Tomie de Paola: His Art & His Stories, by Barbara Elleman. Published by G.P. Putnam Sons, 1999. 189 pages.

An artist may be best seen through his work, and Barbara Elleman offers the reader an insightful vision of Tomie de Paola in this pleasingly illustrated, readable volume. This account looks first at de Paola's life, complete with family photographs, and then at the scope of his work: autobiographical picture books, folktales, Christian themes, religious stories, collections and more.

An introduction by fellow artist, Trina Schart Hyman, makes clear the deceptive simplicity of de Paola's art. By the end of this book, readers will have renewed respect for his talent and his hard work. De Paola weaves his childhood into his work and Elleman has threaded his biography into a detailed examination of his work.

The book itself is pleasingly designed with spacious pages and enticing photographs and artwork. The reader is drawn into the life and work of de Paola and the experience is a must for lovers of children's books and the creators behind them.

Bill Early