By Pam Muñzo Ryan
Narrated by Trini Alvarado
Scholastic, 2000
Genre
Historical Fiction
Awards
- Jane Addams Children's Book Awards for Book for Older Children (2000)
- Publisher's Weekly: Best Book (2000)
- Publisher's Weekly Starred Review (2000)
- Pura Belpré Award: Narrative (2002)
Review
Esperanza's life is about to change. She has always been the daughter of a wealthy father who owned a lot of land on his Mexican ranch; she was used to having servants, pretty dresses, and porcelain dolls. But when her father is killed, she and her mother are forced to run to the US to escape her corrupt uncles who now own the farm. Here, Esperanza learns to work and to appreciate life around her for what it is, not what she has. This is a beautiful story of a girl coming to terms with who she is and adjusting to new circumstances, doing what she must do in the face of adversity. This story is set during the Mexican Repatriation in the US and not long after the Mexican Revolution. A powerful story that speaks to readers about coming to terms with hardships beyond personal control and rising above them.
Opinion
This is a great story and can be inspiring to readers, especially those who can identify with the main characters due to heritage, personal loss, or other similarities. Esperanza is a wonderful heroine that girls can look up to as a strong female role model. I think this book is good for more advanced readers in later elementary school or the average middle school reader.
Ideas
Great for many different kinds of displays: historical fiction, Mexican-American history, multicultural history, etc. This book would also be good for a unit on multicultural literature.
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