Tomás and the Library Lady

Tomás y la señora de la biblioteca (Spanish Edition)

Knopf Books for Young Readers
Illustrated by Raul Colón
Hardcover ISBN 0-679-80401-8
Dragonfly Books Paperback ISBN 0-375-80349-1
Hardcover Library Binding ISBN 0-679-90401-8
Tomás y la señora de la biblioteca. Paperback ISBN 0-679-84173-3
Tomás "Literacy Begins at Home" Poster (#51830-200) & Bookmarks (#5183-0201) (Spanish/English) available from ALA Graphics, 1-800-545-2433, press 7

Spanish Edition

Teachers & Librarians

Click here for some curriculum activities for Tomás and the Library Lady.

The Family Involvement Storybook Corner has created a tool kit for Tomás and the Library Lady.

If you have an activity or activities to share, please email these along with your name and school or library name.

Awards

1997 Américas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature Commended Title

Notable Books for Children,1997, Smithsonian

1998 Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award

1998 Teachers' Choices Award from the International Reading Association

1998 Skipping Stones Multicultural Book Award

1999-2000, Texas Bluebonnet Master List Title

1999-2000, Nebraska Golden Sower Nominee

Highlighted Reviews

"A gentle text and innovative artwork depict a pivotal summer in a boy’ … Spanish words slip in naturally and unobtrusively throughout Mora’s text as she focuses on the snug library and the books that fire Tomás’ imagination, and on his friendship with the librarian. … While young readers and future librarians will find this an inspiring tale, the endnote gives it a real kick; the story is based on an actual migrant worker who became chancellor of a university—where the library now bears his name."—Publishers Weekly

"From the immigrant slums of New York 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 Tomás Rivera, the son of migrant workers who became an education leader and university president." —Hazel Rochman, Booklist

"One summer in 1940s Iowa, a librarian welcomed a migrant worker child who found the wider world—and his future—in books. This powerful story is based on the boyhood of Tomás Rivera, who would grow to become Chancellor of the University of California, Riverside." —Smithsonian

Print and share this poem about Tomás!

Library Magic

"¡Vamos! Let's go to the library!"
Tomás said to his family.
He showed them his favorite books
and his cozy reading nooks.

"¡Vamos! Let's go to the library!"
Tomás said to his friends. "Hurry!"
They saw libros in stacks and rows.
They laughed at funny puppet shows.

"¡Vamos! Let's all go to the library!"
Join the fun, a treasure house that's free.
Bring your friends and family.
Stories, computers, maps and more,
facts, fun. Enter the magic door.
Like Tomás, open books and soar.
Be a reader. Explore galore.

Tomás on Stage

Childsplay, Arizona's Professional Theatre for Young Audiences and Families, launched its first national tour in 2007 with their production of Tomás and the Library Lady. It traveled to 40 cities in 17 states.

Watch a video promoting the Seattle Children's Theatre's production of Tomás and the Library Lady.

The November 2008 issue of Library Sparks featured a Tomás Reader's Theater for grades 2-5.

Questions from students:

Did you ever meet Tomás Rivera?
Yes, I did meet Tomás Rivera when I was an administrator at the University of Texas at El Paso. He was very intelligent, hard-working, and he loved to read. He also had a big smile and a wonderful sense of humor. I also went to visit him once when he was the Chancellor of the University of California at Riverside (CA).

What was your purpose in writing this story?
I was sad when Tomás died because I thought he was such a special man and leader. I wanted to honor him, and I decided to write a children’s book about him so that children, teachers, librarians and parents would know the story of Dr. Tomás Rivera who was a writer and educator. I also wanted my readers to think about the difficult life migrant workers have and how families and librarians help children succeed. I’m always surprised when even after having read Tomás and the Library Lady students can’t tell me what a migrant worker is.

How is your life similar to Tomas’ life?
What an interesting question! Tomás and I were both born in Texas. He was born in Crystal City, and I was born in El Paso. We both spoke Spanish at home. (In my house, we spoke both Spanish and English.) We both loved to read and both liked doing well at school. We both went to college and became teachers. We both were parents and became university administrators. We both became writers and wanted our readers to know about the lives and dreams of Mexican Americans. We both felt lucky to be bilingual and wanted all people who are bilingual to be proud of their home languages.

When my first book of poetry for adults was published, I sent Dr. Tomás Rivera a copy. He was a very busy man, but he took the time to read my book, and he wrote me and said, “Don’t do what I did. Write.” I get teary when I type his kind words. What did he mean? When Dr. Rivera became an administrator, he had to stop writing because he had so many responsibilities. He was telling ms not to continue spending all my time being an administrator.