Krull, K. (2003). Harvesting hope. New York, NY: Harcourt, Inc.
Summary
This is the story of Cesar Chavez's life from early boyhood through his famous march across California to gain contracts and better working conditions for farmworkers. The book starts out when Cesar is a young boy, living on his family's ranch in Arizona. Life is good, and his family is doing well. In 1937, a drought hit the ranch, and Cesar's family is forced to go to California to look for work. Cesar's life changes dramatically. The living conditions are terrible, and they must work long hours under hard conditions on farms for very little money. The landowners in the book are very cruel and treat the farmworkers like animals. As Cesar grows up, he becomes a natural leader of the farmworkers and begins organizing them to try to fight for more pay and better working conditions. He preaches a message of nonviolence and organized strikes. The end of the book tells of Chavez's role in the creation of the National Farm Workers Association and of his famous march across California which ultimately led to contracts for farmworkers with better pay and better working conditions.
Worth Another Cup of Tea?
In my opinion, this was a very sensational portrayal of Chavez's life and of the plight of American farmworkers. Some of the descriptions are a little extremist, for example, during the march, "he and many others had blood seeping out of their shoes". I completely agree that the farmworkers had terrible conditions, but since this is written for small children, I can only imagine the visual images they might get when reading this book. I also wondered if all landowners were as cruel as those portrayed in the book. Having said that, it's a good introduction for young children to what type of person Cesar Chavez was and what he stood for.
Reviews
Gr. 2-4. When Cesar Chavez was 10 years old, drought forced his family to leave its Arizona ranch and move to California. The family became migrant workers, poorly paid and badly treated. As an adult, Chavez organized a nonviolent revolt, culminating in a 300-mile protest march that produced the first farmworkers' contract. Krull's language demonstrates a poetic sensibility (The eighty acres of their ranch were an island in the shimmering Arizona desert, and the stars were all their own. ), but the vocabulary will challenge young children, and a few socio-cultural details aren't made clear: some kids will wonder about the White Trade Only signs and why Chavez couldn't speak Spanish in school. But Morales' gorgeous paintings, with their rounded, organic forms and lush, gemstone hues, more than make up for glitches as they draw children deeply into an inspiring picture-book account of a young boy who grew up to change the world. --Booklist, June, 2003.
r 3-6-The dramatic story of Chavez's 340-mile march to protest the working conditions of migrant farmworkers in California is the centerpiece of this well-told biography. Readers meet Chavez at his grandparents' home in Arizona where he lived happily amid a large extended family. His childhood was cut short when, due to financial difficulties, the family was forced to move to California to seek employment. After years of laboring in the fields, Chavez became increasingly disturbed by the inhuman living conditions imposed by the growers. The historic 1965 strike against grape growers and the subsequent march for "La Causa" are vividly recounted, and Chavez's victory-the agreement by the growers granting the workers better conditions and higher pay-is palpable. While sufficient background information is provided to support the story and encourage further research, focusing on one event makes the story appealing to younger readers. The text is largely limited to one side of a spread; beautifully rendered earth-toned illustrations flow out from behind the words and onto the facing page. A fine addition to any collection.--School Library Journal, June, 2003.
In The Library
This would be a great addition to a display for Hispanic Heritage Month.
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