Cesar Chavez: Leader of Migrant Farm Workers

Children's Literature

This book in the "Early Biographies" series provides a valuable look at the life of Cesar Chavez. Chapter one, "Helping Others Live Better," explains what a migrant farm worker does and introduces Chavez. Chapter two, "Tough Times," describes Chavez's birth and family life during the Great Depression. Chapter three, "Living as a Migrant Worker," explains how migrant farm workers live and work. Chapter four, "Working Every Day," details Chavez's limited schooling and how he and other farm workers would strike but made little improvement in their working conditions. Chapter five, "Starting a Union," explains how Fred Ross hired Chavez for more money than migrant workers typically make, and also how Cesar began helping Mexican-Americans to become citizens and developed the idea of a farm workers union. Chapter six, "On Strike," explains how Chavez lead a strike against grape growers and took steps to alert Americans to the poor working conditions of farm workers. Chapter seven, "Standing Up for What Is Right," describes how Chavez spoke out against bug killers and often went on a hunger strike to gain attention. Chapter eight, "A Hero for Farmworks," describes the lasting impact Chavez had on the working conditions of farm workers. Numerous color photographs, a timeline of Chavez's life, and a glossary help make this well-written biography even easier to understand. 2005, Compass Point Books, Ages 8 up.
—Amie Rose Rotruck