Because of the success of Tomie’s autobiographical book, NANA UPSTAIRS & NANA DOWNSTAIRS, about the loss of his grandmother and great-grandmother, Tomie’s editor, Margaret Frith, wanted him to consider writing a companion story about his grandfather.
NANA is at its core a story about young Tomie’s love for his Irish grandmother and Irish great-grandmother.
The grandfather story he wrote was NOW ONE FOOT, NOW THE OTHER, published in 1981. At its core, it’s about young Tomie’s relationship with his Irish grandfather, Tom. Tom’s stroke is central to this book, and toy wooden blocks play an important role.
NOW ONE FOOT isn’t purely autobiographical, yet it is about events that indeed happened in Tomie’s life. But, Tomie wasn’t a child in real life when Tom had a stroke.
In 1979, I told Tomie about my relationship with my maternal grandfather. My grandfather had also had a stroke. Tomie named the grandfather Bob and the grandson Bobby. Bobby’s father in the book was illustrated as an idealized me back in 1980.
Tomie displayed the wooden blocks in his house and occasionally wrote messages with them. (Bob)
Copyright - Estate of Tomie dePaola and Whitebird, Inc.
Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality
