Editorial Review
Dolores Huerta: Voice for the Working Poor - Children's Literature

The life of Dolores Huerta is one full of vision, conviction, and drive. This biography, a part of the “Crabtree Groundbreaker Biographies,” includes a fairly thorough account of her involvement in social activism for migrant farmers. The author does an excellent job of weaving pieces of Dolores’ early life with her career as a social activist to show the young adult reader how her early experiences and influences impacted her life’s focus. Scattered throughout the chapters of this book are side notes that further explain some of the concepts and people mentioned in the main part of the text, such as the particulars of lobbying found in chapter four. Black-and-white photographs and illustrations are seen throughout the book displaying images of Huerta, farm workers, and other key figures. These pictures work to take readers back in time and serve to reinforce the somber tone of the text. This book is a useful resource for a student conducting a research project on Huerta’s life or on a topic concerning the movement of civil rights for minority and immigrant workers. The chronology list at the back of the book is a useful research tool in that it highlights the years in which key events occurred, such as the rise of migrant farming in the 1880s. The glossary at the back of the book is also of value. One shortcoming of this book is the way the author glosses over Dolores’ neglect of her eleven children, barely acknowledging the impact of Huerta’s occupation and frequent travels on her family. Reviewer: Justina Engebretson