Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan

Bibliography
Ryan, Pam Munoz. 2000. Esperanza Rising. New York: Scholastic.

ISBN: 0-439-12042-x

Summary
Esperanza, living in a life of luxury as a wealthy, young, Mexican girl sees her life as perfect on her family's wine farm. After horrible incidents occur, Esperanza's life changes dramatically as her and her mother must flee to the United States. In California, Esperanza and her mother find refuge in a migrant farm camp where Esperanza experiences struggles she has never imagined before.

Critical Analysis
Pam Munoz Ryan's story, Esperanza Rising, is an engaging, well-written story about a girl who learns to be resilient as she faces many hardships. Ryan does an outstanding job developing each of the major characters, making social class evident, so that a reader can really understand the character's emotions. The emotions of Esperanza, mother, and grandmother when hearing about father's death, the loss of the house, and the reunion of the three are prime examples of good character development.

There are many cultural markers found in this story. One of the most obvious is the identification of a specific culture. The setting of the beginning of the story is Mexico, where Esperanza's family are wealthy landowners. Later in the story, Esperanza, mother, and friends travel to California to work as migrant workers, where they bring their Mexican culture with them.

Another Hispanic cultural marker is the reference to a celebration called a Quinceaneras. Esperanza and her two best friends in Mexico dream what their Quinceaneras will be like some day. Quinceaneras are historically celebrated in Spanish speaking countries of the Americas. Additionally, Esperanza gives a pinata to some children. Often, pinatas are used at celebrations in Latin American countries, such as Mexico.

The names Ryan uses for her characters are Hispanic American cultural markers. For example, Esperanza, Miguel, Hortensia, Juan, Josefina, Isabel, and Alfonso are all common names originating in Spanish speaking countries.

According to Barrera and Quiroa in Stories Matter, forms of address, such as papi, or papa, mama and abuelita are kinship terms used in Spanish (Fox and Short 250). Esperanza calls her grandmother abuelita. Esperanza refers to her mother as mama and her father is known as papi or papa. Esperanza is called mija. Mija is abbreviation for mi hija, which is Spanish for my daughter. These kinship terms are Hispanic American cultural markers.

Ryan includes traditional Mexican food in Esperanza's story. Some of the more common Mexican foods are tortillas, machaca, and tamales. Each one of these dishes are customarily eaten in areas of Mexican influence.

Another type of Hispanic cultural marker is the use of Spanish words in the story. Throughout the entire story, there is a sprinkling of Spanish words and phrases. At times, words, like manana or gracias, are left to be deciphered through the context clues of the story. The longer phrases are usually literally translated, making it easier for a monolingual English reader to understand the events while enriching the story in Hispanic authenticity.

Esperanza Rising is a compelling story about a Mexican girl's struggles from a wealthy high-class citizen to poor working-class worker in California. Esperanza's trials of the loss of her father, home, and wealth, the separation of grandmother, the sickness of mother, and an innocent, but frustrating love interest show her resilient spirit. Ryan's exceptional story based on her own grandmother's life is a perfect story for many audiences. Esperanza Rising is a perfect read for Hispanic American girls needing to read about strong Hispanic female characters.

Review Excerpts
Kirkus Review reports, Ryan's "style is engaging, her characters appealing, and her story is one that--though a deep-rooted part of the history of California, the Depression, and thus the nation--is little heard in children's fiction. It bears telling to a wider audience" (2000).

Booklist states, "Ryan writes movingly in clear, poetic language that children will sink into, and the books offers excellent opportunities for discussion and curriculum support" (2000).

Reviews excerpts accessed from Follet's Titlewave site http://www.titlewave.com/

Connections
Esperanza Rising is a good historical fiction to share with young adults learning about migrant workers and/or the Great Depression. A good extension would be Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Kathleen Krull

Other stories by Pam Munoz Ryan:
Hello Ocean
Mice and Beans
How Do You Raise a Raisin?
The Flag We Love
The Crayon Counting Book
California, Here We Come!
A Box of Friends
Becoming Naomi Leon
Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride

Reference

Fox, Dana and Kathy Short. 2003. Stories Matter: The Complexity of Cultural Authenticity in Children's Literature. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.