A review by moonrattle
Reaching Out by Francisco Jiménez

inspiring slow-paced

2.25

I get that this book is middle grade and can also appreciate that this book is autobiographical and Jimenez has written other works that chronicle the struggles of growing up in poverty and as an immigrant in the mid-twentieth century, but I just did not love this. Yes, it is for middle schoolers but seemed to be so little emotion in this that it actually read a bit like a bad application to a job interview for me.

As I was reading this, I was teaching the idea of respect. In fact, Jimenez’s father says early on that you should “Be respectful.  If you respect others, they will respect you.” This idea of respect was present at the start of this coming of age, going-away-from-home story but the second half was so episodic that it was hard to track these ideas. I get that this is real life, that Jimenez experienced this, but at the same time, an autobiography should explore larger themes that impacted the individual and this seemed devoid of that. The author, despite his hardship and poverty, actually ended up sounding like he was extremely lucky, privileged and handed a bunch of accolades and opportunities from a lot of white people that were conveniently and benevolently in his life. Not a lot of focus is placed on his own grit or his own conflicting emotions, and immigrant guilt, and certainly all of his instances of facing disrespect gets downplayed. Jimenez didn’t have to focus on that but this is a story solely without conflict. 

Life just happens to him and it turns out to be a good life. I wish there was more to this story than what we were offered, so I cannot recommend this book even for middle grade readers.