The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child

Francisco Jimenez was born in Tlaquepaque, Mexico in 1943. His family immigrated illegally to the United States when he was four years old. At the age of six, he started working in the fields alongside his family. He and his family were deported when he was in eighth grade but showed their perseverance and hope for a better life by returning legally with visas a few months later. Jimenez credits his family for instilling in him their courage and hope and credits his teachers for recognizing and supporting his potential.

Jimenez attended Santa Clara University, where he graduated with a bachelor of arts in Spanish. He became a US citizen during his junior year in college. Jimenez earned a master’s degree and a PhD at Columbia University in Latin American Literature and went on to teach at Columbia and, later, at Santa Clara University, where he is currently (2023) Professor Emeritus in the department of modern languages and literatures.

Jimenez has received many awards and accolades for both his teaching and his writing. He was named the 2002 US Professor of the Year by CASE and Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and the four books in The Circuit series were chosen for Booklist’s 50 Best Young Adult (YA) Books of All Time.