Tomas and the Library Lady

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Mora, Pat. 1997. TOMAS AND THE LIBRARY LADY. Ill. by Raul Colon. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 06790401

Plot Summary
Tomas and his family travel between Texas and Iowa as migrant farm workers. Tomas misses his home in Texas when they travel to Iowa for the summer. While his parents work, Tomas and his brother play and listen to stories told by their Grandfather. Soon, Tomas knows all the stories and his Grandfather tells him to go to the library and learn new stories to tell the family. Tomas is a bit nervous when he arrives at the library. Encouraged to come in for a cool drink by the librarian, Tomas enters into a world of adventure. Although he is unable to have his own library card, the librarian checks books out to Tomas under her name. Tomas’ love of reading and books blossoms over the summer. He develops a friendship with the librarian and is very sad when it is time to go back to Texas.
Critical Analysis
Pat Mora gives children a realistic look at life for a Mexican American migrant family. Traveling at night in a tired old car, being hot and tired, and missing their Texas home allows readers to see what a hard life this family leads. Although the work is hard, the family loves one another and is very close. A distinctive cultural marker in this beautiful book is the Grandfather. When he needs to cool off and rest, he tells stories to his grandsons. Although the text is in English, Mora sprinkles the story with bits of Spanish: Buenas noches, En un tiempo pasado, uno, dos, tres. None of the words interfere with this beautiful story and helps readers to see the culture of the family.
Throughout the book, Raul Colón's illustrations beautifully portray the warmth of summer, the family’s love and the mental pictures that Tomás imagines when he is reading the library books. The combination of watercolors and colored pencils in warm tones is a beautiful complement to the story being told.
Pat Mora based the story on the life of Tomas Rivera. An author’s note at the end of the book tells us that Tomas Rivera became a “writer, a professor, a university administrator and national education leader.” Readers will come to understand that the librarian in the story very likely helped Tomas Rivera become the educational leader. Truly, one person can make a difference in the life of any child.
Review Excerpts
Mary Quattlebaum (Children's Literature)
Tomas and his migrant family must work hard and travel frequently, but thanks to a kind librarian, Tomas becomes acquainted with a whole new world through books--and receives a special gift from her when he must move on. Inspired by the life of Tomas Rivera, who became chancellor of the University of California at Riverside.
Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, 1997)
A charming, true story about the encounter between the boy who would become chancellor at the University of California at Riverside and a librarian in Iowa. Tom s Rivera, child of migrant laborers, picks crops in Iowa in the summer and Texas in the winter, traveling from place to place in a worn old car. When he is not helping in the fields, Tom s likes to hear Papa Grande's stories, which he knows by heart. Papa Grande sends him to the library downtown for new stories, but Tom s finds the building intimidating. The librarian welcomes him, inviting him in for a cool drink of water and a book. Tom s reads until the library closes, and leaves with books checked out on the librarian's own card. For the rest of the summer, he shares books and stories with his family, and teaches the librarian some Spanish. At the end of the season, there are big hugs and a girl exchange: sweet bread from Tomas' mother and a shiny new book from the librarian--to keep. Colon's dreamy illustrations capture the brief friendship and its life-altering effects in soft earth tones, using round sculptured shapes that often depict the boy right in the middle of whatever story realm he has entered.
Connections
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
Tomas Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award, 1997
Author’s Website: http://www.patmora.com/
Activities and lesson plans:
http://www.hfrp.org/family-involvement/storybook-corner/the-reference-desk/teacher-guide-for-tomas-and-the-library-lady

Related Books:
Linda Jacobs Altman, Amelia’s Road. ISBN 9781880000045
Morris, Carla. The Boy Who was Raised by Librarians. ISBN 1561453919