The Jacket By Gary Soto

The Jacket by Gary Soto: A Deep Dive into Poverty, Desire, and the Power of a Gift

Introduction:

Gary Soto's poignant short story, "The Jacket," is more than just a childhood anecdote; it's a powerful exploration of class, longing, and the complex emotions surrounding material possessions. This article will delve deep into the narrative, analyzing its themes, symbolism, and literary devices, ultimately revealing the enduring power of Soto's storytelling. We'll dissect the story's structure, examine its characters, and uncover the profound impact of a simple, yet transformative, gift. Prepare to experience "The Jacket" on a whole new level.


1. The Crushing Weight of Poverty: A Socioeconomic Landscape:

Soto masterfully paints a picture of working-class poverty. The narrator's family struggles are subtly woven into the narrative, not through explicit descriptions of hardship, but through the details of their lives. The old, ill-fitting jacket itself symbolizes this poverty; it represents hand-me-downs, a constant reminder of limited resources. The description of the jacket – its smell, its worn fabric, its oversized fit – evokes a visceral understanding of the family's financial constraints. The narrator's shame and embarrassment aren't just about the jacket itself, but about the poverty it represents, a poverty that isolates and stigmatizes. This portrayal of poverty isn't melodramatic; instead, it's deeply relatable and poignant, making the reader empathize with the narrator's experience.


2. The Allure of Desire and the Pain of Exclusion:

The green jacket represents more than just clothing; it becomes a symbol of belonging and acceptance. The narrator's intense desire for the jacket stems from a deep-seated longing to fit in with his peers. He observes the other boys in their stylish jackets, their effortless coolness, and he feels a painful sense of exclusion. This desire isn't materialistic in a superficial way; it's a yearning for social acceptance and the perceived power and confidence that comes with it. The jacket becomes a tangible representation of this desire, highlighting the psychological impact of social exclusion, especially for a young, impressionable child.


3. The Gift and Its Transformative Power:

The climax of the story hinges on the unexpected gift of the jacket. The act of receiving the gift isn't simply about material acquisition; it represents a shift in the narrator's relationship with himself and his family. While initially ashamed, the narrator's subsequent actions – boasting about the jacket, wearing it with pride, and experiencing the joy of acceptance – demonstrate the transformative power of the gift. This transformation isn't just about the jacket itself, but about the love and care it represents, mending the invisible cracks of inadequacy. This act highlights the importance of familial support and the power of gifts to heal emotional wounds.


4. Symbolism and Literary Devices in "The Jacket":

Soto employs powerful symbolism throughout the story. The jacket, as already discussed, is the central symbol, representing poverty, desire, social status, and ultimately, love. The color green itself holds symbolic weight – often associated with nature, renewal, and hope – suggesting the potential for growth and transformation. Soto's use of vivid imagery and sensory details, particularly concerning the jacket’s smell and texture, draws the reader into the story and enhances the emotional impact. His simple yet effective language reflects the narrator's age and perspective, further adding to the story’s authenticity and relatability. The subtle use of irony, in the contrast between the narrator's initial shame and later pride, adds layers of meaning and complexity.


5. Character Development and Narrative Perspective:

The story is told from the first-person perspective, giving the reader direct access to the narrator's thoughts and feelings. This intimate perspective allows us to fully experience his emotional journey, from shame and envy to pride and joy. The narrator's character arc is central to the story's impact. He develops from a shy, insecure boy to someone who experiences a newfound sense of self-worth and belonging, demonstrating the potential for personal growth, even in the face of adversity. The minor characters, such as the narrator's family, also contribute to the narrative, though their roles are less prominent, creating a sense of family and community.


6. The Enduring Themes of "The Jacket":

"The Jacket" explores several enduring themes, chief among them being poverty and its psychological impact. The story also touches on themes of family, love, acceptance, and the transformative power of gifts. It explores the complex emotions surrounding material possessions and the way they can shape our sense of self and our relationships with others. These themes resonate deeply with readers of all ages and backgrounds, making the story timeless and relevant.


7. Analyzing the Story's Structure and Pacing:

Soto masterfully uses a chronological narrative structure, unfolding the story in a natural, organic way. The pacing is carefully controlled, building tension in the early stages as the narrator desires the jacket, then culminating in the emotional release of receiving the gift. The story's relatively short length doesn't diminish its impact; instead, its concise structure enhances its power and focus, ensuring that every detail contributes to the overall message. The carefully chosen details heighten the emotional resonance of the narrative, leaving a lasting impact on the reader.


Outline of "The Jacket" by Gary Soto:

I. Introduction: Sets the scene, introduces the narrator's desire for a green jacket.

II. The Longing for the Jacket: Details the narrator's observations of other boys wearing stylish jackets, highlighting his feelings of envy and inadequacy.

III. The Disappointment: The narrator’s attempts to obtain the jacket and the resulting disappointment and shame.

IV. The Gift: The unexpected gift of the jacket from his father.

V. Transformation and Acceptance: The narrator's newfound pride and confidence, the shift in his social standing, and the lasting impact of the gift.

VI. Conclusion: Reflection on the significance of the jacket and the emotional journey it represents.


Detailed Explanation of the Outline Points:

Each point in the outline above is comprehensively covered within the body of this article, expanding upon the themes, symbolism, and character development related to each stage of the narrative. For instance, Point II explores the allure of desire and the narrator's feelings of exclusion, connecting the jacket to a broader societal context of class and belonging. Point IV unpacks the transformative power of the gift and its symbolic significance. Point VI summarizes the story's enduring impact and its exploration of universal themes.


9 Unique FAQs about "The Jacket" by Gary Soto:

1. What is the primary symbol in "The Jacket," and what does it represent? The green jacket symbolizes poverty, desire, social status, and ultimately, the transformative power of love and family.

2. What is the setting of the story? The setting is implied to be a working-class neighborhood, likely in California, where Soto grew up.

3. What is the narrator's age? The narrator is likely a pre-teen or young teenager.

4. How does the father's gift of the jacket change the narrator? The gift fosters a newfound sense of confidence, belonging, and self-worth.

5. What literary devices does Soto employ? He uses vivid imagery, sensory details, and subtle irony to create a powerful narrative.

6. What is the overall tone of the story? The tone shifts from one of longing and shame to one of joy and acceptance.

7. What themes does the story explore? Key themes include poverty, desire, family, belonging, and the power of simple acts of kindness.

8. How does the story's ending contribute to its overall message? The ending emphasizes the lasting impact of the gift and the transformative power of love.

9. What makes "The Jacket" a significant piece of literature? It's a poignant exploration of universal themes and a powerful portrayal of childhood experiences and the human condition.


9 Related Articles:

1. Gary Soto's Literary Style and Themes: An analysis of Soto's overall writing style and recurring thematic concerns.

2. The Role of Family in Gary Soto's Works: An exploration of family relationships in Soto's various stories and poems.

3. Poverty and Childhood in Chicano Literature: Examining the representation of poverty and childhood in the works of Chicano writers.

4. Symbolism in Gary Soto's Short Stories: A deeper dive into the symbolic meaning of objects and events in Soto’s stories.

5. Comparing "The Jacket" to Other Stories about Childhood Poverty: A comparative study of similar themes in different literary works.

6. The Impact of Gifts in Literature: Exploring the significance of gifts and their emotional weight in various literary contexts.

7. Gary Soto's Autobiographical Influences: Discussing the autobiographical elements present in Soto's work.

8. Teaching "The Jacket" in the Classroom: Suggestions and strategies for educators teaching this story to students.

9. The Power of Sensory Details in Storytelling: Examining the use of sensory details to create immersive narratives.


  the jacket by gary soto: Gary Soto Tamra B. Orr, 2004-12-15 Discusses the life and work of the Mexican American author, including his writing process, themes, and a critical discussion of his books.
  the jacket by gary soto: The Jacket Andrew Clements, 2002-02 An incident at school forces sixth grader Phil Morelli, a white boy, to become aware of racial discrimination and segregation, and to seriously consider if he himself is prejudiced.
  the jacket by gary soto: The Effects of Knut Hamsun on a Fresno Boy Gary Soto, 2000 The Chicano writer presents forty-eight short essays and memoir pieces set in his hometown of Fresno, California, and in the San Francisco Bay area.
  the jacket by gary soto: A Summer Life Gary Soto, 1991-08-01 Gary Soto writes that when he was five what I knew best was at ground level. In this lively collection of short essays, Soto takes his reader to a ground-level perspective, resreating in vivid detail the sights, sounds, smells, and textures he knew growing up in his Fresno, California, neighborhood. The things of his boyhood tie it all together: his Buddha splotched with gold, the taps of his shoes and the engines of sparks that lived beneath my soles, his worn tennies smelling of summer grass, asphalt, the moist sock breathing the defeat of basesall. The child's world is made up of small things--small, very important things.
  the jacket by gary soto: Living Up The Street Gary Soto, 1992-02-01 In a prose that is so beautiful it is poetry, we see the world of growing up and going somewhere through the dust and heat of Fresno's industrial side and beyond: It is a boy's coming of age in the barrio, parochial school, attending church, public summer school, and trying to fall out of love so he can join in a Little League baseball team. His is a clarity that rings constantly through the warmth and wry reality of these sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic, always human remembrances.
  the jacket by gary soto: Petty Crimes Gary Soto, 1998 A hard-hitting short story collection takes a hard look at teens and preteens on the edge.
  the jacket by gary soto: Afterlife Gary Soto, 2005-03 A senior at East Fresno High School lives on as a ghost after his brutal murder in the restroom of a club where he had gone to dance.
  the jacket by gary soto: Jesse Gary Soto, 2006 Two Mexican American brothers hope that junior college will help them escape their heritage of tedious physical labor.
  the jacket by gary soto: Nerdlandia Gary Soto, 1999-07-19 A hip, funny, Latino rendition of Grease, this play features three cool muchachos who come to the aid of Martin, a chicano nerd who loves a beautiful, popular girl, Ceci, from afar.With the help of his friends, Martin changes his miage and impresses Ceci and her friends, without letting on who he is. This is a problem for Ceci, because, in the meantime, she's transformed herself into a Chicana nert to win the heard of her secret love--Martin. A totally modern, totally cool tale of teenage romance.
  the jacket by gary soto: Local News Gary Soto, 2003 In thirteen stories full of wit and energy, Gary Soto illuminates the ordinary lives of young people. Meet Angel, who would rather fork over twenty bucks than have photos of his naked body plastered all over school; Philip, who discovers he has a mechanical mind, whatever that means; Estela, known as Stinger, who rules Jos 's heart and the racquetball court; and many other kids, all of them with problems as big as only a preteen can make them. Funny, touching, and wholly original, Local News is Gary Soto in top form.
  the jacket by gary soto: The Skirt Gary Soto, 2012-11-28 For fans of Gary Soto and Matt de la Peña comes a tale of a contemporary Mexican-American family with a spunky and imaginative heroine (Publishers Weekly). Miata Ramirez is scared and upset. The skirt she brought to show off at school is gone. She brought her forklorico skirt to show off at school and left it on the bus. It’s not just any skirt. This skirt belonged to Miata’s mother when she was a child in Mexico. On Sunday, Miata and her dance group are supposedgoing to dance forklorico, or traditional Mexican folk dances; and that kind of dancing requires a skirt like the one Miata lost. It’s Friday afternoon. Miata doesn’ t want her parents to know she’s lost something again. Can she find a way to rescue the precious skirt in time? With its focus on family ties, friendship, and ethnic pride and Includes an afterword from its acclaimedthe author, The Skirt is a story that children everywhere will relate to and be inspired by, no matter their background. A light, engaging narrative that successfully combines information on Hispanic culture with familiar and recognizable childhood themes....A fine read-aloud and discussion starter, this story blends cultural differences with human similarities to create both interest and understanding.—SLJ “Light, easy reading . . . offering readers a cast and situations with which to identify, whatever their own ethnic origins.”—The Bulletin Soto's light tale offers a pleasant blend of family ties, friendship and ethnic pride...[and Miata is] a spunky and imaginative heroine.—Publishers Weekly
  the jacket by gary soto: Gary Soto Gary Soto, 1995 Soto writes with a pure sweetness free of sentimentality that is almost extraordinary in modern American poetry. -- Andrew Hudgins. Soto insists on the possibility of a redemptive power, and he celebrates the heroic, quixotic capacity for survival in human beings and the natural world. -- Publishers Weekly. Soto has it all -- the learned craft, the intrinsic abilities with language, a fascinating autobiography, and the storyteller's ability to manipulate memories into folklore. -- Library Journal.
  the jacket by gary soto: Buried Onions Gary Soto, 2006 When nineteen-year-old Eddie drops out of college, he struggles to find a place for himself as a Mexican American living in a violence-infested neighborhood of Fresno, California.
  the jacket by gary soto: The Elements of San Joaquin Gary Soto, 2018-04-03 A timely new edition of a pioneering work in Latino literature, National Book Award nominee Gary Soto's first collection (originally published in 1977) draws on California's fertile San Joaquin Valley, the people, the place, and the hard agricultural work done there by immigrants. In these poems, joy and anger, violence and hope are placed in both the metaphorical and very real circumstances of the Valley. Rooted in personal experiences—of the poet as a young man, his friends, family, and neighbors—the poems are spare but expansive, with Soto's voice as important as ever. This welcome new edition has been expanded with a crucial selection of complementary poems (some previously unpublished) and a new introduction by the author.
  the jacket by gary soto: Refresh, Refresh Benjamin Percy, 2010-09-28 The war in Iraq empties the small town of Tumalo, Oregon, of men—of fathers—leaving their sons to fight among themselves. But the boys' bravado fades at home when, alone, they check e-mail again and again for word from their fathers at the front. Often from fractured homes and communities, the young men in these breathless stories do the unthinkable to prove to themselves—to everyone—that they are strong enough to face the heartbreak in this world. Set in rural Oregon with the shadow of the Cascade Mountains hanging over them, these stories bring you face-to-face with a mad bear, a house with a basement that opens up into a cave, a nuclear meltdown that renders the Pacific Northwest into a contemporary Wild West. Refresh, Refresh by Benjamin Percy is a bold, fiery, and unforgettable collection that deals with vital issues of our time.
  the jacket by gary soto: Accidental Love Gary Soto, 2006 The award-winning author of Baseball in April and Other Stories deftly captures all the angst, expectation, and humor that comes with first love in this swift, lighthearted romance.
  the jacket by gary soto: If the Shoe Fits Jane B. Mason, Sarah Hines Stephens, 2004 Ella and her new friends go through Princess School.
  the jacket by gary soto: Gary Soto Ron McFarland, 2022-08-05 In a 1995 interview, prolific Chicano writer Gary Soto noted, Wonderment has always been a part of my life. This book surveys Soto's immense range of poems, stories, novels, essays and plays for audiences of prereaders to adults. Soto's world moves from the cotton and beet fields of the San Joaquin Valley to the blue-collar barrios of Fresno, and to urban and suburban settings in Oakland and Berkeley. Chapters analyze a wide variety of Soto titles, from his breakout works like 1977's The Elements of San Joaquin to the Chato the Cat illustrated books for children. With self-deprecating humor, particularly in his poems, Soto combines his wonderment with the trials and conflicts that beset him throughout life. In such novels as Jesse, Buried Onions and The Afterlife, and in his stories for YA readers, including Baseball in April and Petty Crimes, his broad array of characters confront the anxieties and annoyances of adolescence. Although he continues to motivate young Chicanos to read and write, Soto stakes his greatest claims to literary prominence through his poems, which are accessible to readers of all ages.
  the jacket by gary soto: Burro Genius Victor Villasenor, 2008-07-08 Standing at the podium, Victor Villaseñor looked at the group of educators amassed before him, and his mind flooded with childhood memories of humiliation and abuse at the hands of his teachers. He became enraged. With a pounding heart, he began to speak of these incidents. When he was through, to his great disbelief he received a standing ovation. Many in the audience could not contain their own tears. So begins the passionate, touching memoir of Victor Villaseñor. Highly gifted and imaginative as a child, Villaseñor coped with an untreated learning disability (he was finally diagnosed, at the age of forty-four, with extreme dyslexia) and the frustration of growing up Latino in an English-only American school in the 1940s. Despite teachers who beat him because he could not speak English, Villaseñor clung to his dream of one day becoming a writer. He is now considered one of the premier writers of our time.
  the jacket by gary soto: Baseball in April and Other Stories Gary Soto, 1990 The Mexican American author Gary Soto draws on his own experience of growing up in California's Central Valley in this finely crafted collection of eleven short stories that reveal big themes in the small events of daily life. Crooked teeth, ponytailed girls, embarrassing grandfathers, imposter Barbies, annoying brothers, Little League tryouts, and karate lessons weave the colorful fabric of Soto's world. The smart, tough, vulnerable kids in these stories are Latino, but their dreams and desires belong to all of us. Glossary of Spanish terms included. Awards: ALA Best Book for Young Adults, Booklist Editors' Choice, Horn Book Fanfare Selection, Judy Lopez Memorial Honor Book, Parenting Magazine's Reading Magic Award, John and Patricia Beatty Award
  the jacket by gary soto: Paul's Case Willa Cather, 2022-06-03 Paul is a schoolboy, described as tall and thin with strange eyes. He is facing the headmaster and several of his teachers, with whom he does not have a good relationship. All of them, in one way or another, find him difficult and disturbing to teach.
  the jacket by gary soto: This Boy's Life Tobias Wolff, 2007-12-01 The PEN/Faulkner Award–winning author recounts coming of age in 1950s Washington State with his mother and abusive stepfather in this classic memoir. This unforgettable memoir, by one of our most gifted writers, introduces us to the young Toby Wolff, by turns tough and vulnerable, crafty and bumbling, and ultimately winning. Separated by divorce from his father and brother, Toby and his mother are constantly on the move. As he fights for identity and self-respect against the unrelenting hostility of a new stepfather, his experiences are at once poignant and comical, and Wolff masterfully re-creates the frustrations, cruelties, and joys of adolescence. His various schemes—running away to Alaska, forging checks, and stealing cars—lead eventually to an act of outrageous self-invention that releases him into a new world of possibility. Praise for This Boy’s Life “Wolff writes in language that is lyrical without embellishment, defines his characters with exact strokes and perfectly pitched voices, [and] creates suspense around ordinary events, locating the deep mystery within them.” —Los Angeles Times Book Review “[This] extraordinary memoir is so beautifully written that we not only root for the kid Wolff remembers, but we also are moved by the universality of his experience.” —San Francisco Chronicle “A work of genuine literary art . . . as grim and eerie as Great Expectations, as surreal and cruel as The Painted Bird, as comic and transcendent as Huckleberry Finn.” —The Philadelphia Inquirer “Wolff’s genius is in his fine storytelling. This Boy’s Life reads and entertains as easily as a novel. Wolff’s writing and timing are superb, as are his depictions of those of us who endured the 50s.” —The Oregonian
  the jacket by gary soto: Big Bushy Mustache Gary Soto, 1998 In order to look more like his father, Ricky borrows a mustache from a school costume, but when he loses it on the way home his father comes up with a replacement.
  the jacket by gary soto: The Child to Come Rebekah Sheldon, 2016-11-01 Generation Anthropocene. Storms of My Grandchildren. Our Children’s Trust. Why do these and other attempts to imagine the planet’s uncertain future return us—again and again—to the image of the child? In The Child to Come, Rebekah Sheldon demonstrates the pervasive conjunction of the imperiled child and the threatened Earth and blisteringly critiques the logic of catastrophe that serves as its motive and its method. Sheldon explores representations of this perilous future and the new figurations of the child that have arisen in response to it. Analyzing catastrophe discourse from the 1960s to the present—books by Joanna Russ, Margaret Atwood, and Cormac McCarthy; films and television series including Southland Tales, Battlestar Galactica, and Children of Men; and popular environmentalism—Sheldon finds the child standing in the place of the human species, coordinating its safe passage into the future through the promise of one more generation. Yet, she contends, the child figure emerges bound to the very forces of nonhuman vitality he was forged to contain. Bringing together queer theory, ecocriticism, and science studies, The Child to Come draws on and extends arguments in childhood studies about the interweaving of the child with the life sciences. Sheldon reveals that neither life nor the child are what they used to be. Under pressure from ecological change, artificial reproductive technology, genetic engineering, and the neoliberalization of the economy, the queerly human child signals something new: the biopolitics of reproduction. By promising the pliability of the body’s vitality, the pregnant woman and the sacred child have become the paradigmatic figures for twenty-first century biopolitics.
  the jacket by gary soto: Truth & Dare Liz Miles, 2011-05-26 The truth is that for those who dare to be different school and growing up can be hell. Truth & Dare is a collection of edgy, quirky stories that revolve around a funny, nerdy cast of characters who struggle to fit in . . . or struggle not to. They will appeal to the inner geek of anyone caught up in attempts to navigate the labyrinthine teen caste system. Written in authentic teen voices, they speak to fans of the movies Juno and Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist and the TV series The Gilmore Girls. Witty and smart, these are short stories from the point of view of funny, though not always cool or popular guys and girls, who are dealing with all the pressures of growing up - school, friends, music, relationships, parents, and just plain fitting in (or not). Contributors: Jennifer Finney Boylan is author of eleven books, five of which are YA books. Sarah Rees Brennan is author of The Demon's Lexicon, which was one of Kirkus' Best Books, ALA's Top Ten Best Books and a Best British Fantasy book. Cecil Castellucci author of Rose Sees Red and a picture book Grandma's Gloves. Emma Donoghue author of Booker-shortlisted Room. AM Homes is the winner of the 2013 Women's Prize for Fiction (formerly known as the Orange) for her novel May We Be Forgiven. She is also the author of, This Book Will Save Your Life, Music For Torching, The End of Alice, In a Country of Mothers, and Jack. Jennifer R. Hubbard author of the contemporary YA novel The Secret Year, published in 2010. Heidi R. Kling is the author of the Penguin Young Readers YA novel Sea, a story of hope after tragedy set in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami. Michael Lowenthal is the author of the novels Charity Girl, Avoidance, and The Same Embrace Saundra Mitchell author of Shadowed Summer and The Vespertine. Luisa Plaja author of the teen novels-Split by a Kiss, Swapped by a Kiss and Extreme Kissing. Matthue Roth author of Never Mind the Goldbergs, his first novel, a coming-of-age tale Sherry Shahan has written over 30 books, including Purple Daze. Shelley Stoehr author of four award-winning novels for Young Adults, including the still popular, award-winning, Crosses. Ellen Wittlinger had her first teen novel, Lombardo's Law,published in 1993. Jill Wolfson author of award-winning novels for young people including What I Call Life; Home, and Other Big, Fat Lies; and Cold Hands, and Warm Heart. Also includes: Courtney Gillette, Jennifer Knight, Gary Soto, and Sara Wilkinson
  the jacket by gary soto: The Librarian of Basra , 2005 In the Koran, the first thing God said to Muhammad was 'Read.
  the jacket by gary soto: Taking Sides Gary Soto, 1991 Lincoln Mendoza has to face his homeboys when his posh new school goes up against his old school on the basketball court.
  the jacket by gary soto: I Thought I'd Take My Rat to School Dorothy Mintzlaff Kennedy, 1993 A collection of poems capturing the good and the bad sides of school, by such authors as Russell Hoban, Gary Soto, and Karla Kuskin.
  the jacket by gary soto: Growing Up Chicana/o Bill Adler, A Lopez, Tiffany A. Lopez, 2009-03-17 What Does It Mean To Grow Up Chicana/o? When I was growing up, I never read anything in school by anyone who had a Z in their last name. This anthology is, in many ways, a public gift to that child who was always searching for herself whithin the pages of a book. from the Introduction by Tiffany Ana Lopez Louie The Foot Gonzalez tells of an eighty-nine-year-old woman with only one tooth who did strange and magical healings... Her name was Dona Tona and she was never taken seriously until someone got sick and sent for her. She'd always show up, even if she had to drag herself, and she stayed as long as needed. Dona Tona didn't seem to mind that after she had helped them, they ridiculed her ways. Rosa Elena Yzquierdo remembers when homemade tortillas and homespun wisdom went hand-in-hand... As children we watched our abuelas lovingly make tortillas. In my own grandmother's kitchen, it was an opportunity for me to ask questions within the safety of that warm room...and the conversation carried resonance far beyond the kitchen... Sandra Cisneros remembers growing up in Chicago... Teachers thought if you were poor and Mexican you didn't have anything to say. Now I know, We've got to tell our own history...making communication happen between cultures.
  the jacket by gary soto: Bookjoy, Wordjoy Pat Mora, 2018 An inspiring collection of Pat Mora's own glorious poems celebrating a love of words and all the ways we use and interact with them: reading, speaking, writing, and singing.
  the jacket by gary soto: Live to Tell Lisa Gardner, 2010-07-13 “A suspenseful roller-coaster ride.”—Karin Slaughter • “Lisa Gardner always delivers heart-stopping suspense.”—Harlan Coben He knows everything about you—including the first place you’ll hide. On a warm summer night in one of Boston’s working-class neighborhoods, an unthinkable crime has been committed: Four members of a family have been brutally murdered. The father—and possible suspect—now lies clinging to life in the ICU. Murder-suicide? Or something worse? Veteran police detective D. D. Warren is certain of only one thing: There’s more to this case than meets the eye. Danielle Burton is a survivor, a dedicated nurse whose passion is to help children at a locked-down pediatric psych ward. But she remains haunted by a family tragedy that shattered her life nearly twenty-five years ago. The dark anniversary is approaching, and when D. D. Warren and her partner show up at the facility, Danielle immediately realizes: It has started again. A devoted mother, Victoria Oliver has a hard time remembering what normalcy is like. But she will do anything to ensure that her troubled son has some semblance of a childhood. She will love him no matter what. Nurture him. Keep him safe. Protect him. Even when the threat comes from within her own house. The lives of these three women unfold and connect in unexpected ways, as sins from the past emerge—and stunning secrets reveal just how tightly blood ties can bind. Sometimes the most devastating crimes are the ones closest to home.
  the jacket by gary soto: A Journey Toward Hope Victor Hinojosa, Coert Voorhees, 2020-08-04 p>Four unaccompanied migrant children come together along the arduous journey north through Mexico to the United States border in this ode to the power of hope and connection even in the face of uncertainty and fear. Every year, roughly 50,000 unaccompanied minors arrive at the US/Mexico border to present themselves for asylum or related visas. The majority of these children are non-Mexicans fleeing the systemic violence of Central America’s Northern Triangle: Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. A Journey Toward Hope tells the story of Rodrigo, a 14-year-old escaping Honduran violence; Alessandra, a 10-year-old Guatemalan whose first language is Q'eqchi'; and the Salvadoran siblings Laura and Nando. Though their reasons for making the trip are different and the journey northward is perilous, the four children band together, finding strength in one another as they share the dreams of their past and the hopes for their future. A Journey Toward Hope is written in collaboration with Baylor University’s Social Innovation Collaborative, with illustrations by the award-winning Susan Guevara (Chato's Kitchen, American Library Association Notable Book, New York Public Library's 100 Great Children’s Books / 100 Years). It includes four pages of nonfiction back matter with additional information and resources created by the Baylor Social Innovation Collaborative.
  the jacket by gary soto: Preposterous Paul B. Janeczko, 1991 An anthology of poetry about being a teenager and adolescent problems and concerns.
  the jacket by gary soto: The Gold Cadillac Mildred D. Taylor, 1998-02-01 Another powerful story in the Logan Family Saga and companion to Mildred D. Taylor's Newbery Award-winning Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. A drive South becomes dangerous for ‘lois and her family. 'Lois and Wilma are proud of their father's brand-new gold Cadillac, and excited that the family will be driving it all the way from Ohio to Mississippi. But as they travel deeper into the rural South, there are no admiring glances for the shiny new car; only suspicion and anger for the black man behind the wheel. For the first time in their lives, Lois and her sister know what it's like to feel scared because of the color of their skin. A personal, poignant look at a black child's first experience with institutional racism.--The New York Times
  the jacket by gary soto: Crabbe William Bell, 1999-06-01 Angry and rebellious, eighteen-year-old Franklin Crabbe skips his final exams and disappears into the Canadian wilderness, where a woman with her own reasons for hiding teaches him how to survive, as well as how to live.
  the jacket by gary soto: Black Hair Gary Soto, 1985
  the jacket by gary soto: Local News Gary Soto, 2001 A collection of thirteen short stories about the everyday lives of Mexican American young people in California's Central Valley.[
  the jacket by gary soto: Facts of Life Gary Soto, 2008-05-01 What do Gaby Lopez, Michael Robles, and Cynthia Rodriguez have in common? These three kids join other teens and tweens in Gary Soto's new short story collection, in which the hard-knock facts of growing up are captured with humor and poignance. Filled with annoying siblings, difficult parents, and first loves, these stories are a masterful reminder of why adolescence is one of the most frustrating and fascinating times of life.
  the jacket by gary soto: Fiction and Nonfiction Carolyn M. Callahan, Tracy C. Missett, 2021-09-09 The CLEAR curriculum, developed by University of Virginia's National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, is an evidence-based teaching model that emphasizes Challenge Leading to Engagement, Achievement, and Results. In Fiction and Nonfiction: Language Arts Units for Gifted Students in Grade 4, students will read and analyze short stories and write their own short story in the fiction unit. In the nonfiction unit, students will study nonfiction (and creative nonfiction) texts to examine how writers use many of the same devices to tell nonfiction stories. Students will read a variety of texts and will write their own memoirs. These units focus on critical literacy skills, including reading diverse content, understanding texts as reflections of culture, and finding bias in fiction and nonfiction. Grade 4
  the jacket by gary soto: Get Free Tricia Ebarvia, 2023-10-10 What would it mean to truly get free as an educator? How can we identify and challenge bias in our reading and writing curriculum and instruction? How can we support students in becoming empathetic, engaged individuals who can communicate with the world through reading and writing skills developed with compassion and critical thinking? Answering these questions requires deep personal reflection and intentional daily practice — and it’s crucial today more than ever, when students are overwhelmed with misinformation and disinformation. Drawn from decades of classroom experience and founded on the scholarship of social justice educators,Tricia Ebarvia provides a framework that can help teachers implement transformative, anti-bias literacy instruction in middle- and high school classrooms Get Free offers educators Strategies for scaffolding literacy instruction in ways that center students’ identities and experiences, and help them develop a more inclusive understanding of literature and writing Classroom structures and routines that support critical listening and open, authentic conversation and writing responses Invitations for teachers to re-examine curriculum and instructional practices, based on a deeper sense of who we are and what we bring to every reading and writing experience To develop stronger reading, writing, and critical thinking skills, antibias literacy instruction is essential. This is the book for teachers, new and experienced, who know that classrooms can be transformative, liberatory spaces where students better understand themselves, others, and the world. Imagine the possibilities if we could just get free...