Esperanza Rising

Esperanza Ortega lived a privileged existence in Aguascacientes, Mexico during the early 1920s. Her luxurious family home was tended by servants, and she anticipated a lifetime of ease when she grew up and came to oversee El Rancho de las Rosas.

Her dream was shattered when Esperanza and her mother were forced to leave Mexico and migrate to a company owned farm labor camp in California. Now, not only were their days defined by drudgery but many of their own people did not accept them. All of this was exacerbated by the Great Depression and its attendant economic difficulties.

The plight of the migrant workers is vividly presented in this poignant novel so thoughtfully read by Ms. Alvarado.


Esperanza Rising Rises Above the Rest   May 2, 2001
Gail (Menlo Park, CA USA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

Esperanza Rising, by Pam Munoz Ryan, is a story of love and hope and adaptation amidst extreme despair. It is 1930. Esperanza lives a rich and privileged life with her parents, her abuelita and servants on their vineyard, El Rancho de las Rosas, in lush Aguascalientes, Mexico. She is a beloved only child and deeply loved by her family and workers on their ranch. Their family is well respected and kind to all around them. On the eve of Esperanza's thirteenth birthday and of the grand fiesta celebrating the bountiful harvest, Esperanza's father is killed by bandits. Then their elegant home is burned down under suspicious circumstances. Esperanza's corrupt and greedy uncles force Esperanza and her mother to secretly flee the rancho and head across the border to California. Abuelita is forced to stay behind because of injuries, intending to meet up with her family later in California (which she does). Esperanza and her mother are suddenly penniless, leaving with only what they could carry in a small suitcase. They flee Mexico with their loyal friends-- housekeeper Hortensia, field boss Alfonso, and their son Miguel, to seek a better life in California with Alfonso's brother. Arriving in the San Joaquin Valley, Esperanza faces a difficult life, one much different from her life in Mexico. She and her mother must live with another family in a small cabin at the Mexican camp. While her mother works in the fields, Esperanza stays back at the camp to take care of the other family's babies. It is extremely hard work for everyone, especially Esperanza, who was used to such a privileged life in Mexico. At first, she rebels, insisting that she will one day have back all that she has lost. When her mother becomes ill with Valley Fever, Esperanza must go out and work in the fields to support her family. It is the Great Depression, and there is little money for food and doctors. It is during this time that Esperanza experiences labor strikes, prejudice, unfairness, and fear as she struggles to survive. However, over time, and with many struggles behind her, Esperanza rises to the occasion and accepts her life as it is and looks ahead with esperanza--hope. Ryan's second novel (her first was Riding Freedom) is a beautifully told tale, peppered with Spanish words and expressions. This engaging novel is too good to put down and sure to be loved by many a young reader. It makes a wonderful read-aloud. In the Author's Note at the end of the book, we learn that this novel is loosely based on Ryan's grandmother's experiences in migrant camps in the 1930s. Life in those camps is vividly described and authentically portrayed. This novel is a wonderful stepping-off point for studying post-revolutionary Mexico, the Depression, migrant camps, and Mexican Repatriation and the Deportation Act.


A beautiful book, best read aloud.   November 28, 2000
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

My daughter devoured Riding Freedom, mainly beause it was about horses. I loved it as it interested her in woman's suffrage, history and the independence and stuff that women needed (and need). We couldn't wait for Esperanza Rising and neither of us was disapppointed. This book is simply beautiful. A truly special book for a mother and daughter to read together. It chronicles Esperanza's journey from her storybook youth in Mexico to the reality of hard work, racism and classism faced by her and her mother when they are forced to flee to the United States. The mother is elegant, strong and a wonderful role model for Esperanza. Esperanza does not dissappoint her mother's expectations and becomes strong and vibrant in her own way. Once again, Pam Munoz Ryan made history for the young so interesting, my daughter didn't want to put the book down. In addition, the book is beautifully crafted. From the hills and valley's of Abuelita's blankets to the fruit which entitles each chapter, the symbolizm is not lost on the young reader and it is cherised by the adult.


...   January 23, 2002
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

ESPERANZA RISING is a delightful story about a wealthy Mexican girl named Esperanza who lives on a ranch called El Rancho de las Rosas. Her life is shattered when her father is killed by thieves. To escape her rich and mean uncle who wants to marry her mother, they flee to California in a covered truck with their slaves. They get to California safely, and Esperanza meets her cousins. Her mother goes to work picking crops, which is very tough. Esperanza learns to sweep, cook, do the wash, and clean her youngest cousin's dirty diapers. Several older girls are fighting for better working conditions,and in the end, they all lose their jobs. Esperanza misses her Papa, and El Rancho de las Rosas. She is waiting for her Aubelta. Read this book to find out more about this exciting story.