A Loving Family

Tomie dePaola has a large family. And it seems as though he has a special relationship with each and every relative mentioned in the narrative. It is obvious that he is close to his mother, father, and brother. What is especially endearing about Tomie, though, is his connection to Nana Upstairs and his Irish grandfather, Tom. Tomie has a solid understanding of who his relatives are and their connection to him as a member of a big family. Tomie appreciates the older members of his family as people who not only provide him with hours of entertainment, but people who actually contribute to the overall quality of his life. For example, he says in Chapter 2 that, "Nana Upstairs was a special person to me [...] and every Sunday I spent all my time with her" (12).

Tomie listens to the adults in his family, he takes them seriously...