Alex Z. Avila

A 10-year-old boy and his mom spend a day working on his grandfather’s apricot farm. As a first-generation Mexican-American, his mom insists he embrace the family tradition and learn the value of hard work. Eager to prove himself, the boy quickly becomes discouraged when he sees how much faster everyone else is working. He scrambles to keep up, trying different ways to speed up the process. But as frustration builds, he learns that asking for help can be its own kind of strength — and finds an unexpected connection with his grandfather.

A 10-year-old boy and his mom spend a day working on his grandfather’s apricot farm. As a first-generation Mexican-American, his mom insists he embrace the family tradition and learn the value of hard work. Eager to prove himself, the boy quickly becomes discouraged when he sees how much faster everyone else is working. He scrambles to keep up, trying different ways to speed up the process. But as frustration builds, he learns that asking for help can be its own kind of strength — and finds an unexpected connection with his grandfather.