In his introduction to this collection of 23 poems, Gary Soto tells his readers that he thinks of his poems as a "working life, by which I mean that my poems are about commonplace, everyday things..." Arranged in a chronological order beginning with childhood and moving up through adolescence and young adulthood, the poems celebrate small, significant moments in the life of a working-class Chicano male. Each poem is introduced with a brief anecdote that places it in the context of Soto's life. In a four-page section at the book's end, he answers some of the questions young people have about poetry. (Age 11 and older)

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. This title has been selected as a Common Core Text Exemplar (Grades 6-8, Poetry)
Includes an introduction and an interview with the author.