| Title | : | Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0152014373 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780152014377 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 48 |
| Publication | : | First published March 1, 2003 |
| Awards | : | Jane Addams Children's Book Award Picture Book (2004), Pura Belpré Award Illustration (2004), Elizabeth Burr / Worzalla Award (2004) |
Cesar knew things had to change, and he thought that--maybe--he could help change them. So he took charge. He spoke up. And an entire country listened.
An author's note provides historical context for the story of Cesar Chavez's life.
Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez Reviews
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Truly, Kathleen Krull’s Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez is indeed one of the most informative and moving non-fiction picture book biographies I have read to date. And albeit that I had of course heard of Cesar Chavez prior to reading this book, I actually kind of knew next to nothing about either Chavez’ life or La Causa. This might of course be primarily because I am a resident of Canada, but when one considers the fact that so much of the produce in Canadian grocery stores is in fact not grown in Canada, but in the United States and other areas, the living and working conditions of farm labourers everywhere should naturally be of prime importance, should be of global significance. And I am actually (and remain) in total and utter awe that a non-fiction picture book such as this, such as Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez, could have such an engaging, enthralling and at the same time also massively educationally informative narrative, combined with Yuyi Morales illustrations, which indeed aesthetically shine both luminously and evocatively.
And yes, Kathleen Krull’s presented text, it is most certainly a treasure and features not only a moving story, but also a most valuable teaching tool, since it shows not only the life, struggles and contributions of Cesar Chavez, but also the living/working conditions of migrant farm workers in general (themes to be discussed and debated and by total necessity). However, for me personally, the most important message of Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez is the book's depiction and promotion of non-violent confrontation and protest. It is clearly shown and also totally celebrated by Kathleen Krull how civil courage and a refusal to embrace violence often has a much more positive and long-lasting impact than violent confrontations or aggressively dangerous reactions. Because Chavez and his fellow farm workers engaged in a non-violent strike, the important message about the often slave-like living and working conditions of many farm labourers were able (in my opinion) to reach a much wider and sympathetic audience, and received much more support from the American public in general than any violence, any vandalism could have ever achieved. And this is not only an important general message, it is also one that needs to be promoted both in the classroom and in the home. Namely, that it is both a civic and moral duty to speak out against and confront racism, bigotry, and all forms of social injustice, but to do this without ever resorting to violence, to encourage and embrace non-violent criticism and protest and ONLY this. -
I went--where else?--to the library to find a picture book display focusing on hope, and since it was a particularly bad political news week, I eagerly picked up this book which I realize was also very positively reviewed here by Manybooks, so was on my list. A truly inspiring picture book by Kathleen Krull and gorgeously illustrated with sweeping color and magical realism by Yuyi Morales, this is a biography for older kids, maybe, of one of the twentieth-century's great leaders for social and economic justice, who led a peace march for more than 240 miles through California to sign the first contract for farmworkers in American history. Highly recommended. I'm going to get off the couch now and make some calls to make sure people vote in this 2020 Presidential election.
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Continuing on my kick of reading Biographies for young readers. Really enjoying Kathleen Krull also!
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Harvesting Hope chronicles the story of Cesar Chavez, from his childhood in Arizona, to his leadership in organizing a 300-mile protest march to Sacramento, California. Once Cesar’s family moves from Arizona to California and become migrant workers, his whole life changes. He begins to realize how poorly paid and treated his family is, and these struggles greatly affect him. Cesar never loses hope, and as he enters adulthood, he works towards making a difference. He begins to speak out on the behalf of migrant workers, and fights-peacefully-for La Causa-The Cause.
This picture book is beautifully illustrated by Yuyi Morales, the vivid images bring the story of Cesar to life. This is a very well written biography of Cesar Chavez, who founded the National Famr Workers Association. There is a lot of information in this story, making it appropriate as a read aloud for grades 2-4, but it also could be used in a sixth or seventh grade classroom. There are some terms in the book (White Trade Only) that younger students wouldn’t understand, but that would make for a good discussion topic with older students. The story mainly focuses on the organization of the march to Sacramento, but the way in which it is told makes a reader want to research more about the life of Cesar Chavez. His story is truly an inspirational one, and worker’s rights is still a timely topic that should be discussed in the classroom. Chavez was a non-violent advocate; he frequently spoke about the power of words, saying, “Nonviolence, takes more guts”. Readers who enjoy this biography would also enjoy reading a biography of Martin Luther King, who Chavez counted as one of his heroes. -
Another excellent children's picture book biography from Kathleen Krull detailing the life of Cesar Chavez and his quest to bring fair working conditions to farm workers in the USA. I especially liked the scenes of his childhood and the loss of dignity, family structure, and sense of permanence that came with the Great Depression and the loss of the family farm. It reminds readers young and old that this could happen to you, this could become your story, too.
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I thought this book was quite well done, in terms of explaining to children the terrible conditions that migrant worker had to face, and what Cesar Chavez accomplished on their behalf. How inspiring that the poorest of the poor could - and did - make a difference in the world. In the author's note, Chavez is quoted as saying "We had never thought that we could actually have any say in our lives. We were poor, we knew it, and we were beyond helping ourselves." The author also points out that Chavez was not a man without controversy and that not everyone thought of him as a hero. But some did, and still do.
This is perhaps not the kind of book that immediately draws children in - it's not "snappy". But it is of high quality, both in the subject it covers and in the illustrations. It didn't bring out a lot of emotion in me as I read it, but it did make me think.
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The inspiring life-story of Cesar Chavez, the founder of the
United Farm Workers - the first organization to fight for the rights of America's underpaid and mistreated migrant farm laborers - is told in Kathleen Krull's wonderful picture-book, Harvesting Hope. From his early childhood on his family's Arizona ranch, lost when drought and depression forced them to sell, to his days as a young migrant worker in the California fields, Krull's narrative follows Chavez as he slowly developed from a shy young boy into the labor leader who would force agribusiness to treat its workers like human beings.
Chavez's devotion to peaceful methods, despite the violence meted out by his enemies; the three-thousand mile walk to Sacramento he organized (the longest protest march in U.S. history); and the periodic hunger strikes in which he participated (an activity which would eventually kill him), are all covered. Krull's engaging narrative is greatly enhanced by Yuyi Morales' gorgeous artwork, created with acrylic paint, stamps, and computer cutouts. Her colors are vibrant and appealing, her figures stylized but expressive, making Harvesting Hope both a visual and a textual treat. Highly recommended! -
Harvesting Hope is a courageous story of one of America’s influential civil right leaders. This picture book is geared for students in grades 2-5 and depicts the struggles and bravery of Cesar Chavez. As a young boy, Cesar and his family lived on a large ranch in Arizona where they harvested their own food. His family life was fruitful and loving, filled with evenings of singing songs, telling stories, and playing. Unfortunately, being a shy boy Cesar was ridiculed and struggled in school. Life for Cesar and his family took a turn for the worse, when a bad drought forced them to move away. The family moved to California where they would work on other people’s farms. The conditions were horrid and workers were treated inhumanely. In addition, workers were paid barely anything and life was difficult. Cesar decided to take action and called together a meeting. This meeting would lead to the beginning of extraordinary changes for all American workers. A book about how one man’s action caused a country to change. Viva La Causa! This book can be used in a variety of ways in the classroom including covering topics such as: American heroes, social action, Mexican-American history, hope, biographies, and prejudice. This award -winning book was written by Kathleen Krull and illustrated by Yuyi Moralses in 2003 by Hartcourt Inc. and would be a great addition to any elementary classroom library.
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Ages: 10 - 13
"Harvesting Hope" is a picture book that tells the life story of César Chávez in a popular education style. The book does a good job of distilling a lot of information and detail into a story that's accessible to older elementary school students. Also, the illustrations, which are somewhat reminiscent of the murals of Diego Rivera, bring the story to life.
The book has more text than the average picture book, and the subject matter lends itself to further explanation and discussion, so this would be appropriate for students who are nearing the end of elementary school. It might even be appropriate in some middle school classrooms.
Enough cannot be said about the illustrations. They are colorful, detailed, and emotive.
The text reads like a biography or a newspaper article. It is somewhat dry, but the pictures keep the reader engaged. This book would be a perfect way to introduce a unit on or start a discussion on topics like immigration, farmwork, César Chávez, social movements, or social justice.
Overall, this is a powerful and important book about a man and a movement that should receive much more attention.
As a stand-alone, this book wouldn't quite be adequate, but it could be combined with movie clips, news articles, and protest songs to create a well-rounded curriculum. -
Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Kathleen Krull, published 2003.
Nonfiction, biography.
Picture book.
Grades 1-4.
Found via Horn Book Magazine, reviewer not identified.
Harvesting Hope provides the life story of Cesar Chavez, beginning with his early life at a family ranch in Arizona. Then, due to a drought, the family had to move to California to work, where conditions were harsh and the workers were never treated fairly. The book recounts how Chavez at first was resistant to the idea of striking, but then he slowly came around to the idea and became a major for the the migrant workers. Chavez's march to Sacramento for the rights of grape-pickers forms the climax of this book, with many details provided about how difficult the march was but how the workers gained massive support along the way and a victory in the end. The main text is written so that young children can understand the narrative, and an author's note at the end provides more information for adults reading the book to children. The reviewer notes that the book's paintings "are suffused with a variety of emotions, especially fear and sorrow," which gives the book a strong emotional core. This book should be accessible by all audiences, and it would provide a great place to begin discussing workers' rights, racism, and nonviolent protest. -
I read Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez and I was touched. I did not know about Cesar Chavez until reading it. I read this book out loud to my husband. This is quite a long picture book with very beautiful and colorful illustrations. The length did not bother me because I was very interested in learning about Chavez. I was touched by what Cesar did for the farm workers. I even got a little choked up by reading it. It is definitely a story that makes you think long after you have put it down. It is important for children to learn about inspirational people which brings me to my quote.
"You should listen to even the smallest voice, someday it could be the one that makes a difference."
Thanks to the children's group again for the wonderful book suggestions! I am so glad I joined! -
I enjoyed reading this book. Once again, Yuyi Morales provides beautiful illustrations that attract you to the book. I have always heard of Cesar Chavez, but had never learned about him in any classes I ever took. I thought that starting the book describing his amazing family life up until the age of 10 was the perfect way to show how the strength of one's family can be so influential. Knowing that's the background he comes from makes it easier to understand why he fought the way he did, peacefully. I think this would be a great book to read to students when learning about Martin Luther King and the fight so many people have gone through for their rights. This story isn't in any of the text books at our school, yet it's such an important one in the history of our country.
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This is a beautifully illustrated history book for elementary school age students. I’ve always admired Cesar Chavez and this book provides some very good introductory information about his life and work, and is told in an interesting manner. Because of what this man stood for, this book could also be used as a discussion starter about civil rights.
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I really enjoyed the artwork and the way Cesar Chavez's life was told. One point brought tears to my eyes. I also learned a few things about Chavez that I didn't know. My girls also liked the book.
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I didn't know much about Cesar Chavez until I read this book. It made me want to read more!
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"It is well to remember there must be courage but also that in victory there must be humility." Powerful quote that I loved from this story!
Synopsis:
Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez is a Pura Belpré Award winning book written by Kathleen Krull and illustrated by Yuyi Morales. Through realistic text and pictures, the story of Cesar Chavez is brought to life. Cesar and his family lived in the Arizona desert, enjoying food and company every night. Cesar had many friends to play with in his community. Then, in 1937, Cesar's family farm was dried out by a drought. They were out of business and money to survive. He and his family had to migrate across California, working and picking crops anywhere they could. Their days were long and pay was almost nothing. Cesar attended school, only to be discriminated by others because of his culture and language, "I am a clown. I speak Spanish." He left school and decided to focus on work. The terrible working conditions of the farmers made Cesar upset, and he wanted to do something about it. He established La Causa, which was the first movement for farm workers' rights. He fought several times with government officials until he finally got the attention and approval that he needed to create the National Farm Workers Association, which promised better conditions for the workers. Speech after speech, fight after fight, Cesar Chavez was just an ordinary boy who became a hero for so many people.
Teaching connection:
One of the most obvious teaching connections would be to use this book for Hispanic Heritage Month. It's a great read aloud book for grades 2nd-5th. The text is a little longer and more dense, so it might be too complex for the younger grades. I think this story was written in a way that makes Cesar Chavez's story very relatable for young people. It dives into his childhood and the experiences he faced in school that made him work for a greater cause (the rights of his farming people). Definitely would be crucial to have stopping points in your read aloud for students to think and talk about the story- page 6: Cesar is talking to his mom and fighting, mom says "use [your] mind and mouth to work out conflicts" What might this predict or foreshadow for Cesar? page 12: Pause and notice the illustration and relate it to the text "hot spasms shoot through his back... earned as little as thirty cents for the day's work" Make an emphasis on the worker's conditions... Is this fair? What could you even buy with thirty cents today? How would Cesar support his family like this? page 14: Cesar is called out in class for speaking Spanish... talk about bilingual education with students... not discriminating about languages/differences in culture, definitely a good place for turn and talk with a buddy, talk about how they would feel if that were them. Students could also extend this lesson with researching other Hispanic Heritages heroes/advocates. Assign a group of students a country that could be in Central/South America, find someone who worked for Hispanic rights.
Side note: I don't like that this book did not include the work that Cesar Chavez's wife also put into the UFW (United Farm Workers Association). Maybe students could include her in their research project as well.
Why this book is a WOW book:
I liked how this book was made at a level for kids to understand, and really be able to admire what Cesar Chavez did for his people. It's a great book to talk about social justice- creating equality for everyone (especially for minorities and careers less talked about like Hispanics and farmers). I don't think that I learned a lot about famous Hispanics in elementary school, so this book would be a good introduction to a unit on this. The illustrations in this book are beautiful and so detailed. The characters faces are easy to read and their actions are easy to see. This book is also great to teach kids that anyone can be a hero! Cesar Chavez was just an ordinary boy whose living and working circumstances led him to fight for something bigger. It shows kids that standing up for your rights and fighting for what you deserve will pay off! Anyone can do it.
Video on Hispanic Heritage Month:
http://www.timeforkids.com/photos-vid...
Cesar Chavez website (has great pictures and more information on what he did and what his foundation continues working towards today):
http://www.chavezfoundation.org/_cms.... -
This is easy to read aloud and yet rigorous to understand- over the course of a few lessons. Krull describes the childhood of Cesar Chavez when his family lost their ranch and had to move to California to become migrant workers. The miserable working and living conditions drove Cesar to make a lifelong commitment to seeking justice for farm workers. My only reservation is that Chavez's partnership with Dolores Huerta is not mentioned - she was also a powerful advocate for social justice and worked with Cesar to start the United Farm Workers organization. You can balance out the content with a read aloud of Dolores Huerta: A Hero to Migrant Workers by Sarah Warren and Side by Side-Lado a Lado: The Story of Dores Huerta and Cesar Chavez by Monica Brown.
So much conversation can happen around this text and the others - starting with questions like "Why do you think Krull, the author, felt it was important to write about the life of Cesar Chavez?" and "What in the text makes you think so?"
Recommended read aloud text set -
Side by Side by Monica Brown
Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by K. Krull
Dolores Huerta: A Hero to Migrant Workers by Sarah Warren
After reading aloud all three, these books could easily be left in the classroom library for re-reading or chosen as the focus of student-led small group discussions.
ALSO RECOMMENDED AS PART OF CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT TEXT SET -
Five Recommended Read Alouds as part of integrated unit on civil rights period -
1) My Brother Martin by Farris
2) Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down by Pinkney
3) Delivering Justice: W. W. Law and the Fight for Civil Rights by Haskins
4) March On! by Farris
5) Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Krull
Each book lends itself to discussion about the following essential questions:
1) What is social justice?
2) How would you describe key figures who were activists in the civil rights movements? What is textual evidence to support your points? -
I listened to this story on CD, while I followed along with the book. It is the biography of Cesar Chavez, the founder of the National Farmworker's Association. The story begins by describing the carefree childhood of Chavez living on his family's farm in Arizona. When Chavez was ten years old, there was a great drought and his family eventually lost their farm. They were forced to travel to California and work as migrant workers on other people's farms. Chavez found the conditions unbearable and after struggling for many years, he decided to try to make changes. In his soft-spoken ways and with the influence of his mother and other people who believed in nonviolent protests, Chavez began to organize a strike and a long march to the state capital to fight for better working conditions. He successfully continued his protests throughout his life intil his death in 1979, at the age of 66.
I enjoyed this book because, though I recognized Chavez's name, I did not have a clear idea of what he had done to become famous. The book gave a clear description of his influences and accomplishments. The illustrations are colorful and help display his feelings at different points in his life. There is rich vocabulary, such as . . . swarmed, conflicts, migrant, fleeing, coaxing, pilgrimage, suspicious, etc. I would use this book with 3rd through 5th graders to teach biographies or as a resource for any of several social studies topics including history, geography, or civil rights.
2004 honor book for illustration by Pura Belpre Award. -
This book is the biography of Cesar Chavez. Cesar Chavez is considered one of the greatest American Civil Rights leaders. As a young boy, Cesar had a very hard time at school. He was teased at school for speaking Spanish. He was very shy and nervous at school, but he still loved to learn. His family had to move to California to work on other people’s farms for very little money. It was during this time that Cesar realized he wanted to try and make a change. He did not agree with the way he and his family were treated and how little money they were being paid for their hard work. Cesar decided to organize a march to protest in a nonviolent way. He led a 340 mile march through California which helped to improve the lives of all of the migrant farm workers. Cesar believed in protesting in a non-violent manner in order to overcome the powerlessness that was felt by his family. Cesar was successful in changing the lives of many migrant workers and is remembered for his dedication to courage and humility. This book would be a wonderful resource to use in the classroom. It provides a lot of information about the life of Cesar Chavez as well as what life was like for migrant farm workers in the early to mid 1900’s. I found out new information that I was not aware of before reading this book. The illustrations in the book are beautiful and really portray the emotions of the characters. This is a picture book that would be appropriate for grades 2-4.
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Grade/interest level: Upper Elementary (3-5)
Reading level: 4.8 (Lexile 800L)
Genre: Biography, Multicultural
Main Characters: Cesar Chavez and his family
Setting: Arizona and California
POV: Third Person Narrator
Harvesting Hope is the story of Cesar Chavez and what he accomplished for the migrant workers. The book describes his life starting with his childhood on his family’s farm in Arizona. His father loses the farm due to a drought and they are forced to move and find work. Working at a young age, Cesar witnesses first-hand the harsh conditions the workers are forced to endure. Because of this suffering and his family, he decides he wants to change the conditions for the workers. After many doubts and hurdles, he finally reaches enough fellow workers that agree and want to follow and support him. In a fight for justice, Cesar forms The National Farm Worker Association. After a long and famous march to the Capitol building with thousands of supporters in tow, they sign the first contract for farm workers, making history.
I would use this book in a classroom to teach about social justice issues, particularly worker’s rights. I would also use the book as a standalone to teach about the life of Cesar Chavez. -
Summer nights on the ranch with relatives made Cesar’s childhood memorable and delightful. However, that lovely childhood only lasted “until Cesar Chavez was ten.” It was 1937 and a drought overcame Arizona making bill paying impossible and forcing his family to move. Becoming migrant workers was the only option, even with terrible living conditions and not enough money to sustain a family. School offered no better opportunity. The language barrier made him the “clown.” Cesar was forced to quit after eighth grade to work in the fields. The torment from in school would not be missed, even though he enjoyed learning. The farm work continued to be harsh, and they were mistreated. Cesar could not stand for this. He empowered others in a protest walk to Sacramento. He led others in La Causa, which began the honorable National Farm Workers Association. This nonfiction narrative is accompanied with colorful and honest illustrations that accurately depict the culture and emotions of Cesar’s life, one of perseverance and strength. His inspiration went far beyond his years and his cause continued to inspire others.
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5 Never powerless again STARS
"You cannot close your eyes and your ears to us any longer. You cannot pretend that we do not exist."
Este libro me hizo llorar.
Esta pequeña biografía de Cesar Chávez, me dejo sin palabras, pero si mucho sentimiento.
Todos los historiadores siempre nos dicen que tenemos que aprender de nuestra historia para no repetirla. Pero es tan triste ver lo mucho que nuestra raza ha sufrido, y peor aún saber que este tipo de cosas aun suceden.
Que fácil sería tomar la misma postura de odio y discriminación, contra los que nos han abusado siempre, pero como bien nos enseña Cesar Chávez la única forma de triunfar de verdad es por el camino de la no violencia.
“It is to remember there must be courage but also that in victory there must be humility.”
Un libro muy recomendable, todo el mundo debería leerlo. -
Pura Belpre Illustrator Honor Book 2004
Americas Honorable Mention 2003
Notable Book
This book is a biography of Cesar Chavez. It shows his life from the time he was ten years old on his family farm in Arizona. The family loses the farm and goes looking for work in California. There they see the conditions are horrible. The book shows how Cesar Chavez becomes a spokesman for his people working to get conditions and wages improved.
Yuyi Morales creates very authentic illustrations that really help to tell the story. She went to the fields where Cesar Chavez had worked and lived to help with the illustrations.
I had heard of Cesar Chavez and the boycotts of fruit, but I did not know the story of his life and what led him to protest.
This book is good for grades K-3 to discuss Latino history and the conditions the people had to work under. -
This story was selected as one of the books for the
May 2010 - Latino reads at the
Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads. -
Important biographical portrait of Cesar Chavez and the positive aspects of his resistance movement. I worry it doesn't touch enough on his controversial aspects, but it would be just right for younger kids.
