Author: Lupe Ruiz-Flores
Genre: historical fiction
Age range: upper middle grade
Similar book: Rima's Rebellion by Margarita Engle
Summary (provided by publisher): In 1930s San Antonio, thirteen-year-old Petra dreams of going to college and becoming a writer.
But with her beloved father dead, two younger siblings to care for, and with a stepmother struggling to make ends meet, Petra has to drop out of school to shell pecans at a factory. Hoping it's only temporary, she tries not to despair over the grueling work conditions. But after the unhealthy environment leads to tragedy and workers' already low wages are cut, Petra knows things need to change. She and her coworkers go on strike for higher wages and safer conditions, risking everything they have for the hope of a better future.
What I liked: There's a clear progression of Petra's relationships both with her stepmother and with her job. We see how circumstance and the impetuous nature of youth drive her towards protest and also gain a clear understanding of the reluctance and situations that keep people in and unfair environment.
What I didn't like: The narrative is a bit too sparse at times, stating plainly what could be conveyed through "showing". We are never living the situation with the characters but are always quite aware that we are reading.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
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