The University of Texas at Tyler Libraries

We won't back down : Severita Lara's rise from student leader to mayor / José Angel Gutiérrez.

By: Gutiérrez, José AngelMaterial type: TextTextSeries: Hispanic civil rights series: Publisher: Houston, Tex. : Piñata Books, c2005Description: x, 126 p. : ill. ; 22 cmISBN: 1558854592 (pbk. : alk. paper); 9781558854598 (pbk. : alk. paper)Subject(s): Lara, Severita, 1952- | Mayors -- Texas -- Crystal City -- Biography | Women mayors -- Texas -- Crystal City -- Biography | Mexican American women -- Texas -- Crystal City -- Biography | Mexican Americans -- Civil rights -- Texas -- Crystal City -- History -- 20th century | Civil rights movements -- Texas -- Crystal City -- History -- 20th century | Student movements -- Texas -- Crystal City -- History -- 20th century | Crystal City (Tex.) -- Ethnic relations | Crystal City (Tex.) -- Politics and government | Crystal City (Tex.) -- BiographyDDC classification: 976.4/437/0092 | B LOC classification: F394.C83 | G895 2005
Tags from this library: No tags from this library for this title. Log in to add tags.
Item type Current location Call number Status Date due Barcode
Book University of Texas At Tyler
Stacks - 3rd Floor 		F394 .C83 G895 2005 (Browse shelf) Available 0000001969542

Reviews provided by Syndetics

School Library Journal Review

Gr 6 Up-Several chapters cover Lara's childhood and early teen years in Crystal City, TX, including the summer she and her sister spent as migrant laborers. The chapter devoted to the 29-day 1969 school boycott that she organized to bring national attention to equal rights for Chicano students is the most inspiring part of this biography. Lara married her high school sweetheart and had a child before she graduated. After she accepted a scholarship and spent time in Mexico as a medical student, she and her husband parted ways. Eventually they reconciled and the author chronicles their roller-coaster relationship. Lara is an important figure whose rise to political power despite the nonacceptance of her heritage and gender needs to be told. However, this book does not do her justice. The author is a noted writer for adults, but he has not yet found his voice for youth. At times, the writing is choppy and pedestrian and some important details are told after the fact or connecting pieces are left out. Six black-and-white photos illustrate the various stages of Lara's life. An epilogue includes a Web site where readers can learn more and listen to Lara tell some of her story. Purchase this in areas where short biographies of important Hispanic heroes are needed and hope that a better-written volume is yet to come.-Linda L. Plevak, Saint Mary's Hall, San Antonio, TX (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

There are no comments on this title.

to post a comment.