Cajas de Carton

By: Francisco Jiménez

Narrated by: Adrian Vargas

In Spanish. Francisco Jiménez writes of his childhood growing up in an immigrant Mexican family. His narrative is simple, as from a child's point of view, but that same simplicity packs the power of a highly skilled storyteller.

Beautifully and authentically rendered by actor and playwright Adrian Vargas, these 12 stories tell of the almost unendurable journey most migrant campesinos undertake to find the American Dream. The recording concludes with an afterword recorded by the author. Cajas de Cartón is also available in English as The Circuit.

©1997 Francisco Jimé (P)2001 Audio Bookshelf

Critic reviews

Fantastic story on the challenges of growing up in a migrant working family.

The book is so good and moving, but it is ever so depressing! I would recommend this book as a literary text to explore social justice issues around immigration. I can’t wait to read the second book. I hope however that it will be more uplifting than this first volume in the series.

Moving story of an immigrant family

The book relates stories of the author who grew up in family of migrant workers. He relates his life over the years, giving a great insight into the life of migrant workers. The story is very touching, sad at times and funny at times. It’s a great read.

lindo libro y gran lección de vida

Este libro es excelente. Me encantó. Me llevó a imaginarme cómo era la vida de este niño y como con tan poco se puede ser feliz. Además de darme cuenta cómo era o sigue siendo la vida de los trabajadores indocumentados en los campos de USA.

A poignant story, excellently told

None of his sequels on audible appear to be in Spanish! I was really looking forward to listening to Pasos Firmes, Más allá de mi y Senderos fronterizos en español. I am so disappointed!

It touched my heart

I'm an Anglo who teaches high school Spanish in a suburb of Houston. I listen to these stories for entertainment and to improve my Spanish.
This story was written in very comprehensible Spanish and read by a good reader. Most important, the story was sensational! I could visualize the two boys waving to the train conductor. I could imagine the family's anguish when the baby got sick. It was a very touching story. I listened to it twice.

Cajas de cartón

Me gusto mucho la historia
Y me sentí triste por todo lo que tubo que vivir la familia

Through a child's eyes

I'm learning Spanish & this was one of my first "real" books in the language. Now I want to buy it in English for other friends who dont speak Spanish. It was such a difficult story told in such beautiful, simple words from a child's point of view. But more than just a difficult story, it was also inspiring to read about how people who have nothing and the world stacked against them with luck, motivation, perseverence, and acts of kindness from outsiders can make their's and other people's lives as well better. Books like this help us all become a little more empathetic.

Simple, engaging language

I really liked this book. It's simple, but I found it to be very compelling. I appreciated his lack of drama. When you've finished one of the chapters you become aware that you just read something very moving, but that it wasn't "in your face". He doesn't use dramatic adjectives to tell the story. He doesn't use excessive literary devices. He just tells the story, and let's the story carry itself. I kept trying to understand why the story was so compelling to me because the author doesn't try to introduce drama or suspense as a literary device. The book is also good for an intermediate student of Spanish.

Incredible Story!

Where does Cajas de Carton rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Absolutely loved this book! It was assigned reading in my conversational Spanish class and I could not put it down. I read it numerous times and then decided to purchase it on audible to help improve my Spanish listening comprehension. The narrator is wonderful for a beginning Spanish speaker because he doesn't speak too fast. The story of Francisco's life is very moving and will definitely make you rethink the illegal immigration situation in this country. I highly recommend this book as well as his next 2 books which follow his life through graduation from college.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Cajas de Carton?

When his sister used his pennies to buy gum and then their house burned down. My heart just ached for him and his family.

Great story, helps us understand others' struggles

The author's message helps us understand life from another person's perspective and experiences, so we can be more compassionate.