TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY
The Tomás Rivera Book Award celebrated 30 years of honoring top Mexican American children’s books on March 7 with a parade and Literature Fair at the San Marcos library. The fair featured activities, readings and presentations, as well as performances by area students.
But the biggest attraction was free books for fair visitors, and the chance to get them signed by 13 authors and illustrators, many of them Rivera Award-winners.
“We gave away 1,500 free books to kids, families, preservice teachers and practicing teachers,” said Jesse Gainer, a Texas State Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, and member of the regional committee for the Rivera Award. He worked together with his wife Nancy Valdez-Gainer, the Director of the Rivera Award at Texas State, to plan, promote and produce the event. Many volunteers from the university, the library and the San Marcos community also helped out.
“We made sure to fundraise this year so we could give away as many books as possible,” Gainer said. “We are troubled by the trend to eliminate quality books from school classrooms and libraries and we wanted to make sure that every child, and every preservice teacher, who attended our 30th anniversary could go home with at least one book for their home libraries.”
In addition to donations from individual supporters in the San Marcos community, the books were acquired using donated funds from the College of Education at Texas State, the Texas Book Festival, a Lions Club Tube Rentals mini-grant, the Center for Diversity and Gender Studies at Texas State, Latina/o Studies at Texas State, Community Action Inc. of Central Texas and the First Book nonprofit.
The 30th anniversary of the Rivera Book Fair was among the most popular events ever held at the Library, according to Director Natalie McAdams. “Since the opening of the Library, we have not had every room utilized for a program in the way that we did for this event.”
The fair also featured vendor tables in the foyer, crafting and information tables in the main reading areas and workshops and panel discussions in the conference and meeting rooms. Among the workshop topics were character art, collage art, book cover paintings, murals and even codices.
“We were proud to host Texas State University’s program, the Tomás Rivera Award 30th Anniversary Literature Fair, and join our community partners in honoring decades of powerful storytelling, cultural representation, and literary excellence,” McAdams said.
The event began at City Park, where authors holding signs to promote their books joined with area students and teachers for a festive parade to the San Marcos library, where participants were greeted by a performance from the San Marcos High School Mariachi band, followed by welcome remarks.
Michael O’Malley, Dean of the Texas State College of Education, talked about Tomás Rivera and highlighted the Award’s impact on Mexican American children and communities, emphasizing its broad community outreach.
“Tomás Rivera was a hero who continues to inspire us with his life that he lived so well, calls all of us forward, inspires us to be our best selves individually, but also our best selves as communities and to understand one another and to work together and to support one another.”
“It helps Mexican American children and families to see their experience in literature and in picture and in story,” O’Malley said.
San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson read a proclamation announcing March 7 as Tomás Rivera Book Award Day, recognizing Rivera as an “educator, poet and author whose literary works vividly portrayed the struggles faced by Mexican migrant farmers.”
Hughson presented the Tomás Rivera Book Award Festival proclamation to Rivera’s daughter, Ileana Rivera Liberatore following the opening ceremony.
Tomás Rivera is the first Mexican American to have been selected Distinguished Alumnus at Texas State University, where he earned degrees in English (1958) and Educational Administration (1964). Rivera’s landmark novel is “…y no se lo tragó la tierra, …And the earth did not devour him.” The book is considered a classic of Chicano literature, according to Gainer. It chronicles the experiences of a Mexican American boy who travels with his family, who are migrant farmworkers.
San Marcos CISD Superintendent Michael Cardona talked about the importance of books that represent the cultural experience of Mexican American students during his remarks about the Rivera awards.
“Thank you for putting literature that looks like our children in front of them so they can have the dreams and fulfill our dreams. We want them to be successful, and you all are a big part of that.”
De Zavala Elementary teacher Diana Garcia and four of her students followed Cardona’s speech with a group reading about Tomás Rivera and their favorite authors appearing at the fair.
Garcia said she reads “Tomás and the Library Lady,” a 1997 picture book by Pat Mora, to her students every year. The book features the young Tomás Rivera.
“We live in San Marcos, where Tomás Rivera once lived too, where he read and studied at Southwest Texas State. In the book, he goes to a library where he is stunned by all the books there. He falls in love with books. I want all my students to fall in love with books and learning.”
Emma Prangnell, a fourth grader at Zavala who plans to become a chemical engineer, said her favorite Rivera Award-winning book is “Bright Star” by Yuyi Morales.
“I like the fun and the artwork and all the animals and how the animals become people,” Prangnell said. “I connect to this book when the girl in the story gets separated from her mom, and that makes me think of how the world is treating people. I liked how this story told people to be brave.”
De Zavala student Stephanie Cardoso’s favorite Rivera Award-winner is “Maybe Something Beautiful” (1997), written by Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell, and illustrated by Rafael López.
“What is important to me is an artist inspired a girl to paint murals,” Cardoso said. “You should read it, because it can inspire you to draw and paint more.”
Mendez Elementary principal Suzanne Perkins joined her students drumming on buckets during the parade. “It was so exciting to be able to walk in the parade and be a part of the events.”
Mendez said that her students are well-versed in the importance of Rivera and the importance of Latin American literature and culture. “We have it in our libraries,” she said. “Our teachers have it in their classrooms. We’re a Dual Language campus, so our students learn about different authors, but especially with the focus on our Latin American authors.”
Elementary school teacher Socorro Mancia has been attending the book awards and fairs since her student days at Texas State. While studying to be a teacher, she was part of the Bilingual Education Student Organization (BESO), which introduced her to Hispanic authors.
Mancia now teaches at Blazier Elementary in Austin, and was at the fair to get books for her students. Author David Bowles signed his graphic novel, “Tales of the Feathered Serpent” for Mancia, a replacement for a copy her students read over and over. “They’re obsessed with it, and so they read it so much that they wore it out. So I was like, ‘I need to get a new one.’”
Bowles, a two-time winner of the Rivera Award for “My Two Border Towns” (2022) and “They Call Me Güero: A Border Kid’s Poem” (2019), said the Rivera Awards stand out from other youth book awards because of their regional and cultural focus.
“The award has a deep meaning because of how it’s rooted in the Mexican American community and rooted in Texas identity as well,” Bowles said.
“I enjoy the idea of books that center on our children and make them feel like not only members of the community, but future readers and writers, people whose stories matter and that are part of the American tapestry.
“So just this is a really fantastic opportunity. … being in fellowship with like-minded individuals, and with the kids, oh my gosh, the excitement on their faces at getting a free book. And it’s just a really magical time,” Bowles said.
Author Duncan Tonatiuh has won the Rivera award multiple times, including most recently in 2021 for “Feathered Serpent and the Five Suns: A Mesoamerican Creation Myth.” He talked about the way the event unites the San Marcos community.
“I was impressed by the city, the university, the school district, all working together," Tonatiuh said. "I'm just happy to be a part of it.”
Author and illustrator Yuyi Morales, who won Rivera Awards for “Bright Star” (2022) as well as for “Dreamers” (2019), talked about the unique and enduring appeal of the book fair.
“This is one of the most amazing celebrations for children’s books,” said Morales. “It is meaningful, it is beautiful. It is heartfelt. It’s like no other.”
During their presentation about their book “The Spirit of Chicano Park” (2021 Rivera Award winner) author Beatrice Zamora and illustrator Maira Meza talked about the importance of preserving Latin culture. The presentation began with a performance by the Baile Folklorico group from Travis Elementary.
“Seeing you guys dance brought me a lot of joy. And it’s very important that you guys continue to keep these traditions alive,” Meza said. “It’s an honor to continue to share this story and continue to motivate ... Use your voices to speak up for whatever it is that you feel is right.”
The Literature Fair happens every 10 years at the San Marcos library, according to Gainer.
“We try to make them joyful community events to honor the legacy and mission of Dr. Rivera. We always try to feature children and youth with performances alongside presentations by winning authors and illustrators.
“We believe it is a way to promote literacy and identity development and to foster community,” Gainer said.
Apart from the Literature Fair, the Rivera Book Award holds an annual award celebration, which takes place in November just before the Texas Book Festival in Austin.
“We bring authors to San Marcos to receive the award and we bring them for school visits in San Marcos and neighboring school districts. We hold a celebration on Texas State campus that is open to the public and many school groups participate.”
Gainer said the Rivera Book Award does not have the funds to give away free books each year, but they always provide select schools with books in advance so they can read the winning books before coming to meet the authors.
Sidebar from newspaper version of story, submitted by TXST :
2026 Tomás Rivera Book Award winners
The Tomás Rivera BookAward honorees for works published in 2025 have been announced. Zeke Peña, author of “Sundust,” was recognized in the works for young readers category; Xelena González, author, and Emily Kewageshig, illustrator of “Of the Sun,” were recognized in the young readers category; and Hailey Alcaraz, author of “Rosa by Another Name,” was recognized in the older readers category.
The recipients will be honored during a celebration on the San Marcos Campus on Nov. 12, 2026, with additional appearances and events to be announced.
“Sundust”
In “Sundust,” Peña “takes readers on a run through a beautiful desert landscape with two siblings chasing a fallen piece of sundust,”according to the author’s website.
The book explores identity, family and belonging. Through vibrant artwork and heartfelt storytelling, the book offers young readers a powerful reflection of culture and community.
“Of the Sun”
“Of the Sun” is an“an uplifting and mighty poem that wraps the Indigenous children of the Americas in reassuring words filled with hope for a brighter future and reminders of their bond and importance to the land,” according to publisher Barefoot Books.
The story centers connection to heritage, to ancestors and to the natural world. Blending poetic language with evocative illustrations, González and Kewageshig invite readers to reflect on resilience, memory and hope.
“Rosa by Another Name”
In “Rosa by Another Name,” Alcaraz introduces readers to a Mexican American girl during the civil rights era who “is driven to join a movement for justice after her white classmate and best friend from the barrio are tragically murdered,” according to the author’s website.
The book presents a compelling narrative for older readers that examines self-discovery, family history and the complexities of identity. Through nuanced storytelling, the novel highlights the strength found in embracing one’s roots while forging an individual path.
