Field Work Through the Eyes of a Child

A Mexican-American girl shares her experience of harvesting crops from the Coachella Valley fields of California with her family during the 1960s and 1970s. Her story begins at the age of eight and continues to her late teens when she joins the United Farm Workers Union.

This book contains many family photos related to field work. It is a way for children and adults to learn about how various crops are harvested, the tools used, the hardships, and the friendships created in the fields. Bilingualism is promoted through the use of Spanish words and phrases along with clarification of their meaning. It provides missing pieces of the multiculturalism puzzle.

Children can have fun learning about measurement when they make the Ponche de huevo recipe and adults can create two types of enchiladas with the recipes included in the book.

Get a deeper look into the author's emotions by reading her poem about working in the fields (in English and translated to Spanish).

Recommended for third grade to adult.