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ABOUT THIS BOOK
• Tomás Rivera was a migrant worker who was encouraged to read by a librarian in Iowa. He taught the librarian Spanish words and she opened up a world of adventure through books for him.
• Tomás was the first Mexican American to hold the position of chancellor at any university of the University of California.
• The University of California at Riverside campus library bears his name.
DISCUSSION AND WRITING
• Tomás belongs to a family of migrant workers. Have you ever moved? Try to imagine what life would be like if you had to keep moving from place to place. What things would you miss about your home? What might be difficult about this kind of life?
• Why do you think Tomás’s mouth “felt full of cotton” as he approached the library for the first time. Share an experience that you have had when you felt nervous about experiencing something new. Why do you think books are so important to Tomás? Why are books an important part of your life?
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
• Tomás can read and speak in two different languages, English and Spanish. Create flash cards with a Spanish word on one side and its English equivalent on the reverse side, and work with a friend to build a Spanish vocabulary. Start off with words from the book: tigre: tiger; grande: big; uno: one; libro: book; pájaro: bird; adios: goodbye.
OTHER TITLES OF INTEREST
A Library For Juana: The World Of Sor Juana Inés HC: 978-0-375-80643-8 • GLB: 978-0-385-90863-5 • Sanish Edition PB: 978-0-440-41765-1
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As Good As Anybody: Martin Luther King Jr. And Abraham Joshua Heschel’s Amazing March Toward Freedom HC: 978-0-375-83335-9 • GLB: 978-0-375-93335-6
The Boy On Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up To Become Dr. Seuss HC: 978-0-375-82298-8 • GLB: 978-0-375-92298-5
Boys Of Steel: The Creators Of Superman HC: 978-0-375-83802-6 • GLB: 978-0-375-93802-3
The Champ: The Story Of Muhammad Ali PB: 978-0-440-41782-8 • HC: 978-0-375-82401-2 • GLB: 978-0-375-92401-9
The Daring Nellie Bly: America’s Star Reporter GLB: 978-0-375-91568-0
Diego PB: 978-0-679-85617-7 • HC: 978-0-679-81987-5 • GLB: 978-0-679-91987-2
The Fantastic Undersea Life Of Jacques Cousteau HC: 978-0-375-85573-3 • GLB: 978-0-375-95573-0 Available Spring 2009!
Follow The Dream: The Story Of Christopher Columbus HC: 978-0-679-80628-8 • GLB: 978-0-679-90628-5
Joan of Arc HC: 978-0-679-89041-6
Muhammad Ali HC: 978-0-375-83622-0 • GLB: 978-0-375-93787-3
My Dream Of Martin Luther King PB: 978-0-517-88577-2
Nothing But Trouble: The Story Of Althea Gibson HC: 978-0-375-83408-0 • GLB: 978-0-375-93408-7
Only Passing Through: The Story Of Sojourner Truth PB: 978-0-440-41766-8 • HC: 978-0-679-89186-4 • GLB: 978-0-679-99186-1
Piano Starts Here: The Young Art Tatum HC: 978-0-375-83965-8 • GLB: 978-0-375-93965-5
The Road To Oz: Twists, Turns, Bumps, And Triumphs In The Life Of L. Frank Baum HC: 978-0-375-83216-1 • GLB: 978-0-375-93216-8
Strong Man: The Story Of Charles Atlas HC: 978-0-375-82940-6 • GLB: 978-0-375-92940-3
They Called Her Molly Pitcher PB: 978-0-553-11253-5 • HC: 978-0-679-89187-1
Tomás And The Library Lady PB: 978-0-375-80349-9 • HC: 978-0-679-80401-7 Spanish Edition Pb: 978-0-679-84173-9
Who Was Sandy Koufax? HC: 978-0-375-83738-8 • GLB: 978-0-375-93738-5 Available Spring 2009!
Woody Guthrie: Poet Of The People HC: 978-0-375-81113-5
Young Pelé: Soccer’s First Star HC: 978-0-375-83599-5 • GLB: 978-0-375-93599-2
PDF ATTACHMENT
Click here to download the Teacher's Guide PDF
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