As the autobiographical narrator of the collection, Gary Soto uses each short story to explain the various aspects of his childhood and young adult life. As a child, Soto is best described as being ornery with his siblings, curious, and eager to learn. Although he describes himself as constantly getting in physical fights with his older brother, Rick, and the neighborhood kids, he also loves school, summer camp arts and crafts, and watching educational television. Although his father died when he was young, he never seems afflicted with sadness from the loss. He also never seems interested in filling that role in the family by taking on responsibilities. Instead, when his mother is at work all day during the summer months, Soto and his siblings cause trouble, fighting neighborhood kids and making messes in their house.

As a child, Soto is rambunctious and eager to make a name for himself. Not only does he want to make it big as a baseball player, but he wants to be wealthy so that he can enjoy the luxuries that he sees the white kids on TV enjoying. As he grows older, he maintains the desire to make money, but he does so with more practical jobs such as picking grapes and cotton and hauling tires.