Tomas and the Library Lady

by Pat Mora

illustrated by Raul Colon

A. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Mora, Pat. 199. TOMAS AND THE LIBRARY LADY. Ill. Raul Colon. New York: Knopf. ISBN 0679804013.

B. SUMMARY

Tomas, a 3rd generation member of a migrant worker family, travels from Texas to Iowa with his parents and grandfather following the crops for seasonal work. TOMAS AND THE LIBRARY LADY tells the story of a young boy who, at his Papa' Grande's urging, goes to a public library in Iowa where he meets "the Library Lady". With her encouragement and help, Tomas finds not just books but entire new worlds. When the seasons change and it is time to return to Texas, Tomas is sad to leave his library friend but she gives him a book to take with him. Beyond the book, the Library Lady gives Tomas a love of books and reading that will last a lifetime.

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This books is based on writer Tomas Rivera's life as a small Mexican American boy in a migrant family. Author Pat Mora paints a rosy picture of migrant life - but it's not always that easy. The family is uprooted every six months to follow the crops and work to make a living. It is evident the family has little or limited money as they travel in a "rusty old car" and must go to the local dump to "look for pieces of iron to sell." Tomas and his brother Enrique even have a ball created from an old teddy that his mom has sewn for them.

Various cultural markers are evident: the most obvious is the Spanish that is interspersed throughtout the story. The Spanish phrases flow naturally into the English for the reader so it is not distracting: "Es un tiempo posado," Papa' Grande began. ""Once upon a time..." Tomas refers to his parents as Mama', Papa' and his grandfather as Papa' Grande. The boys names are traditional Hispanic names: Tomas and Enrique. Throught the entire story it is evident that family plays an important role in young Tomas' life.

Illustrator Raul Colon's drawings add to the enjoyment of this story. His use of watercolors, pencils and etching produce pictures that draw the reader in. Other cultural markers noted in the illustrations are the family's brown skin, dark hair and dark eye color whereas the librarian has light skin and hair tone. The illustrator does a good job of depicting the various places where Tomas travels in his books - lands filled with dinosaurs, cowboys and indians - a boy's dream come true.

The author provides a note at the end detailing who the real Tomas was and how this book was based upon and inspired the life of Tomas Rivera.

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS

Booklist: "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."

Kirkus: "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."

School Library Journal: "Colon's earthy, sun-warmed colors, textured with swirling lines, add life to this biographical fragment and help portray Tomas's reading adventures in appealing ways. Stack this up with Sarah Stewart and David Small's The Library (Farrar, 1995) and Suzanne Williams and Steven Kellogg's Library Lil (Dial, 1997) to demonstrate the impact librarians can have on youngsters."

E. CONNECTIONS

Other books by Pat Mora:

Mora, Pat. A BIRTHDAY BASKET FOR TIA. ISBN 0689813287

Mora, Pat. CONFETTI: POEMS PARA NINOS/POEMS FOR CHILDREN.

ISBN 9781584302704

Mora, Pat. THE BAKERY LADY/ LA SENORA DE LA PANADERIA. ISBN 978155885340

Mora, Pat. PABLO'S TREE. ISBN 0027674010.

Mora, Pat. YUM! MMMM! QUE RICOL: AMERICAS SPROUTINGS. ISBN 9781584302711