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melissalenos 's review for:
Esperanza Rising
by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Esperanza Rising
Munoz-Ryan, Pam
New York: Scholastic, 2000
262 pages
Chapter book
Genres: Historical fiction, coming of age, drama, young adult, labor issues, immigration issues, race relations, class relations, riches-to-rags
Esperanza is the daughter of a wealthy rancher/farmer in Aguascalientes, Mexico in the late 1920s. When her father is killed by bandits, an uncle attempts to marry Esperanza’s mother to acquire the wealth. Esperanza and her mother escape under cover of night with a family of ranch workers, including Esperanza’s childhood friend Miguel. Her grandmother hides in a convent, hoping to join Esperanza and Ramona in California at a later time.
Esperanza struggles with the experiences of poverty. She and her mother live in a small shack with another family and Esperanza is expected to cook, clean, and care for infants while her mother works on the factory farm; she does not know how to sweep a floor or wash clothes. Many of the other children at the farm resent her privileged upbringing, but young Isabel loves to hear of Esperanza’s “princess”-like previous life.
In the meantime, some of the workers threaten to strike and there are tensions between the various immigrant workers and the Okies. After a dust storm, Ramona contracts Valley Fever and must be hospitalized for several months. Esperanza vows to learn to work the farm and saves all of her money to pay for Ramona’s hospital bills and in an effort to save enough to bring her grandmother, as well.
Ramona is eventually permitted to come home. Esperanza begins to sympathize with the workers promoting organization of labor and has a falling out with Miguel, who disappears with all of her saved money orders. Unexpectedly, he returns with Esperanza’s grandmother. Esperanza and Miguel renew their friendship.
Anchor: Historic fiction anchor; could be used for teaching about the Depression, immigration reform, the history of the labor movement
Munoz-Ryan, Pam
New York: Scholastic, 2000
262 pages
Chapter book
Genres: Historical fiction, coming of age, drama, young adult, labor issues, immigration issues, race relations, class relations, riches-to-rags
Esperanza is the daughter of a wealthy rancher/farmer in Aguascalientes, Mexico in the late 1920s. When her father is killed by bandits, an uncle attempts to marry Esperanza’s mother to acquire the wealth. Esperanza and her mother escape under cover of night with a family of ranch workers, including Esperanza’s childhood friend Miguel. Her grandmother hides in a convent, hoping to join Esperanza and Ramona in California at a later time.
Esperanza struggles with the experiences of poverty. She and her mother live in a small shack with another family and Esperanza is expected to cook, clean, and care for infants while her mother works on the factory farm; she does not know how to sweep a floor or wash clothes. Many of the other children at the farm resent her privileged upbringing, but young Isabel loves to hear of Esperanza’s “princess”-like previous life.
In the meantime, some of the workers threaten to strike and there are tensions between the various immigrant workers and the Okies. After a dust storm, Ramona contracts Valley Fever and must be hospitalized for several months. Esperanza vows to learn to work the farm and saves all of her money to pay for Ramona’s hospital bills and in an effort to save enough to bring her grandmother, as well.
Ramona is eventually permitted to come home. Esperanza begins to sympathize with the workers promoting organization of labor and has a falling out with Miguel, who disappears with all of her saved money orders. Unexpectedly, he returns with Esperanza’s grandmother. Esperanza and Miguel renew their friendship.
Anchor: Historic fiction anchor; could be used for teaching about the Depression, immigration reform, the history of the labor movement