This story begins in the late 1940s with a Mexican family dreaming of going to California to find work and a better life. Francisco's family finally does cross the border and his childhood is spent moving from camp to camp, picking cotton and grapes and strawberries in the hot sun. At first young Francisco takes care of his baby brother in the backseat of a car while the family picks cotton, but soon he is old enough to work in the fields. But what he dreams of is staying in one place so he can learn to read and learn English. It is heartbreaking to see him pulled out of school each year, but he does learn to read and write and we know he will grow up to be an acclaimed writer. This graphic novel adaptation of Francisco Jiménez's original memoir is perfect for middle and high schoolers. There is drama and adventure, but it is mainly a story of family and hardship and a boy who dreams of a better future. The ending is unresolved, but students could read Jiménez's other memoirs to find out more of his story.
The Circuit is highly recommended, both for pleasure reading and for nonfiction or memoir units.
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