Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter
by Aida Salazar, illustrated by Molly Mendoza
Buy on Amazon"Jovita didn't want to cook and clean like her sisters, and she especially didn't want to wear the skirts her abuela gave her. She wanted to race her brothers and climb the tallest mesquite trees in Rancho Palos Blancos, ride horses, and wear pants! When her father and brothers joined the Cristeros War to fight for the right to practice religion, she wanted to help. She wasn't allowed to fight, but that didn't stop her from observing how her father strategized and familiarizing herself with the terrain. When tragedy struck, she did the only thing that felt right to her--cut her hair, donned a pair of pants, and continued the fight, commanding a battalion who followed her without question.…
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"An inspiring true story of Jovita Valdovinos, a woman who defied the expectations of her community in order to save it. With her poetic touch, Aida Salazar shows how a rambunctious youngster (bristling against her skirts) persevered through violence and heartache to become a pants-wearing revolutionary leader standing against the Mexican government. Molly Mendoza’s artwork powerfully captures Jovita’s indomitable spirit, which feels like it is jumping feet (and pants) first off of every action-packed page. (For ages 6 to 9)"
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