Mobile Library for Children of Migrant and Seasonal Farm-Working Families

By Mirah Kellc Moriarty and Rodrigo Esteva, DANCE MONKS

Photo: DANCE MONKS' Mobile library at Hijas del Campo

As DANCE MONKS, we are building a mobile library of children's books tailored for migrant and seasonal farm-working families in the United States. In recognition of the need for transformational change and to honor and bring attention to Indigenous wisdom from the farmers' places of origin, we have intentionally centered books written in Indigenx and Spanish languages, as well as culturally relevant stories in English by Mexican, Chicanx, Latinx, Indigenx authors. Most of the families primarily speak Spanish and Indigenous languages, including Mam, Zapoteco, Mixteco, Nahuatl, Mayan, and Triqui. We celebrate this.

We are now making our (ever-growing) booklist, included below, available to the public as a way to urge public libraries, community centers, and schools, particularly in farming communities, to carry a large selection of these books as a step towards honoring these underserved families. 

We also recognize that books are merely one of many tools needed and that there are countless diverse pathways for learning. We profoundly respect and widely embrace oral traditions, elder wisdom, dances, weaving, art making, music, traditional food, healing practices, remedies, sacred farming methods, ceremony, and heritage as vital knowledge passed down to future generations.

We recognize the power of story and the circulation of cultural knowledge to nourish the soul. Books can help a child feel more at home, especially when traveling from place to place, and reading has the power to reflect the beauty of and affirm a child's self-worth. Our selections reflect diverse and vibrant perspectives, bridging the Indigenx peoples of North and Central America of the Anahuac—the land between the waters.

Many are unaware that over 400,000 children work to pick the food we eat in the United States (The Harvest). Agricultural work is largely exempt from strict child labor laws, meaning that even young children can legally work long hours in the fields, sometimes 12-14 hours a day, seven days a week! We recommend viewing the award-winning documentary The Harvest to learn more about this reality and what you can do to make needed change. This current truth makes it all the more vital to provide access to stories that affirm and celebrate their value, offering space to rest and dream.

While this project is a humble offering, it underscores and brings attention to the need for large-scale systemic change in the United States agricultural system. We are grateful to join forces with other organizations working in dedicated support of social change, including one of our local Bay Area partners, Hijas del Campo. 

We encourage public libraries, community centers, and schools to share their gratitude with and proactively honor the highly skilled and hardworking farmers' families who bring food to your tables!

We invite you to share this booklist and post with families, friends, local libraries, and schools. This is a living list and is only complete with your voice. We welcome your recommendations at dancemonks@dancemonks.com and your donations towards our mobile library here.

Photo: Books from DANCE MONKS Mobile library for Migrant & Seasonal Farm-Working Families

CHILDREN'S BOOKLIST FOR MIGRANT & SEASONAL FARM WORKING FAMILIES

in Spanish, Indigenous languages (currently including Mam, Zapoteco, Mixteco, Nahuatl, and Mayan), and English

Please note: We have highlighted books in bold in each section that we highly recommend.

Books in Spanish (and Bi-lingual Spanish/English):

• Agua, Aguita/ Water, Little Water (Spanish and English Edition) by Jorge Tetl Argueta

• ¡Ay Mija! by Christine Suggs

• Buenas Noches, Guatemala by Edna Valenzuela

• Colorantes Naturales de Mexico by Teresa Castello Yturbide

• Copil: El Corazon de La Tierra by Catalina Kuhne y Natalia Gurovich

• Cajas de cartón: The Circuit (Spanish Edition) (Cajas de carton, 1) by Francisco Jiménez

• Colors! Colores! by Jorge Lujan and Piet Grobler

• Con Alas de Mariposa (With a Butterfly's Wings) (Spanish Edition) by Pilar López Ávila, Zuzanna Celej

• De Colores and Other Latin American Folksongs for Children (Anthology) by Jose-Luis Orozco, Elisa Kleven

• Diez Deditos and Other Play Rhymes and Action Songs from Latin America by Jose-Luis Orozco, Elisa Kleven

• Doña Flor (Spanish Edition) by Pat Mora, Raul Colón

• El Conjeo Escucho by Cori Doerrfeld

• El Dia del Agua by Margarita Engle

• El Lago de La Luna by Ivan Gantschev

• Esperanza Renace (Esperanza Rising) (Spanish Edition) by Pam Munoz Ryan, Nuria Molinero

• Fuego, Fuegito/ Fire, Little Fire (English and Spanish Edition) by Jorge Argueta

• Hasta Que Alguien Me Escuche by Estela Juarez

• I Know the River Loves Me / Yo sé que el río me ama (English and Spanish Edition) by Maya Gonzalez

• Julian Es Una Sirena by Jessica Love and Georgina Lazaro

• La princesa y el guerrero: Una leyenda de dos volcanes (The Princess and the Warrior Spanish Edition) by Duncan Tonatiuh

• La selva de Zonia (Spanish Edition) by Juana Martinez-Neal

• Little Night/Nochecita by Yuyi Morales

• Lucero (Spanish Edition) by Yuyi Morales

• Mariama - diferente pero igual (Mariama - Different But Just the Same) (Spanish Edition) by Jerónimo Cornelles, Nívola Uyá

• Mas alla de mi Reaching Out (Spanish Edition) (Cajas de carton, 3) by Francisco Jiménez

• Mexico: Diversidad de Culturas by Patricia Robles Gil

• Mi papá es un agrícola / My Father, the Farm Worker (English and Spanish Edition) by J. Roman Perez Varela, Jose Ramirez

• My Heart Fills with Happiness/ Mi Corazon Se Llena de Alegria by Monique Gray Smith

• Noche Antigua by David Alvarez

• Oceano de Constelaciones by Melissa Cristina Marquez

• Paletero Man/¡Que Paletero tan Cool!: Bilingual English-Spanish by Lucky Diaz, Micah Player

• Pasos Firmes: Taking Hold (Spanish Edition) (Cajas de carton, 4) by Francisco Jiménez

• Papa, por favor, bajame la luna/ Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle

• Tejedora del arcoíris/ Rainbow Weaver by Linda Elovitz Marshall, Elisa Chavarri

• Separados no somos iguales: Sylvia Méndez y la lucha de su familia por la integración (Separate Is Never Equal Spanish Edition) by Duncan Tonatiuh

• Senderos fronterizos: Breaking Through Spanish Edition (Cajas de carton, 2) by Francisco Jiménez

• Soñadores (Spanish Edition) by Yuyi Morales

• Tierra, Tierrita / Earth, Little Earth (Madre Tierra / Mother Earth) (English and Spanish Edition) by Jorge Tetl Argueta

• Tortillitas para Mamá and Other Nursery Rhymes (Bilingual Edition in Spanish and English) by Margot C. Griego, Betsy L. Bucks

• Un Aleteo de Esperanza (Spanish Edition) by Cynthia Harmony, Devon Holzwarth

• Waiting for the Biblioburro | Esperando el Biblioburro by Monica Brown

• Wixaritari: La Gente de Maiz by Paola Aguirre y Aleida Ocegueda

• Xochitl and the Flowers / Xóchitl, la Niña de las Flores (English and Spanish Edition) by Jorge Argueta, Carl Angel

Books in Maya:

• Bix u meyajta' al kool: Como se trabaja la milpa by Feliciano Sanchez Chan

• Cho'o'och'ot Oolal by Sary Lorena Hau Ucan

• Ch'och'Lin: Lela' U Jach Noj T'aan Aj Bo'obat by Marcos Regino Pech Naal

• Historias Que Vuelan (In Spanish and Mayan) by Colectivo Luciernagas del Sur

• Je'e Bix Xma Uje Mina/an U Laak | Una Luna Como Niguna by Nina Basich

• Saak'o'ob Yeetel U Laak Popolt'aano'ob by Feliciano Sanchez Chan

• Ta'aka'an Ba'alche by Marga Beatriz Aguilar Montejo

• U Pixanil Kuxtal by Maria Elisa Chavarrea Chim

• U aanalte'il u xookil maaya/ Libro de lectura en maya by SEP (3-4th grade)

• U tsikbalilo'ob k-kajalo'on / Los Cuentos de mi pueblo by SEP (5-6th grade)

• Ujil T'aan by U jubil t'aan

Books in Zapateco:

• Chupa ladxidua'/ Dos es mi corazon by Irma Pineda

Books in Mam:

• Toklen txolqu' ij toj qanq' ib'il by Floridalma Mencho López

• Tbinchajil Twitz Tx'or by Wagner Ely López Huinil

• Margarito's Forest: El Bosque de Don Margarito by Andy Carter

• Mam Teaching the Wisdom of our Elders Preschool group in NJ: https://www.grupocajola.org/books-in-mam

Books in Nahuatl:

• Ahnelhuayoxochitl/ Flor Sin Raiz/ Rootless Flower by Patrick Johansson

• Trilingual Coloring Book. Animals: Spanish, English, Nahuatl by Amina De Julian

• Yolcameh - Animals: In Nahuatl and English by Stephanie F. Valadez

  
  

Books in English (Centering Mexican, Latinx, Chicanx, Indigenx and Native writers or stories):

• Abuela's Weave by Omar S. Castaneda, Enrique O. Sanchez

• Adelita by Tomie dePaola

• Amelia's Road by Linda J. Altman, Enrique O. Sanchez

• Areli Is a Dreamer: A True Story by Areli Morales, a DACA Recipient by Areli Morales, Luisa Uribe

• Arrow to the Sun: A Pueblo Indian Tale by Gerald McDermott

• Being Home by Traci Sorell (Cherokee)

• Berry Song (Caldecott Honor Book) by Michaela Goade

• Brother Eagle, Sister Sky by Chief Seattle with Paintings by Susan Jeffers

• Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer, Monique Gray Smith

• Can You Hear the Plants Speak by Nicholas Hummingbird

• Cesar Chavez (On My Own Biography) by Ginger Wadsworth, Mark Schroder

• Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua by Gloria Amescua, Duncan Tonatiuh

• Dolores Huerta: A Hero to Migrant Workers by Sarah Warren, Robert Casilla

• Dream Wolf by Paul Goble (Adopted by Chief Edgar Red Cloud)

• Dreamers by Yuyi Morales

• Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan

• Field Work Through the Eyes of a Child by María Victoria Castillo

• Finding My Dance by Ria Thundercloud, Kalila J. Fuller

• Frontera by Julio Anta and Jacoby Salcedo

• Good Night, Guatemala by Edna Valenzuela

• Grandmother's Dreamcatcher by Becky Ray McCain, Stacey Schuett

• How the Stars Fell into the Sky: A Navajo Legend (Sandpiper Houghton Mifflin Books) by Jerrie Oughton, Lisa Desimini

• In My Family/En mi familia (Family Pictures) by Carmen Lomas Garza

• In My Mother's House by Ann Nolan Clark and Illustrated by Velino Herrera

• I Am Cesar Chavez (Ordinary People Change the World) by Brad Meltzer, Christopher Eliopoulos

• Jose! Born to Dance: The Story of Jose Limon by Susanna Reich, Raul Colon

• Jingle Dancer by Cynthia L Smith, Cornelius Van Wright

• Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter by Aida Salazar, Molly Mendoza

• Land of the Cranes by Aida Salazar

• Lety Out Loud: A Wish Novel by Angela Cervantes

• Love Flute (Aladdin Picture Books) by Paul Goble (Adopted by Chief Edgar Red Cloud)

• Magic Trash: A Story of Tyree Guyton and His Art by J. H. Shapiro, Vanessa Brantley-Newton

• Making Magic Windows: Creating Cut-Paper Art With Carmen Lomas Garza by Carmen Lomas Garza

• Mola: Cuna Life Stories and Art by Maricel E. Presilla

• My Father Said/ Mi Padre Dijo by Simon Silva

• My Two Border Towns by David Bowles, Erika Meza

• Native American Stories for Kids: 12 Traditional Stories from Indigenous Tribes across North America by Tom Pecore Weso

• Powwow Day by Traci Sorell, Madelyn Goodnight

• Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest: A Caldecott Honor Award Winner by Gerald McDermott

• Remember by Joy Harjo, Michaela Goade

• Round Is a Tortilla: A Book of Shapes (A Latino Book of Concepts) by Roseanne Thong, John Parra

• Small Places Close to Home: A Children's Declaration of Rights by Deborah Hopkinson

• Something Like Home by Andrea Beatriz Arango

• Star Boy by Paul Goble (Adopted by Chief Edgar Red Cloud)

• Storm Boy by Owen Paul Lewis, Paul Owen Lewis

• Taíno Tales: The Legend of Coquí (Taino Tales) by Vicky Weber, Olha Melnyk

• Taíno Tales: The Miracle of Salomé by Vicky Weber, Olha Melnyk

• Taíno Tales: The Secret of the Hummingbird (Taino Tales) by Vicky Weber, Olha Melnyk

• Thank a Farmer by Maria Gianferrari, Monica Mikai

• Thank You, Omu! (Caldecott Honor Book) by Oge Mora

• The Boy From Mexico Becomes a Farmworker: Grown-Up Luz and His Friends Feed America (Early Reader Books) by Edward Dennis

• The Boy from Mexico: An Immigration Story of Bravery and Determination (Based on a true story) (Ages 5-8) by Edward Dennis

• The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child by Francisco Jiménez

• The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child by Francisco Jiménez (The Acclaimed Memoir's Graphic Novel Edition)

• The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan

• The Earth under Sky Bear's Feet: Native American Poems of the Land by Joseph Bruchac

• The First Strawberries: A Cherokee Story by Joseph Bruchac (Abenaki)

• The Gift of the Sacred Dog (Reading Rainbow Book) by Paul Goble (Adopted by Chief Edgar Red Cloud)

• The Girl Who Loved Horses by Paul Goble (Adopted by Chief Edgar Red Cloud)

• The Golden Flower: A Taino Myth From Puerto Rico by Nina Jaffe, Enrique O. Sanchez

• The Journey of Tunuri and The Blue Deer: A Huichol Indian Story by James Endredy

• The Land: The History of the Land We're On by Ashely Fairbanks (Asnishinaabe)

• The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by Tomie dePaola

• The Lizard and the Sun / La Lagartija y el Sol (Picture Yearling Book) by Alma Flor Ada

• The Man Who Dreamed of Elk Dogs: & Other Stories from Tipi (Wisdom Tales) by Paul Goble, Lauren Waukau-Villagomez

• The Other Way to Listen by Byrd Baylor and Peter Parnall

• The Ledgerbook of Thomas Blue Eagle

• The Night the Animals Danced: A Guatemalan Folktale by Nicholas Beatty

• Tales Our Abuelitas Told: A Hispanic Folktale Collection by Alma Flor Ada, F. Isabel Campoy

• To the Other Side by Erika Meza

• Up and Down the Andes: A Peruvian Festival Tale by Laurie Krebs and Aurelia Fronty

• We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell, Frane Lessac

• We Are Water Protectors (Caldecott Medal Winner) by Carole Lindstrom, Michaela Goade

• Watch Me: A Story of Immigration and Inspiration by Doyin Richards, Joe Cepeda

• When Clay Sings by Byrd Baylor

• When We Gather (Ostadahlisiha): A Cherokee Tribal Feast by Andrea Rogers (Cherokee)

• Why Not?: A Story about Discovering Our Bright Possibilities by Kobi Yamada, Gabriella Barouch

• Whiskers, Tails & Wings: Animal Folktales from Mexico by Judy Goldman

RELATED LINKS:

1. VIEW: The Harvest/ La Cosecha Documentary: Many people are not aware that every year there are more than 400,000 children who pick the food we all eat. Children can legally pick food in the United States because agricultural work is largely exempt from strict child labor laws, meaning younger children can work in farming activities like picking crops.  "This award-winning documentary provides an intimate glimpse into the lives of (these) children who struggle to dream while working 12 – 14 hours a day, 7 days a week to feed the United States."

   
   

2.  VIEW: Precious Knowledge Documentary  “In Lak’ech, Tu eres mi otro yo/You are my other me. Si te hago daño a ti/If I do harm to you, Me hago daño a mi mismo/I do harm to myself. Si te amo y respeto/If I love and respect you, Me amo y respeto yo/I love and respect myself.”

   "In the Tucson High Magnet School located in Arizona, high school students enrolled in Mexican American Studies (MAS) would start their day reciting this poem by Luis Valdez, signifying unity, oneness, and love. Their echoed words would fill their classrooms and celebrate their humanity with respect and empathy. But when the MAS program was banned and eliminated by Arizona lawmakers in 2010, it failed to silence students’ voices or deter their unity. Their passion and echoed chants caused an uproar across their communities in Arizona, and ultimately led to the rise of an Ethnic Studies movement nationwide." - Daisy Gonzalez, Latina Republic