The true story of a shy boy who grew up to be one of America's greatest civilrights leaders is told in this picture book biography. Full color.

A mother of four young children suddenly abandons them without a trace. No reassuring words are spoken to them by their father, who is bereft at the loss of his wife while he struggles to manage his crops. He asks his mother to take the children or they go to the orphanage. However, a new disruption in the form of a mail-order stepmother adds even more turmoil and emotional harm to their lives several years later. Written as a personal memoir, Mary Jo describes her path to finding forgiveness and peace through her strong faith in Jesus Christ. She poignantly describes the fortitude and courage it took to escape her difficult childhood, which eventually led her to becoming a mother herself, while maintaining a sense of strength and enduring hope.

As the flames danced all around her small hut, Vidya More had to make a hard choice. She could follow her husband into the fire along with her children. Or she could save herself and her little children from a terrible death. Acclaimed journalist Radheshyam Jadhav brings to readers true inspiring stories of women farmers and farm widows, like Vidya and many more, from the 'farmer suicide zone' of Maharashtra. These women have battled the tremendous odds-of poverty, misogyny and inequity-stacked against them to herald a silent revolution to overcome agrarian crisis. These feisty women wake up every morning and battle for survival. Suicide, unlike their husbands, is a luxury they can't afford. Extensively researched along with personal interviews, the book captures the women's stories and constructive struggle and how they discovered in themselves endless reserves of strength. While the men are driven to despair and death by debts, the women have fought their battles and found answers to the crisis. These simple, and often uneducated, women have developed their own methodology and science to manage and tackle drought and are experimenting with every possible option to give themselves and their families a life of dignity. They have taken up tough challenges and are sowing determination and hard work to achieve their dreams. The book captures their belief that dreams often come true. And hope is what keeps life going.

In this Pura-Belpre award?winning picture book, illustrated by Caldecott Honree Yuyi Morales, acclaimed author Kathleen Krull celebrates Latinx civil rights leader Cesar Chavez. An inspirational book about resistance and hope. When Cesar Chavez led a 340-mile peaceful protest march through California, he ignited a cause and improved the lives of thousands of migrant farmworkers. But Cesar wasn't always a leader. As a boy, he was shy and teased at school. His family slaved in the fields for barely enough money to survive. 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.

Discusses this biennial award that honors Latino writers and illustrators, annotates the award-winning books, provides biographical information about the authors and illustrators, and suggests booktalks and activities.

Life contains a rhythm when we see it from beginning to end. Our personal existence is not a series of individual episodes taking place as 'points in time.' Rather, life itself bears us along in a common pilgrimage. At any given time, we are part of a community where birth and death, joy and sorrow, pain and pleasure, as well as sowing and harvesting are taking place. This communal sharing of life replicates all the 'seasons of life.' For each time in our lives there is a corresponding season in the life of the human family. We empower faith by practicing hope every day of our lives.

Contemporary American youth live in a culture that ignores or denigrates labor unions. Mainstream media cover labor issues only sparingly and unions no longer play much of a role in popular culture texts, films, or images. In our schools labor has been limited to a footnote in textbooks instead of being treated seriously as the most effective force for championing the rights of working people—the vast majority of the citizenry.