Few writers capture the everyday moments of life like Gary Soto. In direct and vivid poems, he draws from his own youth in California's Central Valley to portray the joys and sorrows of young people. His writing focuses on Latino characters, yet speaks to readers of all ethnicities.     Acclaimed by educators since its original publication in 1998, A Fire in My Hands has been revised and expanded in this new edition. Old and new fans of Soto's work will welcome the return of his compelling poems. One of the poems in this collection, "Oranges," is a Common Core State Standards Exemplar (Grades 6-8, Poetry).
Includes an introduction and an interview with the author.
"These simple, free-verse selections skillfully capture that which is commonplace and transforms it into something mesmerizing and lovely. . . . will delight creative-writing teachers who are looking for a book that demonstrates the genesis of a poem as well as the compelling universality of the human experience."—SLJ