TEACHING GUIDE

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.

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