Santa Ana Unified School District Teacher Ernesto Cisneros Wins Literary Award for His Book, ‘Efrén Divided’

Ernesto Cisneros, a teacher from Mendez Fundamental Intermediate School, recently received statewide recognition for his book “Efrén Divided,” which tells the story of a boy whose life is changed when his mother is deported to Mexico. 

Cisneros, a Santa Ana High School alum, received the Golden Poppy Award from the California Independent Booksellers Alliance for “Efrén Divided,” in the category of Best Middle-Grade Book of 2020 in California. 

Cisneros was born and raised in Santa Ana. He holds an English degree from the University of California, Irvine; a teaching credential from California State University, Long Beach; and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from National University. 

As an author, he believes in providing youth with an honest depiction of characters with whom they can identify. 

“Efrén Divided” is a powerful story about a boy whose life is turned upside down when his mother is deported to Tijuana, Mexico. Efrén must channel his inner “Soperboy” to help take care of and try to reunite his family.

“I just know that there are a lot of Santa Ana children who have been separated from parents or other loved ones and could use a book to let them know that they are not alone and that they have allies within their community, specifically our school district,” Cisneros said. “The book takes place in Santa Ana, features actual neighborhoods, along with a lot of recognizable Santa Ana Easter eggs for readers to discover.”

For more information on “Efrén Divided,” click here.