Max, Zombieland, and other apocalyptic films where society breaks down and we become scavengers. I don’t know if that’s the world we’re headed towards. Who’s to say if Contagion is even the world we’re headed towards?
Apocalyptic movies and stories like that forget one thing. We wouldn’t be so quick to resort to such activities. Some people? Maybe so. But most people will help and will be kind and will be happy because that can’t just go away so easily. Our world can be a world of hope and our humanity can be one of high spirits. The human spirit is not congruous with a desert wasteland. From the worst of times comes the best of us.
From the Great Depression, a hurricane, and World War II came Tomie dePaola. And there will be more who come from this pandemic, especially those inspired by his art. That legacy extends far beyond a street in Connecticut. Thanks for everything, Tomie.
