Summary: This is true story about a young boy named Tomas. His parents are migrant farmers and they spend their winters in Texas and their summers in Iowa. Tomas has a love for stories that has been passed down by his grandfather. In Iowa, Tomas discovers the library and the all the magic it holds.
Citation: Mora, P. (1997). Thomas and the library lady. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.
Impressions: I enjoyed this book because it depicts how important role models can be in life. Tomas has two very important role models in his life, his grandfather and the librarian. These adults helped foster a love for reading and stories in Tomas. I also enjoyed the use of Spanish sprinkled throughout the book.
Reviews:
"From the immigrant slums of New York City to the fields of California, it's an elemental American experience: the uprooted child who finds a home in the library. Mora's story is based on a true incident in the life of the famous writer Tomas Rivera, the son of migrant workers who became an education leader and university president. Far from his home in Texas, the small boy is working with his family picking corn in Iowa. Inspired by the Spanish stories his grandfather (Papa Grande) tells, Tomas goes to the library to find more stories. The librarian welcomes him into the cool, quiet reading room and gives him books in English that he reads to himself and to his family. He teaches her some Spanish words. Then, as in so many migrant stories, the boy must leave the home he has found. He has a new, sad word for her, "adios. It means goodbye." Colon's beautiful scratchboard illustrations, in his textured, glowingly colored, rhythmic style, capture the warmth and the dreams that the boy finds in the world of books. The pictures are upbeat; little stress is shown; even in the fields, the kids could be playing kick ball or listening to stories. Perhaps the most moving picture is that of the child outside the library door, his face pressed against the pane. In contrast is the peaceful space he finds inside, where he is free to imagine dinosaurs and wild adventure."-Hazel Rochman
Rochman, H. (1997). Tomas and the library lady. Booklist, 93(22). Retrieved from Children’s Comprehensive Literature Database.
"What packs a powerful punch is the fact that this story is inspired by the real life story of Tomás Rivera who eventually became the chancellor of the University of California at Riverside (according to the appended note), so we see that Tomás' departure in August with "a shiny new book, a present from the library lady" was just the beginning. This is a warm and attractive tribute to the power of libraries and librarians, but it may be a bit too stodgy to evoke a response in young readers."- Pat Matthews
Matthews, P. (1997). Tomas and the library lady (book review). The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, 51(2). Retrieved from Children’s Comprehensive Literature Database.
Library Setting: In a library setting, a progammer could use this book to learn some basic Spanish words. The porgrammer could passout index cards to each of the patrons. The programmer would instruct the kids to write a Spanish word on one side and the English word on the other. The patrons could then quizone another with these cards. The patrons could also take these home. This would also be a good way to teach patrons some new study skills!
