Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan

Genre: Historical Fiction

Honors: Pura Belpre Award, YALSA Top Ten, NCTE Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts

Review: Esperanza has the perfect life; loving parents, a beautiful home on a ranch, and all the fine things a young girl could want.  One day, during an uprising in historical Mexico, her beloved father is murdered and her life changes drastically.  Esperanza and her family are forced to move to the United States and work as pickers in the agricultural fields of California.  Esperanza must change her lavish lifestyle, and more importantly, her privileged attitude if she is going to survive.  In this inspirational account of a young Mexican girl, readers will learn that even in the most challenging and oppressive situations the human spirit can rise. 

Opinion: This is a fantastic book.  It is heartwarming and inspirational and at the same time a realistic and contemporary piece that includes issues that many families are still facing.  

Ideas: I think this book is great for all readers, but may be little low-level for some sophisticated readers.  It might be a good recommendation for students that have immigrated from Mexico recently and are still learning English.  There are many Spanish words in the novel, and the reading level is low enough that it will be manageable for English learners.  Also, the story takes place partly in Mexico and partly in the US much like the lives of some modern Mexican families.