I'm reading this series along with my 9-year-old son and we loved the first one! Such a charming look into Tomie's childhood. Tomie's writing is wonderful as always and offers today's children a view of childhood in another time. ( )

Tomie's family starts building their new house at 26 Fairmount Avenue in 1938, just as a hurricane hits town, starting off a busy, crazy year.

Tomie introduces his family (including Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs) and recounts his adventures in the year 1938-1939, as his family builds a new house to move into. There is a hurricane, the first full-length animated movie in theaters (Sleeping Beauty - "Mr. Walt Disney didn't read the story right!"), and a rocky beginning to kindergarten. Gentle, old-fashioned, funny, and relatable. Young Tomie reminds me a bit of Ramona Quimby, with a touch of Fred Savage in The Princess Bride.

"When do we learn to read?" I asked.
"Oh, we don't learn to read in kindergarten. We learn to read next year, in first grade."
"Fine," I said. "I'll be back next year." And I walked right out fo the school and all the way home. (p. 35) ( )

Signed by Tomie DePaola ( )

Children's author-illustrator Tomie De Paola describes his experiences at home and in school when he was a boy.