How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
We spent that night underneath the eucalyptus trees. We gathered leaves from the trees, which smelled like sweet gum, and piled them to lie on. Roberto and I slept between Papá and Mamá. (1.24)
Francisco's family is close-knit. They've just arrived in California, only to find that they can't get work just yet. Now they're worried, and all they can do is wait. But all this stress can't tear this family apart—just take a look at how they're all sleeping together in their homemade beds. It's pretty sweet.
Quote #2
"Sí, Papá," I answered timidly. I was hurt and confused. Seeking comfort, I walked over to Roberto and whispered to him, "Someday, I will get to go pick cotton with you, Papá, and Mamá. Then I won't be left alone." Roberto put his arm around me and nodded his head. (2.12)
Oh boy, Francisco is in trouble. Instead of babysitting his little brother, Francisco wanted to prove that he could pick cotton too—but when his parents get mad, Francisco feels seriously down in the dumps. It stinks to disappoint your parents, and now Francisco knows just what that feels like. Hey, at least he's got his big bro to make him feel better. Looks like sibling and parent relationships can be pretty different in this book.
Quote #3
When the baby was finally born, Roberto, Trampita, and I were excited to see him, especially because we had worked so hard to get things ready for him. Papá and Mamá named him Juan Manuel, but we all called him Torito, or little bull, because he weighed ten pounds at birth. […] Whenever I changed his diaper, I made him laugh by tickling his stomach. (4.10)
Francisco is getting to be a great older brother. When his little brother Torito is born, he's helpful as can be, right down to changing his diapers. Now we'd call that dedication. What do you think about Francisco's attitude toward his growing family? It sounds to us like he's super excited to get a new sibling—and he doesn't even complain here about all the work.