In honor of Cesar Chavez Day,
next Tuesday, March 31st, I want to share why I wrote
C Is for Change – The Story of Cesar Chavez, OnePerson Can Change Many Lives. The book actually started out as a poem that I was inspired to write for my first grade class in Inglewood, CA. The kids had to perform during a Cesar Chavez Day assembly, so I created a poem for them to memorize and recite in front of their entire student body. Later on, the poem progressed into a colorful acrostic-style picture book that I released last March.
C Is for Change – The Story of Cesar Chavez, OnePerson Can Change Many Lives. The book actually started out as a poem that I was inspired to write for my first grade class in Inglewood, CA. The kids had to perform during a Cesar Chavez Day assembly, so I created a poem for them to memorize and recite in front of their entire student body. Later on, the poem progressed into a colorful acrostic-style picture book that I released last March.
The idea came to me when I was
at my school’s book fair and read through an alphabet book called “J is for
Jump”. It included fun facts in the margins for each letter of the alphabet and
at that moment, I knew that I wanted to turn the poem into a book like that.
While writing the book, I made an effort to ensure that children would gain an
understanding of civil rights hero, Cesar Chavez and be inspired by his quoted
remarks to make changes in their communities. I designed the 3 in 1 reading
level picture book so that it can grow with a child, making it ideal for all families.
As the child grows, they will gain a new understanding of Chavez that they
wouldn’t have understood when they were younger. However the book can solely be
read at specific reading levels so children don’t necessarily have to read
previous levels to understand the book.
Through my research, I have found that many children are not
exposed to Cesar Chavez in their schools. All American civil rights leaders are
important heroes in our country and it’s important for kids to see that these
heroes are diverse in race, gender, class and age. Chavez played such a vital
role in the United Farm Workers movement that resulted in better working
conditions and higher wages for farm workers. We all know that if it weren’t
for farmer workers tending to farmland, we would be without food.
The pictures in the book depict Chavez’s life and the United
Farm Workers movement and were created in a paper cutout fashion. I looked at a
variety of real pictures captured during Chavez’s era and designed images out
of recycled and craft store bought paper to reflect these old photos. The
clothing that you see worn by people in the book was made out of cut up
clothing from both my family’s and my own closet along with clothing that I
purchased at the goodwill store.
The legacy of Chavez continues to inspire me each day, so
much that I’ve begun writing another book about him. This time around, the book
will contain more content and follow a more traditional chapter book. I truly
admire individuals that make their dreams a reality and would be open to
writing books about other civil rights activists. I’m a strong believer that by
teaching kids about American heroes, they will have the opportunity to dream
big and fight for positive change in our world.
To purchase C Is for Change click here
To purchase C Is for Change click here
