Dolores Huerta: A Hero to Migrant Workers

by Sarah Warren

Tells the story of labor leader, Dolores Huerta

Genres: Picture Books, Biography, Nonfiction, Childrens, Latinx, Social Justice, History

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2012

About the author

Sarah Warren is an author and early childhood educator. She is dedicated to bringing everyday heroes to life in books that celebrate the diversity in our schools and communities.

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It strikes a good balance for kids (and people in general) by not patronizing but also not bogging itself down with too many details or lofty language. Dolores is shown as a dynamic person capable of many different roles -- she is described as a teacher, detective, friend, warrior, organizer, peacemaker, storyteller, mother, woman, fortune-teller, and hunter. She is portrayed as an individual and leader but not isolated from the broader movement of which she was a part. Without being too wordy, the author lays out foundations for Dolores' social justice work -- it didn't just materialize out of thin air or some esoteric sense of moral duty, it began from the realities faced by farmworkers, from conversations and planning.

The realistic watercolor/pastel illustrations show Dolores at different ages and in her different roles. The timeline of her life at the end is detailed but not overwhelming, and the "Learn More About Dolores Huerta" page makes it clear that this work is not over ("The struggle for workers' rights continues."). So so good.

[Cherilyn Munoz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book portrays a strong plot because of how immigrants/citizens are treated in the U.S. and how one person helped to push for their equal rights. This book offers a different way to look at history, most of the time the only recognized person is Cesar Chavez, and although they did work together, Dolores was the main driver of the cause. The problem in the story is resolved, the workers were not learning, and she took notice and began to fight for their rights. Dolores is also portrayed in various roles that show that she is not only a woman but also a warrior, a mother, an organizer and peacemaker among other things.

The illustrations in the book are accurate and display how both sides of the people were being treated. The people are illustrated as to how they were during those times and did not add to the stereotypes of immigrants or Mexicans for that matter. They hold the children's interest as well because they show various things happening during those times she was fighting for their rights.

Since Dolores is portrayed in different roles other than just an organizer or just a mother, this breaks the myths of how women as seen in our current culture. There are no negative stereotypes, even if she does not stay at home, she is going out and defending the human rights of people. I think that the illustrator had a great background to pay attention to little details that show the people's heritage and the changes of before and after their rights were gained.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s another story of a woman who steps forward to take care first of those in her community. Dolores Huerta grew up in California, was educated and became a teacher, but quickly learned her students were hungry and many didn’t have shoes. She wanted to know why, and learned from the parents that they weren’t paid enough to eat well or buy their children shoes. Through the early fight with bosses, her alliance with Cesar Chavez in the fight with the United Farm Workers, Dolores was there, giving her time and risking her safety for the many, many migrant workers’ living conditions. I remember well the grape boycott and still find it difficult to purchase a bunch of grapes. The book shares the fight for better conditions continues in our country.

[Christian Espinoza · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Dolores is a teacher, a mother, and a friend." This inspiring children's book tells the story of Dolores Huerta, a hero who helped Spanish-speaking migrant workers get better working conditions. The book is written so it not only tells the story but it also describes Dolores Huerta in many different ways. She is a teacher, she is a warrior, she is woman and many more. This language shows how empowering this woman was and helps children relate to the story. The pictures are very detailed and show great emotion. This book is an amazing tool for exploring topics of civil rights and immigration.

[Karen Witzler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed learning about Dolores Huerta through this children's picture book biography. Her work alongside Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers is portrayed here as a mission that began with small steps leading to engagement in momentous events, providing a lesson that should resonate with children from all backgrounds. I was amazed to learn that she had eleven children of her own and think that her life story also speaks strongly to the women's liberation movement of the same period in our history.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had never heard of Dolores Huerta until I read this book. The author relates what Dolores did without providing any names or dates until the timeline at the end of the book. Fortunately for those who want to know more, there is also a list of books, articles, and web sites on the last page. This book serves as a brief introduction to Dolores for younger readers.

[Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read a lot of nonfiction picture book biographies of Cesar Chavez recently, I stumbled upon Dolores Huerta and her role in the labor union movement. She was usually just mentioned as an aside despite her contributions so I was pleased that there was this picture book. The back matter really fleshed out the story text.

[Estelle Lancaster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read with second grade

[Sean Harding · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magic little picture book here, with great illustrations and a potent story about a woman who stood up for the workers to give them a better life, and better hope for the future. Important and inspirational.

[Kayla Rhome · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plot Summary:
- In this biography by Sarah Warren it tells the story of a woman named Dolores Huerta. Dolores is a teacher, a mother, and a friend. Her students come to her class hungry, sick, and with no shoes for recess. Dolores goes to her children’s homes and asks their mommies and daddies (migrant workers) why their children have no shoes, are sick, and are always hungry. They say that they are not getting paid enough to do these things for their children. Dolores goes to the farmers and asks them what is going on, and they say it isn’t them but it is their bosses. Dolores is a brave woman that goes right to the bosses, but they say they aren’t changing anything. So Dolores, the farmers, and the mommies and daddies all go on strike until the bosses change their minds. After a long time the bosses finally change their minds. So from there Dolores went and found other bosses that needed to change and she just kept going and going until everyone was taken care of. Sarah Warren does a great job at describing how Dolores wanted to make a difference in her hometown.

Literary Merit/Criteria:
-Setting: Sarah Warren doesn’t specifically state in the story where Dolores lives or is from; however, at the end of the story Warren provides a timeline of the events in her life in greater detail of the biography being located in New Mexico.
Characterization: Sarah Warren depicts Dolores in the biography about her life story and values of being a strong woman and wanting to help others and make a difference. Dolores did everything in her power, even if she didn’t have to, to make sure that the children, migrant workers and anyone else were being taken care of.
Theme: Sarah Warren identifies the central theme of “wanting to make a difference” through the story of Dolores. Dolores was a teacher of children. She could have just ignored what was going on and kept teaching, but she took it into her own hands to go to a higher power and do whatever it took to solve the problem.

Reader’s Response/ Classroom Connection:
- In order to connect this to my classroom I would connect it through the arts and writing. I would supply my students with a larger piece of paper, a pencil, and water color. I would ask my students to draw a picture of something they see or would think could describe Dolores and then have them write a sentence as to why they chose what they did and what it means.

**TEXT SET-People that make a difference.**

[Jessica Valdez · Rating 4 out of 5]

KIRKUS REVIEW
Warren’s debut provides a much-needed biography of a heroine in the struggle for migrant farmworkers’ rights.
Dolores Huerta, often relegated to a secondary character in books about César Chávez, takes center stage in this accessible story. Huerta’s story begins with her realization that migrant farmworkers’ conditions and pay are the root causes for her own students’ poor health, hunger and lack of shoes. The author chronicles Huerta’s journey by emphasizing her various roles: teacher, friend, warrior, organizer, storyteller, peacemaker, mother and woman. After Huerta fails to get the workers’ bosses to improve conditions and raise wages, she organizes a strike. Eventually, her efforts help change working conditions. In watercolor with pastels, Casilla captures Huerta’s strength and the resilience of Latino migrant farm works. With the notable exception of a single, stark-white offset, the text blends beautifully with the illustrations in form and substance. A detailed chronology (in which Chávez appears) and a list of books, articles and websites enrich the simple text. While the book alone will work with younger children, the backmatter makes this title an exceptional resource for both Hispanic Heritage and Woman’s History months.
A welcome title for children and educators alike. (Picture book/biography. 6-10)

My Review
Dolores was a very passionate and persistent woman. She helped so many people after she realized that their bosses were not providing them with good pay for very hard work. The workers couldn't even pay for good for for their children or even buy them shoes to wear so that they would not be barefoot. That is when Dolores was overcome with the want to help the workers and their families. Being a teacher, Dolores more than likely felt obligated to become her students advocate and decided to voice her opinions and help others.

Grade levels: K- 3rd grade (lower levels)

Awards/Honors: Nominated for the 2013 Amelia Bloomer Project List
2013 Jane Addams Children’s Book Award

[Sivyu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah Warren. Dolores Huerta: A Hero to Migrant Workers (2012). Dolores Huerta was a teacher who took up the cause of migrant farm workers and started the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) with Cesar Chavez. This charming biography has soft realistic watercolor and pastel illustrations depict many years of Huerta's life. The book is written in a lyrical prose that makes it easy to read aloud. It begins in the classroom where a young Huerta notices that some of her students are going hungry and have no shoes. She finds out that they are children of migrant farm workers who can barely afford to feed or cloth their children. This leads her to take a stand against grape farmers for better working conditions and unions. As the book progresses, it shows different significant historical events Huerta participated in. I liked that she got older as the book progressed and it showed different facets of her life; teacher, mother; political activist. At the end of the book there is a timeline with specific significant events that goes into further details. There are also additional resources that list books, articles, websites, and teacher resources. This would work well on a unit on Latinos, migrant farm workers, feminism, unions, politics, and activism. Target audience: 6-10 years

[Grace Livengood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warren, S. E., & Casilla, R. (2012). Dolores Huerta: A hero to migrant workers. New York: Marshall Cavendish Children.
Dolores Huerta was very observant as a child and young adult, seeing how poverty affected the migrant farm worker families in some of the southern states. She saw how underpaid the laborers were and decided to fight for their rights, so she spoke up to the government. Even though she was ignored many times and the laborers were to frightened to speak out at first, Huerta kept pushing on and demanding civil rights for the laborers, speaking up for those that weren't being paid enough to live off of. The laborers eventually came to her side and there was an uprising that left many fields bare and a lot of fruit spoiled because the laborers had gone on strike. The corporations were finally forced to listen and agreed to pay the laborers fairly for their work. Painted with watercolor paintings the images are very realistic and detailed, and allows the reader to feel like part of the experience and retelling of this civil movement. I liked this story, especially since I found out it corresponded with that of César Chávez and his fight for the civil rights of Latino laborers. It seems as though not as many people know about Dolores, when she made such a big difference, which is why I will share her story with my students in order for them to see how individuals have power change something they think needs to be changed.

[Monica Lozano · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Delores Huerta: A Hero to Migrant Workers (Warren, 2012) the main character is Delores Huerta. She is first depicted as a teacher, concerned for her students. They are seen without shoes, hungry and sick. Huerta then reaches out to the students’ parents, asking why they are in this terrible state. Then the story moves on to discuss how the farm workers are being poorly treated by their bosses with low wages and no rest breaks. She is finally able to reach out to the community and get them to join in on the protests for better wages and treatment. In the end, everyone is happy because the workers are receiving good pay, along with better treatment and Huerta continues to fight for freedom.

I admire that this book is dedicated to retelling Huerta’s life and includes the struggles of migrant workers. In the beginning of the book, it starts out saying “This is Dolores” and ends with the same quote. I like how the author decides to do this because it seems to bring closure to the story. In addition, I like how the illustrator effectively portrayed the migrant struggles with colorful and large drawings. The characters’ emotions were nicely expressed to the audience.

I think that Warren’s (2012) Delores Huerta: A Hero to Migrant Workers should be part of an elementary teacher’s classroom. It brings diversity and history to the curriculum. Students will be able to learn about new backgrounds that were probably unfamiliar to them before.

[Sunday · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an easy read aloud for students in 1st-3rd grade and builds background knowledge about the many roles Dolores Huerta played in her lifelong (and continued) endeavor to fight for social justice regarding the living and working conditions of farm workers. Would also make a good text for partner reading or small group, student-led conversations. The text lends itself to conversations around higher level thinking questions like "Why do you think the author thought it was important to write about the work of this social activist?" and "What in the text makes you think so?"

This book would be more easily understood if students have some prior knowledge related to farm workers living and working conditions in the 1950's and on.

There is a helpful timeline of Huerta's work at the end and additional resources including a website focused on her current, continued activism in the field.

Recommended read aloud 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.

[Julia Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tells the tale of Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers union. It gives us a portrait of a schoolteacher who saw the suffering of her students, learned about the injustices that caused it, and who then decided to fight for them.

The language is stilted and clearly meant to be read by early emergent readers, though the narrative itself might be a little difficult for such young children to follow. The illustrations are reasonable, and the book has a terrific timeline in the back.

I was not fond of the narrative style of this little picture book, but would probably keep it on my reading shelf, from 2nd to 6th grade. I feel it is important to offer students a chance to see powerful women from history. It's also vital that they know these women come from a number of cultures. Despite my issues with the stilted flow of the text, the telling is respectful. I could easily seeing this book leading to children seeking out more information about Huerta.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dolores Huerta is not a person I was a aware of but I definitely will look for more books about her. The picture book tells a wonderful story about a Latino American woman who becomes a teacher and learns that her students are hungry and lacking shoes. She approaches the parents and finds that they work full time but are paid so poorly that they can't afford food and items such as shoes. Dolores speaks to the bosses who are the farmers who own the land, but they are unwilling to raise rates because it will increase the price of grapes and no one will buy them. Dolores organizes strikes, speaks to politicians and a boycott for the bosses to change their ways. A inspiring book for social justice and great for Latino students and those who feel disenfranchised by the system. Really great to see how Americans can solve differences nonviolently. Great story.

[Leslie Rendon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture books tells a story about a Latina American women who becomes a teachers and observes how some children lack shoes and are not eating. It is due to parents getting paid poorly in the fields. Dolores speaks up and certainly gets inspired by observing children in her class to make a difference. She fights for social justice in alliance with Cesar Chavez in a nonviolent way.
It is a book to learn about how Dolores started to get inspired. We learn that she succeeds with out having to use violence which is rare nowadays. Children will learn that nonviolent actions can have a bigger impact. Students might want to do more research about her movement for better wages and conditions. This would be good for young readers because illustrations are watercolor with pastels.
Grade: 2-5
#Historical #YoungReaders #Informational

[Kate Hastings · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grades 2-5. Dolores Huerta is a teacher-- but when she notices that her students are hungry and they don't have shoes to wear, she talks to their parents and finds out that they are migrant workers and that they aren't paid enough for their children to have shoes, etc. Dolores talks to their bosses, who refuse to raise wages or improve working conditions. So she organizes the migrant workers to strike and peacefully protests the sale of grapes because of the working conditions under which they were harvested. A great human rights story about peaceful protest and the power of cooperation to make change in the world. The pictures and writing were okay, but great story!

[Miss Pippi the Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dolores Huestra saw a need and worked to fill that need in her students, her community, and her nation.

Themes: history, migrant workers/farm workers, grapes
Characters: Dolores Huerta

Artwork: watercolor with pastels
Author's Note: Timeline of Dolores' life as well as additional resources to find more information about Dolores

Reviewed from a library copy.

[Anthony Kline · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this is a good book for people who may be secondary American citizens. This book could be inspirational to immigrants but also could educate many children on immigration in general. That is a very big issue in our country so I think that is something students should know about. This book has a lot of acts of kindness that can show students that being kind is a very good thing as well.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book beautifully illustrates the steps Dolores Huerta took as a concerned teacher to help better the lives of her students and their families. She stood up for the rights of farm workers for better pay and working conditions. This is an amazing book about affecting positive change through peaceful action.

[Prw41894 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked how this was a picture book in which a more mature topic was depicted. It is great because so many different ages would be interested, younger ages, for the pictures and older for the subject matter.

[Erica Leach · Rating 2 out of 5]

The books story line was horrible it was so bland and boring. The only thing I enjoyed were the pictures and how detailed they were and loved how they were painted. You can tell it was painted by water colors.

[Amanda Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells the struggles of migrant workers and how she founght for rights and how she stood up for others and helped them out. this is truly inspiratinal and empowers all who read to want to make a difference as well!

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know a lot about Dolores Huerta until this year. I appreciate having a picture book about her life to be able to share with students. It's great to have her example to show us that one person can really make a difference.

[Tiundra]

I would use this book in Social Studies class to talk about the history in agriculture and discuss what conditions many of the migrant workers faced daily and why it is important to be educated and know our history.

[Ms. Tongate, TLC Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read aloud for secondary Spanish and Soc St. Classes.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a transformational book for students, and everyone! Pushes us to consider how we are making a difference, in big or small ways, and what courage we need to change the world around us.

[Fives OnTheFly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The kids really took to this story of Dolores Huerta. It is written in a very engaging way to explain the work that she did to help change labor laws for migrant workers.