Esperanza
Rising Esperanza
Ortega possesses all the treasures a young girl could want: fancy
dresses; a beautiful home filled with servants in the bountiful region
of Aguascalientes, Mexico; and the promise of one day rising to Mama’s
position and presiding over all of Rancho de las Rosas. But a sudden
tragedy shatters that dream, forcing Esperanza and Mama to flee to
California and settle in a Mexican farm labor camp. There they
confront the challenges of hard work, acceptance by their own people,
and economic difficulties brought on by the Great Depression.
When Mama falls ill from Valley Fever and a strike for better working
conditions threatens to uproot their new life, Esperanza must relinquish
her hold on the past and learn to embrace a future ripe with the riches
of family and community. Pam Muñoz Ryan eloquently portrays
the Mexican workers’ plight in this abundant and passionate novel
that gives voice to those who have historically been denied one. Scholastic
Press Audio
BookEsperanza
Rising(Listening Library/Random House)
Pura
Belpré Award which honors Latino authors
whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural
experience in a children's book
2001
ALA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults
Smithsonian Best Books 2000
Publisher's Weekly Best Children's Books 2000
L.A. Times Best Books of 2000
Excellence in a Work of Fiction Award 2001 Children's
Literature Council of Southern California
2001 Judy Goddard/Libraries Limited Arizona Young
Adult Author Award
Jane Addams Children's Book Award, Women's International
League for Peace and Freedom
Esperanza
Ortega possesses all the treasures a young girl could want: fancy
dresses; a beautiful home filled with servants in the bountiful region
of Aguascalientes, Mexico; and the promise of one day rising to Mama’s
position and presiding over all of Rancho de las Rosas. But a sudden
tragedy shatters that dream, forcing Esperanza and Mama to flee to
California and settle in a Mexican farm labor camp. There they
confront the challenges of hard work, acceptance by their own people,
and economic difficulties brought on by the Great Depression.
When Mama falls ill from Valley Fever and a strike for better working
conditions threatens to uproot their new life, Esperanza must relinquish
her hold on the past and learn to embrace a future ripe with the riches
of family and community. Pam Muñoz Ryan eloquently portrays
the Mexican workers’ plight in this abundant and passionate novel
that gives voice to those who have historically been denied one. Scholastic
Press
