THE LIFE OF DOLORES / LA VIDA DE DOLORES

A brief biography of labor leader and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta.

Huerta’s life is presented in simple, short statements—one fact per double-page spread—in both English and Spanish. Some facts need no further elaboration, such as where she grew up or extracurricular activities she enjoyed as a child. The unelaborated statement that “while at school, she faced many troubles. Once, a teacher accused her of not doing her own school work” will leave readers wondering what were her troubles and why her honesty was questioned. The book goes on to tell how she got started as a civil rights activist; her partnering with Cesar Chavez; the grape strike that eventually led to improved working conditions for farmworkers; and the recognition she received for her work in 2011, when she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. And of course, there is a spread with Huerta shouting through a megaphone the now famous slogan “¡Sí se puede! Yes, you can!” It is no easy task to reduce a complex and influential life to just a few statements that can convey the essentials in a meaningful and accessible way to very young readers. The creators have mostly done so, but adult guidance will still be required for concepts such as discrimination (unnamed but indicated), union, and strike. Sweet, color-saturated illustrations in earthy tones accompany the text. Fittingly, most people depicted have brown skin.

An age-appropriate introduction to a civil rights icon.