Esperanza Rising

BIBLIOGRAPHY :
Ryan, Pam Munoz. 2000. Esperanza Rising. Ill. by Brian Selznick. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439398851.

PLOT SUMMARY:
Esperanza and her mother are forced to leave their life of wealth and privilege on a ranch in Aguascalientes, Mexico when Esperanza’s father is killed by bandits. Esperanza’s grandmother (Abuelita) is too ill to follow and is left behind with the promise to join them at a later date. They travel with their former housekeeper and her family to California to work as farm labor workers. Esperanza finds her new place in society difficult to deal with. When her mama falls ill and leaves Esperanza to continue without her, she finds the will to preserver in the face of adversity. This historical fiction novel is set in the time of the Great Depression and racism.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
The one illustration is found on the front cover of the book. The depiction of Esperanza with her wavy, dark, long hair flowing in the wind is of a light skinned young girl with fine features. The text is a goldmine of cultural markers to indicate the specific culture as Mexican in origin. Many words and sentences intermingle the Spanish language with the English language. The Spanish words are in italics to distinguish them. The Spanish saying of “aguantate tantito y la fruta caera en tu mano” (good things come to those who wait) is used frequently. Names of characters include Ramona, Esperanza, Sixto, Horntensia and Miguel to name a few. Mama and Papa or Papi, Abuelita, Tio, senor and senora are used as forms of address specific to the culture. The author describes Esperanza’s mother as “tall and elegant, her hair in the usual braided wreath that crowned her head and Papa [Esperanza’s father as], barely taller than Mama, his graying mustache twisted up at the sides.” Interestingly, the chapters are named after the current fruit or vegetable in season as the workers lives depended on and passed in a series of produce seasons worked in the labor camps.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S):

Review from BOOKLIST: Gr. 6-9. Ryan's clear, poetic language is, unfortunately, lost in Molinero's formal Spanish rendition that lacks the lyricism of the original. Nonetheless, Spanish-speaking readers will be touched by the poignancy in the lives of 13-year-old Esperanza and her mother, who are forced to leave their wealthy ranch in Aguascalientes, Mexico, and move to a life of poverty and hard work in a farm labor camp in Southern California.

Review from SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: Gr 6-9-Inspired by her grandmother's immigration stories, Pamela Mu-oz Ryan (Scholastic 2000) offers valuable glimpses of the lives of Mexican-American farm workers during the Depression. When her father dies, 13-year-old Esperanza and her mother are forced to abandon their privileged lives and move to California. At first the proud girl is appalled that they must share a cramped row house and work at menial jobs, but when her mother becomes gravely ill, she learns the value of generous friends and her own inner resources. This coming-of-age story also looks at the economic and social issues of that era, and the author's note adds valuable factual information. Trini Alvarado's narration is adroit and melodic as she handles text that skillfully intersperses Spanish phrases and songs.

AWARDS

Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee 2003

CONNECTIONS

Activities
*Use for depicting life in the Great Depression for non-privileged people.

*Create a farm workers timeline using produce picked as markers of time.

*Create Readers Theatre script for 3^rd-5^th grade.

*Use story to create an art scrapbook of events that occurred in Esperanza’s life.