From the Fields to the Fight

How Jessica Govea Thorbourne Organized for Justice

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Published by: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Release Date: March 24, 2026
Contributors: Illustrated by Sol Salinas
Pages: 48
ISBN13: 9781665946704

Grades: P-3
Ages: 4-8

Overview

A timely and inspiring picture book biography of Jessica Govea Thorbourne, a Latina labor activist who worked alongside Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta to bring attention to the plight of migrant farmworkers.

When Jessica Govea Thorbourne was four years old, she began picking crops in the California fields. One resilient girl, doing what was needed to help her family. As Jessica grew up, she saw her community struggling. Farm workers were being treated unfairly. But she was just one child. What could she do?

Jessica stood up for justice and learned to organize for change, passing out flyers, speaking to crowds, and rallying other kids to petition for a neighborhood park. As an adult, she joined the United Farm Workers and played a pivotal role in the success of the California Grape Boycott. Though her journey started when she was very young, Jessica found her voice and empowered others to fight for their rights.

Jessica showed that making a difference can start with just one child.

 

"Weaving in the Delano grape strike of the late 1960s, led by Chavez and fellow labor leader Dolores Huerta, Quezada Padron ingeniously ties Jessica’s developing social consciousness to the emergent U.S. farm labor movement . . . Salinas’ vivid depictions of Brown communities working to effect change enhance the narrative . . . A rich and much-needed portrait of a brilliant activist." -Kirkus Reviews

"In this galvanizing picture book biography, the life of Jessica Govea Thorbourne is celebrated for her youthful courage and lifelong determination to improve the lives of migrant farm workers."  -The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"The narrative is direct, befitting the content, with the refrain “one girl . . .” reminding readers of the power of determination. A welcome addition to the corpus of picture-book biographies that testify to the constant fight for human rights in our country." -Booklist