Strike: the farm workers' fight for their rights by Larry Dane Brimner. 172 p. Calkins Creek/ Highlights, October 1, 2014. 9781590789971. (Finished copy courtesy of publisher for review.)
I'm sorry to say that I didn't know much about the migrant farmers. I always equated the United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez. I am also embarrassed to admit that I never heard of Larry Itliong, nor did I know that there was a sizable number of Filipino field workers - enough for the growers to play the groups off of each other when faced with any worker wanting more pay or better conditions. Mr. Brimner's cogent narrative begins on September 8, 1965 and details the plight of the California farm workers within the context of the tension of the Sixties and the Great Depression as well. This strike/ boycott lasted for five long years seeing early supporter, Robert F. Kennedy's assassination.
Strike! is beautifully designed with colorful pages, large font size and plentiful black & white photos, maps and political cartoons to supplement the riveting text. I also liked that the captions and text boxes were in Spanish as well as English. Backmatter includes a timeline, source notes, bibliography and author note.
I always learn something when I read anything by Larry Dane Brimner. My first experience with Mr. Brimner's work was reading We are One: the story of Baynard Rustin was back in 2007, before I started blogging. In 2011, I found his 2010 book, Birmingham Sunday, which I reviewed here. Black and White, published a year later was equally compelling. Each of these would be great sources for the hero project our seventh grade does.
This is a 2014 favorite of mine and highly recommended for middle, high school and public libraries.
226 p. Roaring Brook Press, September, 2013. 9781596438361. (Purchased)
Middle schooler Jack Strong is one busy fellow. He works hard to get decent grades, but that's not enough for his dad or his college resume. So his after-school and weekend hours are filled with activities that are meant to "round" Jack out and make him more interesting until he finds his "thing." He likes cello and baseball enough but can do without Chinese school, swimming and karate. After a week in which he's unable to attend a party, get free ice cream with the most popular girl in school and grab pizza with his team after hitting the game-winning RBI, Jack decides to go on strike. He sits down on the couch and refuses to get up, except to eat and go to the bathroom, until his parents allow him to drop the activities he doesn't enjoy. His grandmother is supportive, his dad refuses to negotiate and his mom is stuck in the middle. After a piece about his strike hits the high school newspaper, a local t.v. host picks it up and events begin to spiral out of control.
While this very well could've been an "issue" book, in Tommy Greenwald's able hands, it's thoughtfully humorous. And, after three wonderful books featuring my favorite non-reader, it's nice to see Greenwald explore other characters and themes. So spread your author-wings Tommy Greenwald, we librarians need more of your books to make our young patrons happy!
Jack Strong is just about as far away from Charlie Joe Jackson as the north pole is from the south pole. Jack enjoys school, he attends all of the activities his father arranges rather agreeably until he gets tired and wants some time to chill out and do nothing once in a while. Indeed, during his time on the couch, he quickly learns that even video games can become boring. But he and his father share a stubborn streak and the two become entrenched.
Greenwald maintains a light touch with all this drama and there are quite a few laugh-out-loud moments. His characters sound like middle school students. Plentiful spot art enliven the action. Jack's dilemma will resonate with over-scheduled readers and reluctant readers alike.
Jack Strong Takes a Stand is a must-purchase for school and public libraries and is a 2013 favorite of mine.
