The Pecan Sheller

by Lupe Ruiz-Flores

In 1930s San Antonio, thirteen-year-old Petra dreams of going to college and becoming a writer.


But with her beloved father dead, two younger siblings to care for, and with a stepmother struggling to make ends meet, Petra has to drop out of school to shell pecans at a factory. Hoping it's only temporary, she tries not to despair over the grueling work conditions. But after the unhealthy environment leads to tragedy and workers' already low wages are cut, Petra knows things need to change. She and her coworkers go on strike for higher wages and safer conditions, risking everything they have for the hope of a better future.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Historical, Fiction, Family, Friendship, Latinx

256 pages, Hardcover

Published April 1, 2025

Reviews

[DaNae · Rating 3 out of 5]

13-year-old Petra is devastated when she must leave school to work in a San Antonio Pecan factory to keep her family from losing everything. Working condition are hard and sometimes deadly for the women working there. Can the workers join together to make a difference?

This is a solid story showing the need for workers rights and the struggles of depression era families to ward off homelessness and starvation. The prose it strait-forward if mostly utilitarian. It doesn’t soften the harshness, while never feeling manipulative.

52 Book Club25: 15)  Includes Latin American history 

[AnaLuz Sanchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my 5th year participating as a reviewer for @readyourworld Multicultural Children’s book day. This year I was assigned 2 books, and today I’m excited to share my review for the first of them.

The Pecan Sheller by Lupe Ruiz-Flores is a MG historical fiction novel that is set in the the late 1930s in Texas. Following the Great Depression, the Pecan industry, that relied mostly on immigrant and child labor, and had terrible work conditions, significantly cut wages to its workers.

We get to know Petra, a thirteen-year-old girl who has to leave school and get a job shelling pecans with her stepmom, whom she calls Amá, after her father’s death in order to help her pay the bills and take care of her younger siblings.

The setting of this story is important, it seems ludicrous that a young child would be taken out of school to work in such horrible conditions, adn workers treated so badly. Yet, before workers rights, this was commonplace. And it is the movement for workers righta that takes crnter stage, and Petra’s role within it, helping her family get to a better situation in the end.

Petra’s journey and growth halo bring out the brave young woman she is. Fighting bot only for herself and her family, but for her work friends.

This book delt with some very important and difficult topics and I appreciated how well it tackled these subjects. It was sent in a period I was unfamiliar with. I really enjoyed the fact that I learned new things, and I think it’s a great tool for young readers to become familiar with a time when things where so different. But Petra’s perspective can help introduce it in a way that’s easier to understand. I would have loved for her writing to be a bigger part of the story, hut I understand that the author wanted to stay true to the real events.
As a little side note, I liked that the authos own mother and grandmother were Pevan shellers and she wrote this novel to honor them.

This novel comes out April 1, I hope yall check ot out.

Thank you to @lerner and Read Your World for this gifted ARC.
All opinions are my own.

[Natalie Haggard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another month-long read due to surgery! Really enjoyed learning about this (to me) little known part of history.

[Randi Vengelen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Often, some of the most meaningful ways that history is taught is through works of fiction that draw from reality. The Pecan Sheller sheds light on a piece of labor history many might not have knowledge of. Told through the eyes of Petra, a thirteen-year-old Mexican American girl who is forced to leave school to work in a Pecan Shelling factory to help support her family, this middle grade novel is full of historical information and is emotionally impactful.

Lupe Ruiz-Flores presents a strong-willed and realistic teen girl with her portrayal of Petra. She is stubborn and begins the novel insistent that she will find a way to return to school as quickly as she can. However, as she becomes more aware of the injustices endured by the laborers in the shelling factory, she becomes intent on finding a way to help fight for them. Meanwhile, Petra's stepmother is constantly attempting to reign Petra in to keep her safe and her family fed and sheltered. Both women are presented as trying to do what they believe is best for their family.

Though I am not usually a fan of historical fiction, I was curious if it might be a good addition to a middle school English curriculum. Overall, I was very impressed. This was a really well-paced and engaging reading that I think 7th and 8th grade students would find interesting. The incorporation of the historical aspects at the close of the novel also helps to examine how history and fiction come together to create a stronger, lasting understanding of the material. I think this would be a fabulous addition to any curriculum or a really intriguing independent reading for students that enjoy history.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Petra Navarros lives in San Antonio, Texas, in 1937. Times are tough, especially since her father has passed away, and her step mother (Amá) is trying to support Petra and her step siblings by shelling pecans in a local factory. Petra loves school, and promised her father that she would continue with her education so that she had more opportunities in her life, but when Amá can't earn enough money, Petra has to quit school and shell pecans as well. It's a tough job, and the working conditions are terrible. The dust from the pecans, combined with inadequate ventilation, lead to many of the workers getting tuberculosis. Petra befriends Dona Ramoncita, and older woman whose excellent work allows her to be somewhat outspoken, and Ofelia, who is slightly older and engaged to be married. Money is so tight that Petra finds it hard to obtain paper or pencils in order to write down her stories, and her siblings struggle to have shoes and clothes that fit. There are some moments of joy, and Amá allows Petra to go to the quinceanera of a school friend, even though the wealthy celebration is somewhat uncomfortable. When all of the factories in town threaten to cut wages (so that workers won't try to go to another factory), Dona Ramoncita leads a strike, but Amá doesn't want Petra to be involved, since Amá lived through the Mexican Revolution, which treated her brutally. The town rallies around the workers, and people donate food, but since Amá had lost her job before the strike and is taking in laundry, times are especially tough. Petra continues to fight for the cause, even being beaten and jailed. In the end, the strike causes the owners to limit the wage cuts a bit and improve conditions slightly, but a few months after the settlement, the Fair Labor Act guaruntees workers 25 cents an out. While some factories bring in machinery to cut the amount of workers, Amá is able to get a job running one of the machines, and Petra is able to go back to school.
Strengths: Historical fiction is helpful for providing young readers with a sense of context; when I was growing up, I heard personal stories about the privations of the Great Depression, but my students would be shocked to learn that Petra erased her assignment from notebook paper so she could reuse it. I know I pick up a dozen pencils a day from the hallway floors, so Petra's excitement about the gift of a pencil will be a revelation. The expectation for fair labor practices are also much different today, and the concept of taking work home from factories for families to work on will also be shocking for children who spend six hours a day playing games on their phones. This also touched on other historical events, like the Mexican Revolution and the Fair Pay Act, and has some helpful notes.
Weaknesses: While the death of the father is very sad, I can't imagine that Amá would have stayed in bed for several days. She wouldn't have had the luxury.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Sanchez's The Wind Called My Name or Dobbs' The Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna, which sheds some light on the experiences Amá might have had in Mexico.
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https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes; this in no way influences my review.

The Pecan Sheller is set during the late 1930s and follows Petra, a thirteen-year-old girl who has to leave school and get a job shelling pecans after her father’s death in order to help her Amá pay the bills and take care of Petra’s younger siblings. While working in the pecan factory, Petra makes new friends, but also is confronted with terrible working conditions and seeing many people get tuberculosis and die. When one of her new friends dies and the factory owners want to cut already low wages, Petra is ready to fight for change.

This is really intense in many ways and deals with many tough topics, but I also think Petra’s perspective gives enough distance from the topics to make them real without making them overwhelming. I also really loved how much she felt like a teenager, wanting to do fun things and hang out with her friends, as well as wanting to finish high school, just like she promised her Papa. Her relationship with Amá is especially contentious because she’s the one denying Petra, and it’s hard for Petra to see and understand that it’s coming from a place of love.

I also really appreciated the historical setting, as this is a period I was unfamiliar with, and seeing early unionization and that it included even some of the youngest workers makes the book feel very hopeful. If unionization worked almost a hundred years ago, surely it’s important today and still making important changes for working conditions and wages.

I really enjoyed this book and the history it gave me. I also love Petra as a narrator, and the nuance of the story’s different characters. There are definitely heartbreaking moments, but overall this feels like a story of hope and community.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based in historical fact the book centers on the pecan-shelling industry in Texas where many worked in low-wage and unconscionable conditions where disease like tuberculosis spread rampantly (though many thought it might have been attributed to the fine pecan dust in the unventilated factories). The workers were often Mexican Americans who took the low wage work and the abuse that went with it for a chance at a decent life.

The book starts in 1937 and follows Petra, a girl set on finishing school and being a writer as a tribute to her late father and her tenacity. But when her stepmother, Ama, tells her she must go to work in the factory that Ama is working at rather than go to school, Petra reluctantly obliges. Petra wants to pretend it is a short term fix because of their family's financial situation. What Petra gets is a cause to believe in and strikes to help run to push back against the owners of the factory and the bosses who abuse their power and don't provide fair wage and working conditions. It is especially stark for Petra when a close friend dies as a result of factory work and empowers Petra to speak out.

It's a short, very specific historical fiction text that's accessible for readers to understand how people get into situations such as these and what can be done, though it's dangerous work to protest. Petra is a strong main character and the secondary characters were just as well-drawn against the backdrop of Texas in the late 1930s.

[Mona Frazier · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1930s San Antonio, thirteen-year-old Petra dreams of going to college and becoming a writer. But with her beloved father dead, two younger siblings to care for, and a stepmother struggling to make ends meet, Petra has to drop out of school to shell pecans at a factory. Hoping it's only temporary, she tries not to despair over the grueling work conditions.

But after the unhealthy environment leads to tragedy and workers' already low wages are cut, She and her coworkers go on strike for higher wages and safer conditions, risking everything they have for the hope of a better future."

This middle-grade book features a great voice for 13-year-old Petra. It shifts between grief, anger, and resentment to understanding and action. The cast of characters is well developed. What is often overlooked is the role of stepmothers, and I believe this book does not rely on clichés about their roles; instead, it highlights how challenging it can be for children and parents to navigate these new relationships.

The book addresses numerous issues, including poverty, income inequality, workers' pay, and economic justice, as well as the hazards of factory work and their toll on workers' health. It also highlights the bright spots in life that should not be taken for granted. The power of family and community is a central theme in this well-written book.

[Sally Kruger]

It's 1937 in Texas. Petra lives with her stepmother and two younger siblings. She is studying hard so she can keep the promise she made to her father. Her goal is to graduate high school and become a writer who travels the world. However, since her father's death, it has become harder and harder for the family to survive.

Petra's stepmother works at the nearby pecan shelling factory. The money she makes isn't enough to pay the rent and feed and clothe the children. She tells Petra she will have to quit school to work alongside the women shelling pecans. The work is difficult, and the conditions are horrible. Even with Petra's pay, there still never seems to be enough money.

The factory is filled with dust from the pecans. The workers are constantly coughing, and many develop tuberculosis. When the boss announces that wages will be cut yet again, Petra and the workers decide it is time for action. They go on strike. While picketing, Petra and several others are arrested and spend the night in jail. Forming a union becomes the objective.

THE PECAN SHELLER is a work of historical fiction highlighting the early formation of unions in Texas. Author Lupe Ruiz-Flores paints a clear picture of harsh working conditions and greedy factory owners. Petra becomes an example of women fighting for their rights in the workplace in the early 20th century.

[Lauren Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited when I came across this historical fiction middle grade novel that explores the Pecan Sheller Union and the struggle of Mexican American workers—especially women—for civil and labor rights. In this book, thirteen-year-old Petra is a hardworking student who loves to write. Her father passed away earlier this year, and her stepmother is unable to earn enough to support their family through her work at the pecan factory in San Antonio. She is forced to pull Petra out of school and have her start working as well.

Working as a pecan sheller is brutal—it's hard on Petra's hands, and the factory dust from the pecans causes serious health issues for many workers. Some become severely ill and even die from tuberculosis contracted due to the poor working conditions. On top of that, the wages are so low that the family continues to struggle. When conditions deteriorate even further, Petra realizes that she and her fellow workers must fight for change. Inspired by 21-year-old labor leader Emma Tenayuca, the workers walk out and go on strike.

I loved the resilience shown by Petra and the other workers. I would love to read more children's books that highlight labor movements.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is the middle of the Great Depression and Pedra’s father has died. There is not enough money for her, her step-mother, and her brother and sister to survive, so she must drop out of school and join her mother in shelling pecans.

The work is hard, and it pays very little. Pedra desperately wants to go back to school, but knows she must do this to help her family survive. She works hard, but when the pay is cut, the works go on strike, with the help of a local union leader.

The union leader in the book is real, as are the pecan shellers, which the author’s mother and grandmother were. And there were 13 year olds, such as Pedra, working in the factories.

I love historical fiction, because it often gives you a look at a time and palace you know knowing about. In this case, the 1930s, San Antonio, Texas, where the poorest of the poor work for pennies a day.

I very much liked Pedra as a character, though she started out naive, she grew stronger and more worldly as the story went on.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is being published on the 1st of April 2025.

[Grace Lyman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Pecan Sheller is a wonderful children's novel that unearth some of the harsh truths of the 1930's and how many families struggled to overcome the depression, hardships of the economy, and family life.

Petra is young girl who has lost so much in her short life, her parents included, and then has to leave her hearts desire for school, to help her step-mom take care of her and her younger siblings. The strong takes place in Texas and helps to give realistic accounts of the conditions of work for children and the workers. It gives readers an insights to what sparked the movement for better work conditions and treatment. This story does a great job of appealing to the reader's sense of equality and understanding the fight for justice. I enjoyed hearing the story from Petra's perspective and how this story helps honor her mom and grandma who where sheller themselves.

Thank you Netgalley and Lerner Publishing Group for my ARC copy. I received an advance copy in exchange for my review.

[Deborah Zeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1930s San Antonio, thirteen-year-old Petra dreams of college and a future as a writer.

But after her father's death, she must put her dreams aside to support her family. With two younger siblings to care for and a stepmother struggling to make ends meet, Petra leaves school to shell pecans in a factory. She tells herself it’s only temporary, but the grueling conditions take a toll. When tragedy strikes and wages are slashed even further, Petra realizes she can’t stay silent. Determined to fight for change, she joins her coworkers in a risky strike for fair pay and safer working conditions—knowing that standing up for what’s right could cost her everything.

I really enjoyed this book. I never knew about the Pecan Shellers and the struggles they went through during the depression. While Petra is only 13, the way the author wrote her character made it seem as if she were a lot older than she was, dealing with so many issues, such as death, poverty, illness. The author's afterward gives some insight to what times were like during the 1930s and the struggles people faced during this time period. Definitely one to add to a library's Historical Fiction Section.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ask anyone who knows me well, and they will say I love reading, particularly historical fiction. This genre gives a glimpse to a time and/or place that is new (or old, actually) to the reader. Set in Texas in the 1930s, The Pecan Sheller shares a beautiful story of sacrifice and perseverance. At 13, main character Petra is forced to leave school and take a job shelling pecans in a factory to help her family try to make ends meet. Faced with numerous obstacles, she forges friendships that help her find the strength needed. The character Petra is very well written; I only wish her love of writing had played a larger role in the storyline. In the end though, the author matched the storyline with actual historical events, placing Petra in their midst.
Thank you to Lerner Publishing Group and Read Your World for gifting this book to me in exchange for an honest review.

[Chrissy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Pecan Sheller brings another story of workers rights to life. Petra promised her father she would finish school, but after he is gone, the family needs her to work more than learn. She is forced to leave school to take work full time as a pecan sheller. Each character met in the factory, from Petra's own step-mother to the girls even younger than Petra, working to support their own dreams, is a new perspective on how and why people were willing to work under terrible conditions for miniscule pay. But more than that, they are well drawn and significant characters, not just place holders. The narrative obviously supports workers rights, but the author takes pains to describe the myriad drawbacks, unintended consequenses, and terrifying possible outcomes of the fight for unions and better working conditions. I found this a well told and hopeful story.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Pecan Sheller is a middle-grade novel set in Texas during the 1930s. 13-year-old Petra loves school and dreams of being a writer. Unfortunately, her father has died, leaving behind Petra, her stepmother, and her 2 younger siblings. Money is so tight that Petra has to leave school to work in a pecan factory with her stepmother. Even with both of them working long hours in terrible conditions, they are still extremely poor. Petra is angry about having to miss school and also upset about the low wages, which the factory owners are planning to cut even further. Some of her co-workers are talking about going on strike, but Petra knows it could cost her dearly.

I loved learning about this period in American history. I also enjoyed the Mexican-American representation.

Thanks to Lerner Publishing Group, Carolrhoda Books, and NetGalley for a review copy of The Pecan Sheller.

[Libriar · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. It's 1937 in San Antonio, Texas, and 13-year-old Petra is living with her stepmother and half-siblings after her father's death. Petra loves school, especially writing stories. But when she is forced to leave school to work at the pecan factory with her stepmother, her life changes. The factory conditions are horrendous, and the pay is extremely low. Can working conditions change? Will Petra ever be able to return to school? This account of a key moment in U.S. labor history might only make it hands of 4th-6th grade readers if assigned by a teacher, but it was an interesting way to learn about it. ARC courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley.

[The Loco Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Pecan Sheller is an eye-opening tale about Mexican-American workers who worked in factories before there were laws protecting workers. This boon sheds light on the terrible conditions, the poverty, the deaths, and the heart-ache these people endured in the 1930s. From the perspective of a little girl who is forced to leave school to help her family survive after the death of her father, Petra realizes the injustice around her and she longs for her voice to be heard and for change. A must read for all young people to see that the power in unity and raising your voice can be the start to move mountains.

[Alyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt a strong connection with the main character, Petra, and her love of books. She truly understood the power of education. I could feel her heartache at having to leave school, but it was clear her family desperately needed her financial help. The story paints a vivid picture of the poverty and desperation faced by the pecan-factory workers, and how they endured low pay and health risks just to survive. I also found the author's note at the end especially interesting—it gave important context about the real-life pecan shellers' strike in 1930s San Antonio.

2025 52 Book club challenge #15 Includes Latin American history

[Laura Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an amazing middle grade novel. One of the most powerful, beautiful books that I have read this summer. The book is about the six-week pecan sheller's strike in 1938. I was blown away by the author's research and depiction of Texas and Mexican American history. You absolutely come to love 13 year old Petra. She is forced to leave school and work in a pecan shelling factory to help support her family. Petra wants to return to school as soon as possible. But she sees the injustices endured by the workers and wants to find a way to help them. This title isn't getting nearly as much as it should. It's unfortunate. The book is truly wonderful.

[Martha Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful story. Petra’s life is so hard and so sad, I had trouble sticking with the reading, but the book really rewards you if you persist. This is the beginnings of the Labor Movement in the US, starting in 1937, with female pecan shellers in San Antonio, Texas. A necessary story for right now. Lupe Ruiz-Flores takes her time and really develops the characters and their evolving motivations. The star from Kirkus is well earned. A story that changes you. m2

[Heather Marvel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this short young reader chapter book about the pecan sheller's strike. The storytelling is straightforward, but the story really paints a picture of depression era poverty and labor conditions. Told through the eyes of a 14 year old girl who just wants to finish school, this story is a great example of power of community.

[Middle Grade Mama · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to get into this book, but I came to love Petra and her story. It covers an important part of history that I am glad has been brought into the light.

Thank you, Lernerbooks for the ARC on netgalley

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly simple telling of a very important historical event in Mexican-American history. I wish the author had included more information about the history which inspired the story, and spent more time in showing instead of telling.

[LS Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Similar to "Lucy fights the Fire", "The Seed in the Sun", and "Esperanza Rising." Historical fiction covering topics of courageous child laborers, activism, dangerous working conditions, and personal sacrifice.

[CYBILS Awards]

Spotted on Twitter via Ms. Yingling: https://x.com/MsYingling/status/18849...

[isa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on activism and human rights. I had never heard of pecan shellers, and it opened my eyes to the conditions they lived in in the 1930s. Definitely recommend.

[Neena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book! El libro es muy excelente! I liked the christian values that were incorporated throughout the novel and look out for more work by Lupe Ruiz-Flores!

[Lesli · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of the Pecan Sheller Strike in San Antonio, Texas, in 1938. It is a heartbreaking story and probably more realistic than I originally expected it to be. Of course, I cried in the end.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars