Reaching Out

By Francisco Jiménez

Book Overview

The third book in Francisco Jim nez's powerful and acclaimed memoirs about his childhood and adolescence as the son of Mexican immigrants in California.

"In this eloquent, transfixing account, Jim nez again achieves a masterful addition to the literature of the memoir." --Smithsonian Magazine

Leaving his home in Bonetti Ranch, a migrant community of dilapidated army barracks with no indoor plumbing or drinkable water, Francisco Jim nez sets off for college. He leaves behind a family struggling to pay for food and rent, and a desperate, broken father.

Carrying memories of years of poverty and prejudice with him, he enters a world entirely different from his own. Yet as he types other students' papers in exchange for clothing, as he studies hard, as he meets with unexpected kindness, he uses those memories of struggle to see his way forward. Once again his telling is honest, true, and inspiring.

"Rooted in the past, Jim nez's story is also about the continuing struggle to make it in America, not only for immigrant kids but also for those in poor families. Never melodramatic or self-important, the spare episodes will draw readers with the quiet daily detail of work, anger, sorrow, and hope." --Booklist (starred review)

"No one who reads these life stories will forget them. Jim nez reaches out to let us walk in his shoes, feel his pain and pride, joy and sorrow, regrets and hope." --Sacramento Bee

"Brings to the forefront the daily trials of poor immigrant families. Compelling and honest." --School Library Journal

has published and edited several books on Mexican and Mexican American literature.

Francisco Jim nez's four-book autobiography has been included in the American Library Association Booklist's 50 Best Young Adult Books of All Time and has been recognized with awards including the Am ricas Book Award, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, the Pura Belpr Honor Book Award, and the Tom s Rivera Book Award.

The CircuitBreaking ThroughReaching OutTaking Hold

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0547250304
• ISBN13: 9780547250304
• Release Date: September 2009
• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.33 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.9" x 6.9"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Wonderful for inspiring students

A touching story that can apply to ANYONE at certain points in their life. A great read for students in middle or high school. I bought a class set for my students and they are loving it!

An Amazing Story

Francisco Jimenez does a good job on explaining his College life in Santa Clara. I really enjoyed ready this book I felt that every time that I would start reading this book it would engage me and I wanted to keep reading the book. I think that its a good book for a student to read thats going to College. I like how the book shows the struggles that Jimenez has when he was going to College but had important people in his life that helped him not to give up in College. And because of them he proceeded with his education and became a College Professor. I think that before I read this book I would of liked to read the book about his childhood and I think that now I would like to read all the books that he wrote. Because his book shows you that it doesn't matter were you came from that if you are willing to succeed in your life you can go really far in life. Its a really good book and I would recommend it to anyone but mostly for High School and College students!!

For Adults Also

Having read the first two books in this trilogy I was excited to purchase this chapter in the author's life. It is a very personal tale of his experiences at Santa Clara University and since I am an alumna, I relived many of my college years through his eyes. I didn't feel that this book had the dramatic impact of the others. There were some wonderful moments, but I wanted to learn how he accomplished what he did. It was more of a recitation of events than a true insight into how these events transpired. Francisco rose from migrant worker with few English skills to a college professor. It is inspirational for young people, but could have been even more for adults.

A Treasure

In Reaching Out, Francisco Jimenez traces his life as a Mexican immigrant child from a migrant farm worker family to his experiences as an undergraduate at Santa Clara University. Along the way, he encounters challenges and tensions as a first generation college student. Francisco shares with his readers how he reached out to a place so far removed from his childhood - Santa Clara University - and how others, particularly Jesuits, reached out to him to support him on this journey, I truly believe that Reaching Out should be read by all students, particularly first year students. Many students will identify with the story and understand that they too can succeed. Those who come from families far removed from Francisco's background will better understand how to reach out to first generation students. In fact, I highly recommend that faculty read this book so that they may also understand how to reach out to students from backgrounds similar to Francisco's. Although Reaching Out deals with the life of a specific individual, it is truly a universal story. Just like his other two books, The Circuit and Breaking Through, Reaching Out will be a treasure for generations to come.