Module 10: Tomas and the Library Lady

Module 10: Tomas and the Library Lady

Summary: Tomas and his family are migrant workers. They work in Texas during the winter and in Iowa during the summer. When the family goes to Iowa for the summer, Tomas begins to visit the town library. The librarian is gentle and kind with the shy boy and encourages him to read. The librarian allows Tomas to check out books under her name, and Tomas shares his stories with his family the way his grandfather does. When it is time to return to Texas Tomas tells the librarian goodbye and thank you, and the librarian sends him with a book as a present.

Citation: Mora, P. (2000). Tomas and the library lady. New York: Dragonfly Books.

Impression: This book is an inspirational and heart-warming read. Tomas’ kind and inquisitive nature keeps the reader interested in his endeavors to read and share his stories. The whole family is loving. Although the details of their migrant life show they are impoverished, the love and respect the family shares is enough to make anyone smile. Mora does a great job of showing the hardships and struggles of migrant life without overwhelming or causing a young reader much alarm. This book is especially important because it shows an impoverished child of Hispanic heritage continuing with education despite obstacles in his path. This is an important lesson for many children that do not have strong academic role models in their families, and they need to see someone with their shared culture and experiences that succeeds in life through education, determination, and hard work. 

Review: Today Rivera's legacy lives on at the Tomàs Rivera Policy Institute in California, which "promotes the well-being of the Latino population of the United States," and the Tomàs Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award, established in 1995 at Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. This award is presented annually for children's and young adult literature that portrays Mexican American culture in a positive manner. Pat Mora's Tomàs and the Library Lady (1997) is based on the real-life experience of young migrant worker Rivera and the Iowa librarian who introduced him to the world of books. Beloved by librarians across the country, Mora's picture book is a tribute to her one-time co-worker Tomàs Rivera. Fittingly, it was awarded the Tomàs Rivera Award in 1997.

York, S. (2002). The migrant experience in the works of Mexican American writers [Review of the                book Tomas and the Library Lady]. Alan Review. Retrieved from                          

           http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/v30n1/york.html

Suggestion: This book would be great to put on display during the National Hispanic Heritage Month. Students of all ages can learn about an important educational figure, and how his love of learning came at an early age with the help of a kind librarian.