Module 5: Esperanza Rising

Module 5 focused on winners of other literary awards, such as the Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature and the Pura Belpré Award.  Each of these awards is given for a book which makes a significant contribution to children and young adult literature.  In the case of the Pura Belpré Award, the book must portray, affirm, and celebrate the Latino culture.  I read the novel Esperanza Rising, a winner of the Pura Belpré Award written by Pam Muñoz Ryan.

Image credit: http://store.scholastic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay_Esperanza+Rising_10291_-1_10052_10051?source=igodigital

Esperanza Rising is the story of a young girl who lives a life of privilege on a ranch in Mexico, until her father is killed by bandits.  Although her uncle tries to force Esperanza's mother to marry him, her mother chooses to escape, moving Esperanza and herself to California.  There they work as farm laborers, a far cry from Esperanza's former life.  She learns how to do household and farm chores, and ultimately, the value of family and friends over position and wealth.

I thought this was a very moving novel that captures the spirit of Mexican immigrants during the Great Depression.  Pam Muñoz Ryan's writing is full of descriptive language that helps the reader to picture the scenes in her mind.  There are a lot of lessons to be learned from the novel, as well.  The historical setting allows readers to understand a piece of American history that is often overlooked by textbooks.

One reviewer wrote of Esperanza Rising: 

"Set during the Great Depression, the story weaves cultural, economic, and political unrest into Esperanza's poignant tale of growing up: she witnesses strikes, government sweeps, and deep injustice while finding strength and love in her family and romance with a childhood friend. The symbolism is heavy-handed, as when Esperanza ominously pricks her finger on a rose thorne just before her father is killed. But Ryan writes movingly in clear, poetic language that children will sink into, and the books offers excellent opportunities for discussion and curriculum support."

I think librarians could use this book in a display about the Great Depression.  This, along with the book discussed in my last posting (Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry), is a wonderful depiction of how an American subculture lived during that time period.  Book clubs could also compare and contrast different novels about the Great Depression and the various issues surrounding that time period for different racial and ethnic groups.

References:

Enberg, G.  (2000).  Books For Youth: BOOKS FOR MIDDLE READERS.  Booklist, 97(7), 708.

Ryan, P.M.  (2000).  Esperanza Rising.  New York: Scholastic Press.