"Reaching Out" by Francisco Jiménez is a poignant coming-of-age story that follows the journey of a young Mexican-American boy named Francisco as he navigates the challenges of adolescence, cultural identity, and the immigrant experience. Set in the 1960s, the narrative highlights Francisco's struggles with poverty, family expectations, and the desire for a better life. As he strives to excel academically, he also grapples with the realities of his family's sacrifices. Through determination and resilience, Francisco learns the importance of hope, pride, and the value of education, ultimately aiming to bridge the gap between his heritage and aspirations for the future. [Generated by language model - please report any problems].

This book is the winner of numerous awards

This book is part of a book series called Circuit Novels .

This book is aimed at children at US 7th grade+.

This book has been graded for interest at 10-13 years.

There are 196 pages in this book. This book was published in 2009 by Perfection Learning .

Francisco Jimenez emigrated from Tlaquepaque, Mexico, to California, where he worked for many years in the fields with his family. He received both his master's degree and his Ph. D. from Columbia University and is now the chairman of the Modern Languages and Literature Department at Santa Clara University, the setting of much of his newest novel, Reaching Out. He is the award-winning author of The Circuit, Breaking Through, and La Mariposa. He is also the recipient of the John Steinbeck Award. He lives with his family in Santa Clara, California.