Nana Upstairs, Nana Downstairs

Hi I'm Jill Grifenhagen. I'm teaching "Teaching Children's Literature" this semester, and reading children's books with some fantastic students from the College of Education at NC State. Welcome to our blog!

One of my favorite books as a child was Nana Upstairs, Nana Downstairs by Tomie dePaola. In fact, dePaola is one of my favorite children's authors of all time.  I devoured his books during my elementary school years, and later I shared them with my elementary students. Now I enjoy reading dePoala's books with my own kids!

This particular book holds a special place in my heart. As a six-year-old, I loved it for several reasons. The illustrations are simple but inviting and capture the attention of young children. As a new-ish reader, I cherished books I could read on my own. But most of all, the story of love and loss, as told in the voice of another child, captured my heart strings. This book helped me understand aging and death in a gentle, age-appropriate way.

Nana Upstairs, Nana Downstairs came back into my life this past year. After my own mother became sick and died, I struggled to talk with my four-year-old about his grandmother. Then I remembered this book, and I quickly realized we didn't have a copy! I went to the library right away and picked it up, and read it with my son. The book was a great starting point for a difficult conversation, and he wanted to read it again and again over the next few weeks.

Thanks, Tomie dePaola. Great children's literature is timeless, and I still love to read children's books as an adult.  What children's book mattered to you as a child?