1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Morales, Yuyi. 2003. HARVESTING HOPE: THE STORY OF CESAR CHAVEZ. by Kathleen Krull. New York: Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 0152014373
2. PLOT SUMMARY
This book is a children's biography on the life and accomplishments of Cesar Chavez, who organized the first meeting of The National Farm Workers Association. He developed this organization in order to change the living and working conditions of migrant farm workers. This story begins with a look at Chavez' happy childhood on his family's ranch in Arizona, until a drought forces his family from their home and into new lives as migrant farm workers in California. Krull writes of how Chavez' dissatisfaction with the living and working conditions, along with his determination, drove him to work to make the necessary changes that greatly improved the lives of migrant farm workers.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Kathleen Krull is the author of many biographies. Therefore, this book is an accurate portrayal of the events and bibliographical information in the life of Cesar Chavez. The book is organized in a clear and logical sequence, beginning with Chavez' happy life as a child, up until age ten, when his life is changed forever as the result of a drought. Krull describes the working and living conditions of migrant farm workers at that time in detail. Workers lived in "battered sheds" where they "shared water and outdoor toilets with a dozen other families, and overcrowding made everything filthy." The workers worked for land owners who treated them poorly giving them "no clean water, no rest periods, and no access to bathrooms." These descriptions are written in a child friendly style using appropriate age level vocabulary. Krull makes sure to include some words written in Spanish along with English translations.
The beautifully painted illustrations by Yuyi Morales add to the poignant nature of the story as detail is given to the facial and body language of the people that were painted. The migrant workers were painted as showing fear, pain, and hopelessness in the beginning of the book. At the end of the story, when conditions had improved because of Chavez' work, those emotions were replaced by joy, relief, and hope.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
BookHive: "This biography is an uplifting story of non-violent protest and perseverance."
Kirkus: "Krull and Morales introduce a long-neglected figure from recent history to a new audience in an informative, eye-catching manner."
5. CONNECTIONS:
*This book is a good way to introduce Hispanic culture into the classroom.
*Other books by Kathleen Krull:
CITY WITHIN A CITY: HOW KIDS LIVE IN NEW YORK'S CHINATOWN. ISBN 0525674373
Greenberg, Melanie Hope. IT'S MY EARTH, TOO: HOW I CAN HELP THE EARTH STAY ALIVE. ISBN 0385420889
*Other books by Yuyi Morales:
LITTLE NIGHT. ISBN 1596430885
SAND SISTER. by Amanda White. ISBN 1841486175
*Other books celebrating Hispanic culture:
FAMOUS MEXICAN AMERICANS. by Janet Morey & Wendy Dunn. ISBN 0525650121
THE OTHER SIDE: HOW KIDS LIVE IN A CALIFORNIA LATINO NEIGHBORHOOD. by Kathleen Krull. ISBN 0525674381
Morales, Yuyi. 2003. HARVESTING HOPE: THE STORY OF CESAR CHAVEZ. by Kathleen Krull. New York: Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 0152014373
2. PLOT SUMMARY
This book is a children's biography on the life and accomplishments of Cesar Chavez, who organized the first meeting of The National Farm Workers Association. He developed this organization in order to change the living and working conditions of migrant farm workers. This story begins with a look at Chavez' happy childhood on his family's ranch in Arizona, until a drought forces his family from their home and into new lives as migrant farm workers in California. Krull writes of how Chavez' dissatisfaction with the living and working conditions, along with his determination, drove him to work to make the necessary changes that greatly improved the lives of migrant farm workers.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Kathleen Krull is the author of many biographies. Therefore, this book is an accurate portrayal of the events and bibliographical information in the life of Cesar Chavez. The book is organized in a clear and logical sequence, beginning with Chavez' happy life as a child, up until age ten, when his life is changed forever as the result of a drought. Krull describes the working and living conditions of migrant farm workers at that time in detail. Workers lived in "battered sheds" where they "shared water and outdoor toilets with a dozen other families, and overcrowding made everything filthy." The workers worked for land owners who treated them poorly giving them "no clean water, no rest periods, and no access to bathrooms." These descriptions are written in a child friendly style using appropriate age level vocabulary. Krull makes sure to include some words written in Spanish along with English translations.
The beautifully painted illustrations by Yuyi Morales add to the poignant nature of the story as detail is given to the facial and body language of the people that were painted. The migrant workers were painted as showing fear, pain, and hopelessness in the beginning of the book. At the end of the story, when conditions had improved because of Chavez' work, those emotions were replaced by joy, relief, and hope.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
BookHive: "This biography is an uplifting story of non-violent protest and perseverance."
Kirkus: "Krull and Morales introduce a long-neglected figure from recent history to a new audience in an informative, eye-catching manner."
5. CONNECTIONS:
*This book is a good way to introduce Hispanic culture into the classroom.
*Other books by Kathleen Krull:
CITY WITHIN A CITY: HOW KIDS LIVE IN NEW YORK'S CHINATOWN. ISBN 0525674373
Greenberg, Melanie Hope. IT'S MY EARTH, TOO: HOW I CAN HELP THE EARTH STAY ALIVE. ISBN 0385420889
*Other books by Yuyi Morales:
LITTLE NIGHT. ISBN 1596430885
SAND SISTER. by Amanda White. ISBN 1841486175
*Other books celebrating Hispanic culture:
FAMOUS MEXICAN AMERICANS. by Janet Morey & Wendy Dunn. ISBN 0525650121
THE OTHER SIDE: HOW KIDS LIVE IN A CALIFORNIA LATINO NEIGHBORHOOD. by Kathleen Krull. ISBN 0525674381
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