Children’s Author: Tomie DePaola

I’ve been trying to read through the books in Raine’s school library, and it has been very rewarding. I love discovering new jewels and apparently, I missed the boat with Tomie DePaola when I was in elementary school! But I am pleased to have discovered him for the girls a few weeks ago. Tomie DePaola is a very talented author/illustrator who is well-known for his book Strega Nona. Any Strega Nona fans? It is a classic picture book that every child should have the opportunity to know well.

But I have to say, what made me really fall in love with Tomie DePaola were these two books. They both retell American Indian legends and both have incredible morals. The Legend of The Bluebonnet tells the story of the Texas Bluebonnet flower, a product of a little girl who had already suffered so much but who remained selfless and sacrificed greatly to save her people. The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush tells another flower legend, but of the Indian Paintbrush from Wyoming. In this tale, a young man dreams of becoming a warrior, but later finds that we all have different gifts of value that will lead us to our own important purpose.

Please read these books with your children. They are uplifting and beautiful. Tomie DePaola seems to have an infinite amount of picture books that I still have yet to read but these are great ones to start with! Please come back and tell me how it went!