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Title: DePaola's Worst
Review: I usually like Tomie DePaola, but this book with its seeming autobiographical nature nearly turned me off his otherwise wonderful work. The lesson it contains about art is so negative and out-of-step with how I have always been believed art should be taught to children. Furthermore, the lesson about teaching and school is just horrible. Tommy is beaten down by one horrible teacher in regards to art so that when another shows the tiniest humanity toward him, it's held up like some amazing kind gesture when really all the children deserved to be treated better and encouraged more. Maybe this was the author's experience and maybe he did somehow learn something positive from it, but is this really the sort of depiction of school and art education you want to present to kids? I honestly don't get it.
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