Thursday, December 4, 2008

"Esperanza Rising" by Pam Munoz Ryan

Esperanza leads a charmed life on her family's vineyard in Mexico, until her father is killed by bandits, and her greedy uncles move in to take everything that was his--including her mother's hand in marriage. Rather than submit to their schemes, Esperanza and her mother flee to California with their loyal friends and servants, Alfonso and Hortensia, and their son, (Esperanza's secret crush!) Miguel.

But times are hard in America, and freedom requires a lot of hard work, doing things the daughter of a wealthy vineyard owner would never have stooped to do in Mexico. Esperanza is forced to deal with her own elitist beliefs as she comes face to face with racism, worker exploitation, and the best and worst of depression-era America. Optimistic and thought-provoking, this is a great read for middle school plus girls, and anyone who wants to learn more about the Great Depression and the immigrant experience.


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