1. Bibliography
Mora, Pat. 2000. Tomas and the Library Lady. Ill. by Raul Colon. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0375803491
2. Plot Summary
As the son of migrant workers, Tomas travels with his family from Texas to Iowa in the summer so that his parents can work as fruit pickers. Tomas and his brother Enrique pass the time playing ball and listening to their grandfather, Papa Grande, tell stories. When Tomas's grandfather encourages him to go to the library to learn more stories, Tomas meets the library lady. She gives him a glass of cold water and a place to sit and read about dinosaurs and tigers. As Tomas reads, he is engulfed in the stories, and as the library is closing for the day, the library lady allows him to take home two books. All summer Tomas goes to the library for cold water and new books, and he teaches Spanish to the library lady. Finally, in August Tomas has to say goodbye to the library lady. As the family drives back to Texas, Tomas reads from the new book which the library lady gave to him, and he is transported again to the world of dinosaurs as his family's car travels along the bumpy road.
3. Critical Analysis
Based on the true story of Tomas Rivera, Mora's story is a charming tale of a young boy who falls in love with reading, but the story is more than just about a young boy who loves books. It is a tale, subtly revealed, of learning to cope with change. Tomas is sad about having to leave his home in Texas, and the library becomes a place where he learns to escape into exciting, unknown worlds which help him forget about being so far from home. Through the generosity of the librarian, Tomas's world is opened up through the books she gives him. Their relationship becomes a friendship quickly, and just as she is teaching him about her world of books, he teaches her his Spanish language. Mora has done a brilliant job of infusing Spanish culture into the book through a sprinkling of Spanish words throughout the text. Through this the reader sees the differences in the cultures between Tomas and the library lady. The author allows the reader to feel sad that Tomas has to end the relationship he has with the library lady, but the reader can be comforted knowing that as Tomas travels back to Texas, he takes with him a love of reading that has been borne through his special relationship with the library lady.
Raul Colon's illustrations are primarily brown and orange hues which depict the summer heat but also provide a warmth which mimics the warmth of the relationship between Tomas and the library lady. Additionally, Colon creatively brings to life the dinosaurs and tigers of Tomas's reading by placing him atop the animals as if he is a part of the adventure in the story. The illustrations of Tomas riding the animals helps move along the plot of the story because even at the end of the book, Tomas is still a part of the action of his books.
4. Review Excerpts
1998 Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award
1999-2000, Texas Bluebonnet Master List Title
1997 Américas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature Commended Title
Reveiw from Booklist: "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."
Review from Smithsonian: "This powerful story is based on the boyhood of Tomás Rivera, who would grow to become Chancellor of the University of California, Riverside."
5. Connections
*This book would be a great choice for introducing young children to the library and adventures found within.
*For more books to encourage children to read, see the following books:
Stewart, Sarah. The Library. ISBN 0312384548
Bertram, Debbie and Susan Bloom. The Best Book to Read. ISBN 0375873007
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