Breaking Through- Multicultural

Breaking Through portrays the story of Francisco Jimenez's harsh life. His family escapes from Mexico when he is four years old and they settle in the United States. Fransisco and his older brother, Roberto, start school. The family struggles to make ends meet, especially after Francisco's father's back starts to keep him from being able to work in the fields. Things start to look up when Roberto finds a job as a school janitor, but the family always worries in the back of their mind about getting sent back to Mexico. Their worst fears come true when Roberto is fourteen years old. He is in class when one of the la migra comes to get him. His entire family goes back to Mexico until they can get their paperwork to return to the United States. Since the family has very little money, they decide to only send Francisco and Roberto back to the United States to work until their father's back heals. The two boys struggle to support themselves and save enough money to send back to their family. They are eventually reunited, but not after having to put up with many tough times. This story shows the true strength that some children have to possess. Francisco has to worry about things that no boy that young should ever have to experience or be responsible for. I enjoyed this book because it was such a great story of courage. It shows that anyone really can do what they set their mind to. We take far too many things for granted and it is hard to realize this until we have seen things from a less fortunate person's perspective.