Module 5: Esperanza Rising

Book Summary

Esperanza, the daughter of a ranch owner, lives in a beautiful home in Mexico.  She has everything she wants including servants who wait on her.  An unfortunate turn of events causes Esperanza and her mother to flee Mexico and immigrate to America during the Great Depression.  Esperanza must overcome many obstacles as she adjusts to living at a migrant camp in California.

APA Reference

Ryan, Pam Munoz (2000).  Esperanza rising.  New York, NY:  Scholastic Inc.

Impressions

I thought this was a beautifully written book.  I tend to shy away from historical fiction because it tends to get bogged down with historical facts.  Ryan does a great job of highlighting the Mexican culture and time period without boring you with a history lesson!  I especially liked how the author included Mexican Proverbs and Spanish language.  It was interesting to read about Mexican immigrants during the Great Depression; I don't think there are many books on this topic!  The main character is spoiled yet likable, and you will find yourself rooting for her as she makes a new start in a new country.  This is a great multicultural book, especially for areas with a large Spanish population! 

 

Professional Review

Moving from a Mexican ranch to the company labor camps of California, Ryan's lyrical novel manages the contradictory: a story of migration and movement deeply rooted in the earth. When 14-year-old Esperanza's father is killed, she and her mother must emigrate to the U.S., where a family of former ranch workers has helped them find jobs in the agricultural labor camps. Coming from such privilege, Esperanza is ill prepared for the hard work and difficult conditions she now faces. She quickly learns household chores, though, and when her mother falls ill, she works packing produce until she makes enough money to bring her beloved abuelita to the U.S.. Set during the Great Depression, the story weaves cultural, economic, and political unrest into Esperanza's poignant tale of growing up: she witnesses strikes, government sweeps, and deep injustice while finding strength and love in her family and romance with a childhood friend. The symbolism is heavy-handed, as when Esperanza ominously pricks her finger on a rose thorne just before her father is killed. But Ryan writes movingly in clear, poetic language that children will sink into, and the books offers excellent opportunities for discussion and curriculum support.

Engberg, G. (2000, December 1).  [Review of the book Esperanza rising by Pam Munoz Ryan].  Booklist, 97(7), 708.

Library Uses

Put this book on an e-reader at a listening center!  The combination of English and Spanish language would make it an enjoyable book for students to listen to.

Book cover image from:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperanza_Rising