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Children's author-illustrator Tomie De Paola describes his experiences at home and in school when he was a boy.

The author relates memories from one year of his childhood, including his sixth birthday, trick-or-treating for Halloween, a bout of chicken pox, and the Christmas holiday.

The latest installment in the Newbery Honor-winning series from Tomie dePaola
First-grader Tomie dePaola experiences uncertainty in the weeks following the attack on pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. What are the grown-ups talking quietly about at home and even at school? why does his class have to go to the spooky furnace room for an air raid drill? why does the family hang thick black curtains over the windows? Tomie's mother is there to comfort...

Tomie keeps hearing the phrase, ?For the duration.? Gas is being rationed ?for the duration.? The Fourth of July fireworks will be the last show ?for the duration.? So many things will be different as long as the war goes on, but much of Tomie?s life goes on as usual. He?s excited about starring in a dance recital, taking the bus around town all by himself, and having his first Communion. But Tomie is also still getting over his cousin?s death in...