Esperanza Rising - by Pam Muñoz Ryan
This book is a fine example of illustrating Hispanic culture in its migration from Mexico to the United States. In the story, Ryan details the life of a young Mexican girl named Esperanza whose family is stripped of its power, money, and prestige, and forced to migrate to America to search for work. While showing all the beautiful things she valued about her home culture, Esperanza learns that the connection of family and doing what is morally right is more important than social stature. The story is also placed within an interesting historical context. Esperanza, meaning "hope," and her mother, after the death of her father, enter the U.S. during the Great Depression. This novel provides a realistic look at what Californian migrant camps were like, as well as how minorities were affected by the Great Depression. Ryan also provides an optimistic outlook for the future of migrant workers. Esperanza strives to give her own family the hope and opportunity that she never dreamed she could find so far from home.
Why This Work?
1. This novel is specifically written for young adults, and the characters are easy to relate to. Students reading this novel really feel a bond to the character and learn to more readily empathize with Latino culture and its citizens.
2. The familial relationships that this book displays truly represent the tight and dutiful bond that occurs in many Mexican-American homes. Esperanza's connection to the women in her family makes her fight to defend them.
3. The sociohistoric elements in the novel are very realistic and provide a good deal of background for the action of the story. Students not only learn about a character and her circumstances, but also the circumstances surrounding many Mexican immigrants of the time.
Resources:
The author's website is a great resource, providing not only information and background on her works, but supplemental activities that readers and teachers might use in the classroom.
This excellent site was created by students reading the book. It gives many creative ideas about what life might have been like for Esperanza, as well as multiple perspectives and themes in the book.
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