CHAPTER 1: “UNDER THE WIRE” 1. In your own words, explain why Francisco Jimenez decided to name the chapter “Bajo la Alambada/Under the Wire”? Make sure to support with evidence from the text that shows why this is an appropriate title for the chapter. 2. At the end of chapter 1, Roberto and Francisco are discussing where they think the “Noon Train” is coming from. Roberto predicts the train is coming from California. Why doesn’t Roberto realize they are already living in California? Give evidence from the text to support your answer. 3. After receiving the package of fruit & candy, why does Roberto think the train is coming from California? Make sure to support your answer with evidence from the text. 4. Where did the family start from/live originally? Where are they now? What problems did they encounter along the way? 5. Why is the family undertaking such a trip? Do you think they knew very much about where they were going? Why or why not? 6. How do you feel about this family now that you know they are illegal immigrants? Would it make a difference to you if they had crossed the border legally? Why or why not? 7. Author’s Purpose: Why did he include this memory? What is its significance to him? 8. What was the tone of the Chapter? Chapter 2: “Soledad” 1. Where are they? What are they picking? 2. What problems do they encounter? 3. What values do we see in this chapter that are important to this family? 4. Why do you think the author named this chapter “Soledad?” 5. What connection is there between this word and what happens to Francisco in this chapter? 6. Why has the author included this memory in his book? What is he trying to tell his readers? 7. On page 12, the author states that “His grin quickly turned into a frown when he discovered the dirt clouds”. This sentence shows that Papa’s mood changed. Explain what has just happened, and why Papa’s mood changed. CHAPTER 3: “INSIDE OUT” 1. Where are they? What time of year is it? What are they picking? 2. Compare Francisco’s first day of school to your memory of your first day? What are the similarities? Differences? 3. Jimenez tells the story of the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly in this story. How does this relate to going to school for Francisco? 4. Why does the author name this chapter “Inside Out”? What does he mean by this? 5. Why has the author included this story in the book? 6. Explain two of Francisco’s different emotions (feelings). Make sure you have evidence from the text to support your answers. (For example: If you say that Francisco is feeling excited, then you need to write the sentences from the chapter that shows he was feeling excited. Also, write the page number you got that sentence from.) CHAPTER 4: “MIRACLE IN TENT CITY” 1. The narrator (Francisco) gives many details that show the reader that life as a migrant worker in Tent City was difficult for him and his family. Give at least 3 examples that show how difficult life was. 2. Where are they? What time of year is it? What are they picking? 3. Compare and contrast their current living conditions to what they thought it would be like in California. 4. Do you think this family is better or worse off than they were when they lived in Mexico? Why or why not? 5. What values and beliefs do this family have that we see strongly in this chapter? 6. What was the “miracle” in Tent City? Do you think that faith can help people endure hardship? In what ways? CHAPTER 5: “EL ANGEL DE ORO” 1. What happened to Miguelito and his family? Explain. 2. Why does Panchito have cardboard inside his shoes? 3. What is the author trying to tell us by creating the picture of the goldfish swimming by himself in the bowl, and then the picture of Panchito discovering that Miguelito’s cabin is empty? 4. Who do you think the pretty goldfish represents in the story? Why? 5. Who do the little gray fish represent? Why? CHAPTER 6: “CHRISTMAS GIFT” 1. What can the reader tell about Papa’s work ethic based on the information in the first paragraph? (Work ethic means how a person feels about hard work.) 2. Where is the family? What are they picking? 3. What difficulties are they facing right now? How are they solving their problems? 4. Think about this Christmas story. How does it compare to your usual Christmas? Does it remind you of any Christmases in your life? 5. In “The Christmas Gift”, the Jimenez family meets a couple that seems poorer than they are. Who helps this young couple? Were you surprised? What is the significance of the chapter title? (Think of all the gifts given and received in this chapter.) CHAPTER 7: “DEATH FORGIVEN” 1. According to the information in this chapter, Francisco’s father can be best described as – 2. Describe El Perico (appearance, disposition, country of origin, former owner, etc.) 3. Why do you think Jiménez describes El Perico as “undocumented” (48), his former owner Don Pancho as “an undocumented farm worker” (47), and Chico and Pilar as “undocumented” (48)? 4. What happens to the “undocumented” parrot? What do you think Jiménez is trying to say here? 5. What does Francisco do every day after they bury El Perico? CHAPTER 8: “COTTON SACK” 1. “Before I said anything, he looked at Roberto, who bravely kept on picking, and told me to go over to the fire. I knew then I had not yet earned my own sack”. These sentences show that Francisco – 2. Why does Francisco’s father say that he cannot have a cotton sack? 3. Why can’t they pick cotton while it’s raining? 4. What ailment does Papá have? 5. Who is the fastest picker in the family? 6. Francisco says that “[he] was determined to prove to Papá that [he] should get [his] own sack” and that he is “grown-up enough for his own sack” (59). Does he prove himself or not? Explain. CHAPTER 9: “THE CIRCUIT” 1. The importance of this chapter is – 2. Why do you think the author includes one paragraph about the man from Jalisco, the state in Mexico where Francisco is from? 3. What is Francisco’s view of constantly moving? 4. Why do you think the Carcachita is talked about so much in this book? 5. Who speaks English in order to ask about work? 6. Where does the family stay? 7. Why do Roberto and Francisco hide in the grape vineyard? 8. When does Francisco finally enroll in sixth grade? Why can’t Roberto enroll in school until February? 9. What does Mr. Lema do for Francisco? 10. What happens the same day Mr. Lema offers to teach Francisco how to play the trumpet? CHAPTER 10: “LEARNING THE GAME” 1. Why do you think Carlos let Manuelito play kick-the-can? 2. Why do you think the author titled this chapter “Learning the game”? What lesson does Francisco learn in this chapter? 3. Francisco begins counting down to what day, which is 132 days away? 4. What game do Francisco and the other boys play? Who decides who plays and who doesn’t? Why doesn’t this person want Manuelito to play? 5. Who is the new worker? Where is his family? 6. How many hours do Francisco, Roberto, Papá, and Gabriel work? 7. When Francisco and Gabriel are loaned out to a different sharecropper, what does the contratista (labor contractor) want Gabriel to do? Does Gabriel do it? Why or why not? What happens as a result? 8. What happens later that day when Francisco plays Kick-The-Can? What happens as a result? What does Carlos finally decide? CHAPTER 11: “TO HAVE AND TO HOLD” 1. What is the most likely reason Francisco writes down everything in his little “librito”? 2. What are Francisco’s two most prized possessions? 3. What two pennies are most important to him? Why? 4. What happens the day that Francisco is supposed to show his coin collection to Carl? 5. What does Francisco think Orosi means? 6. Where did Francisco get his little blue notebook? What does Francisco write in his little blue notebook? 7. In Orosi at Mr. Patrini’s, what type of building does the family live in? Why is this significant? 8. What happens to Francisco’s coins? 9. What happens to Francisco’s librito? How does Mamá comfort him about it? CHAPTER 12: “MOVING STILL” 1. After learning that Francisco and Roberto were picked up by the border patrol, what can the reader conclude about their future? Support your answer. 2. What is la migra? 3. Why does Francisco want to return to Santa Maria? 4. What class does Francisco excel at? What happens when he scores the highest on his quiz? 5. What does Mr. Sims, the principal, help Roberto get? 6. What is Francisco supposed to memorize for class? Does he get to recite it? Why or why not? 7. After reading this chapter and A Note from the Author, what do you think of Francisco’s Papá saying, “Education pays off, mi’jo. I am proud of you. Too bad your Mamá and I didn’t have the opportunity to go to school” (108). How do you think his parents view education? His siblings? How does he view it?