Overview
Cesar Chavez helped improve the lives of thousands of farmworkers. He knew firsthand the hardships of working in the fields. As a young person, he and his family spent several years traveling in California as migrant farmworkers, enduring difficult working conditions and receiving low wages. In 1962, Chavez started organizing a farmworker's union. He sought to use nonviolent means, such as marches, boycotts, and hunger strikes, to bring about change. Through his work with the union, which today is known as the United Farm Workers, Chavez was able to negotiate contracts for workers for better wages and working conditions. He also lobbied to increase farmworkers' rights and stop the use of dangerous pesticides.Discusses the life and work of Cesar Chavez, an American labor leader who organized the farm worker's union, United Farm Workers.
Synopsis
Cesar Chavez helped improve the lives of thousands of farmworkers. He knew firsthand the hardships of working in the fields. As a young person, he and his family spent several years traveling in California as migrant farmworkers, enduring difficult working conditions and receiving low wages. In 1962, Chavez started organizing a farmworker's union. He sought to use nonviolent means, such as marches, boycotts, and hunger strikes, to bring about change. Through his work with the union, which today is known as the United Farm Workers, Chavez was able to negotiate contracts for workers for better wages and working conditions. He also lobbied to increase farmworkers' rights and stop the use of dangerous pesticides.
Gisela Jernigan, Ph.D. - Children's Literature
Part of the "Great Life Stories" series, this title presents the life of Cesar Chavez by emphasizing his role as organizer and leader of the United Farm Workers. Although most of the book's ten chapters deal with this aspect of his life, Chapter 1 describes Chavez's family background and childhood, while Chapter 2 begins with his teenage and young adult years but quickly moves on to his marriage, first experiences trying to empower farmworkers and his admiration for the nonviolent philosophy of Gandhi. The next eight chapters present the labor organizer and leader part of Chavez's life in considerable detail and depth. In spite of the serious and detailed nature of the book, the author manages to enliven the text somewhat through his informal, narrative style and the use of many quotes from Chavez, his friends and colleagues. The inclusion of many mostly black and white photos add interest and information, while the many interwoven sidebars provide relevant background information on political, economic and social issues of the time and place. While focusing on the conditions of farmworkers in California and Arizona, the author also describes how their problems and the solutions are connected to the history and social issues of the country as a whole. The last few pages describe the state of the UFW after Chavez's death in 1993 and his living legacy. The author is especially adept at mentioning some of Chavez's faults and weaknesses, while celebrating his many virtues and strengths; thus presenting a more realistic, well-rounded portrait than most biographies written for young people. The book should be very useful for reports as an index, a timeline, source notes, a bibliography, and anInternet site list are included. 2004, Franklin Watts, Ages 12 up.
Editorials
Children's Literature
Part of the "Great Life Stories" series, this title presents the life of Cesar Chavez by emphasizing his role as organizer and leader of the United Farm Workers. Although most of the book's ten chapters deal with this aspect of his life, Chapter 1 describes Chavez's family background and childhood, while Chapter 2 begins with his teenage and young adult years but quickly moves on to his marriage, first experiences trying to empower farmworkers and his admiration for the nonviolent philosophy of Gandhi. The next eight chapters present the labor organizer and leader part of Chavez's life in considerable detail and depth. In spite of the serious and detailed nature of the book, the author manages to enliven the text somewhat through his informal, narrative style and the use of many quotes from Chavez, his friends and colleagues. The inclusion of many mostly black and white photos add interest and information, while the many interwoven sidebars provide relevant background information on political, economic and social issues of the time and place. While focusing on the conditions of farmworkers in California and Arizona, the author also describes how their problems and the solutions are connected to the history and social issues of the country as a whole. The last few pages describe the state of the UFW after Chavez's death in 1993 and his living legacy. The author is especially adept at mentioning some of Chavez's faults and weaknesses, while celebrating his many virtues and strengths; thus presenting a more realistic, well-rounded portrait than most biographies written for young people. The book should be very useful for reports as an index, a timeline, source notes, a bibliography, and anInternet site list are included. 2004, Franklin Watts, Ages 12 up.—Gisela Jernigan, Ph.D.