A Seed in the Sun

Under Delano’s molten-gold sun, twelve-year-old Lula Viramontes picks grapes until her fingers stain purple, yet her mind swings on a dazzling circus trapeze—until she meets union sparks Dolores Huerta and Larry Itliong rallying families for the historic 1965 grape strike, a thunderclap of Economic Justice that will redefine Workers’ Rights across the valley. Between Mamá’s secret illness, Papá’s stormy temper, and younger brothers tugging at her sleeve, Lula fights to keep her own flame alive, discovering that bold words can whip across a labor camp faster than dust devils. Novelist-in-verse Aida Salazar laces each line with accordion beats and sweet-smoke prayers, letting classrooms taste the acidic grit of fieldwork while faith groups witness courage blooming like sunrise over the Sierras. Educators will find perfect entry points for lessons on collective bargaining, Immigration stories, and Education Equity—because Lula knows literacy is a ladder out of rows that break spines. One burning question sizzles with every strike chant: will her family link hands for justice or let fear lock them in silence? Tap the blue ➕ to Save to List for later inspiration, or hit the bold arrow to Learn More and connect your classroom, youth group, or congregation to Lula’s high-wire leap from harvest rows to history.