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    Esperanza Rising
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    Esperanza Rising
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    Esperanza Rising
    Audiobook4 hours

    Esperanza Rising

    Written by Pam Munoz Ryan

    Narrated by Trini Alvarado

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    When Esperanza and Mama are forced to flee to the bountiful region of Aguascalientes, Mexico, to a Mexican farm labor camp in California, they must adjust to a life without fancy dresses and servants they were accustomed to on Rancho de las Rosas. Now they must confront the challenges of hard work, acceptance by their own people, and economic difficulties brought on by the Great Depression. When Mama falls ill 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.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateSep 23, 2003
    ISBN9781400085811
    Unavailable
    Esperanza Rising

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    Reviews for Esperanza Rising

    4/5

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    • 5/5
      Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan is an award-winning YA work of historical fiction that chronicles the life a Mexican farmworker in the 1930s. In the book's beginning, Esperanza's wealthy father is killed by bandits in Mexico; then, a scheming uncle sets fire to her family’s ranch in order to pressure her mother into marriage. Esperanza & her mother escape to the United States with only their lives and life changes drastically for them. Former servants help them to find work as farm laborers and Esperanza finds out what life is like when one is no longer a member of the privileged class. Both the conditions of 1930’s farm workers and the status of Mexicans who came to America for a better life with more choices are examined in this story.This is a beautifully written book that educates while it tells an engaging story. Capturing an era of California history, readers will sympathize with Esperanza, who must learn to work hard after living a life of luxury -- but more than that, they will be amazed by the strength she shows as she adjusts to the difficult life of a farmworker. Esperanza Rising celebrates the Latino cultural experience in a realistic way and the author does not shirk away from exposing both the ethnic tensions that existed along with the plight of the Mexican-American workers during the Great Depression which included forced deportation, horrific living conditions and competition from the incoming “Okies. The author knows what she is writing about as she based this story on her own grandmother’s experience when she came from Mexico which gives the book a very authentic feel.
    • 5/5
      I absolutely love this book. I read it in middle school and I was so excited that I was going to get to read it again. There is just so many things to love about this story. My favorite thing about the book is how it is rife with symbolism. One of my favorite parts where this symbolism appears is toward the end, when Abuelita is finally able to travel to the United States. Mama is home from the hospital, Miguel brings Abuelita over the border, Esperanza has discovered how strong she is, and Papa's roses have bloomed; the family is finally together again, but different than they were in the beginning. Each one of them has been on a journey, but their family is so strong that they can never truly be apart. I also like how the way the book comes full circle. The very first line of the story is "Our land is alive, Esperanza", which is what her father says to her, and the last line of the story is "Don't be afraid to start over." These lines connect to show that everything is alive, and living things will change. This idea also connects to the fact that the names of the chapters are what food is in season at that time. The chapters come full circle as well. The first chapter is los uvas (grapes) and the last chapter is los uvas (grapes). This idea also connects to the first and last lines because the plants will always come back, just as Esperanza's family will always be there for her. Another thing I loved about the book was the main character, Esperanza. Her name means "hope", which is a really big idea in this book. She is so much stronger than she thinks she is, and is willing to make so many sacrifices and work hard for the people she loves. She surprises herself, and I find her journey of self-discovery to be very relateable. This book also lends itself to open discussion for many topics, such as racism, segregation, and growing up, and it addresses these ideas, and others, in tasteful ways, which I can really appreciate. As stated previously, one of the big ideas of this book is having hope and looking to the future, but the reader can take away many things from this story. Overall, I love this book, and I definitely appreciate it more now that I am older.
    • 4/5
      I liked this book. She was a strong little girl, who is very brave. This is a good book to show how quickly things can change, and that you shouldnt take anything for granet. I would share this book with 6th graders and up.
    • 4/5
      This historical fiction novel tells the tale of a girl and he live in Mexico after the revolution. This story is enjoyable due to the eloquent imagery and fascinating plot line. The struggle that the main character, Esperanza undergoes with her family supports the underlying meaning of the story, that you are made stronger when facing a trying time or adversity. This book would be recommended to students in higher level of reading, or higher grade level elementary school students.
    • 5/5
      In my opinion this book was a great book to read and one i would definitely choose to read with my future students. There are a few reasons why I enjoyed the book. One of the reasons was the language that the author wrote in, including the symbolism on almost every page. As you read the book you can almost feel what Esperanza feels as she takes her journey of "riches to rags" from Mexico to the United States. I loved how every time the author mentioned a Spanish word or phrase, she translated it into English. I also liked the book because of its plot. There was an exciting beginning, middle, and end that kept the readers interested until the end. The theme was also truly inspirational which leads to the main message of the book. The "big idea" of the story is that family is always more important than material things. In the beginning of the story, Esperanza was a spoiled rich girl who cherished wealth over everything. By the end of the story, she realized how unimportant material things are and that family is the most valuable aspect.
    • 5/5
      Esperanza is content with life living in El Rancho De La Rosas until her life is turned upside down when her father is murdered. After the death of her father, her very wealthy and powerful uncles want to take over her life which neither her or her mother want. They sneak off to America and make a life there. She goes through many hardships and it is the opposite of the life she was used to. We see Esperanza grow a lot in this book, her hardships make her a stronger better person. This story is a great portrayal about the idea of the American dream. Many immigrants come to America to make a better life for themselves and only until arrival do they realize it isn't such a dream. This book made me laugh and cry. Pam Munoz Ryan did a fabulous job on this novel. I would recommend for any one to read!
    • 5/5
      I thought this was an EXCELLENT book for children to read. This book contained true and valuable lessons that are especially relatable to fifth to sixth graders who can connect with Esperanza's journey of growing up. Though this book had mature concepts, like the murder of Esperanza's father and the violence of the bandits, I think it was well balanced with the positive and uplifting ending with Esperanza's reunion with her grandmother. It also introduced perspectives of a girl from another country, intertwining her traditions and language into the story was also a great feature. The main idea of this story is that richness is not defined by a luxurious lifestyle, but the love of friends and family, and also to never be afraid to start over. I would definitely recommend this novel for classrooms!
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed reading this book. One of the things I enjoyed about this book was the foreshadowing. When Esperanza pricked her finger on the rose and she recites the superstition, then her father doesn't come home because he is dead. Another example of foreshadowing is the part where Esperanza explains to Miguel about being on opposite sides of the river in Mexico. The other reason I really enjoyed this book is because of the Spanish words and quotes that were followed by the English translation. The chapter names are Spanish words followed by the English translation.The main idea of this story was about adjusting your perspective when bad things happen.
    • 5/5
      I really liked this book for many reasons. I really enjoyed the language in the book. Due to the fact that it was based on a Spanish speaking group, the entire story is told in English, but the characters are all actually speaking Spanish. I liked how in parts they would put in Spanish terms and then state what they mean in English. I thought including Spanish words in the story was an interesting and engaging idea. I also really enjoyed the plot. There were several times of suspense where I did not want to stop reading in order to find out what would occur next. I enjoyed how there was not just one climax as well, there were several different parts of the story that served as a climax, which I thought made the story more engaging as well. For example, her father passing away, her having to move, her mother getting sick, the dust storm, etc. I think the overall message of the story was that even if you lose something in life or have to drastically change your living conditions, stay positive and in faith with a positive attitude and you will make it through. In life you will come across many challenges and changes, but rising above them will help you grow as a person.
    • 5/5
      This powerful and realistic novel is set in 1930's. The main character,Esperanza, is a wealthy young Mexican girl that has grown up on a ranch in Mexico. She is used to the care-free life of riches and privileges. But everything changes when one night her father is killed by the bandits.This book will teach that hard work will pay off. I would definitely share this book with middle school students and read it to younger students.
    • 4/5
      Although this is a chapter book for younger students, I really enjoyed this book. It was refreshing to read something that was both educational and entertaining. What I liked the most was the description. The author would explain the emotions on people's faces or their actions and then state the emotion as well. For example, someone would sigh and sink downward and then the author would also state that the person was feeling depressed. This allowed the reader more creativity when imagining the story but also guided the reader in case they were unaware of the emotion being portrayed. I also really liked that this book had a lot of repetition. It seemed that the repetition occur most when Esperanza was changing her perspective. The author did this a few different times; however, my favorite part was when Esperanza laid down on top of the new mountain to feel the earth's heart beat. I liked this because it showed the reader that Esperanza changed, that she is now accepted with her living situation. The big picture of this book is that family and support are the most important things in life. I think this book did a good job showing that material items are not what people should pride themselves on. This was shown by Esperanza coming to terms with her living situation in the U.S.. I also think that this book did a good job of showing the Mexican-American experience. In the book, one store discriminates against Hispanics. Today, a lot of people stereotype people of that culture and this book is a window to allow people of other cultures to see how they, the Hispanic community, live and work.
    • 5/5
      Esperanza was a rich girl who took everything fro granted. Not until disasters awaited her. With her father dead and the house on fire, Esperanza relocated to America in the twenties to find opportunities. Esperanza was very nationalistic in that she did not like America as much as her coworker. The chapters in the book had names of fruits and vegetables which Latino's are accustomed to growing in their country as well as in America. Once you leave your home, you become worth less a good fun read for fifth and sixth graders.
    • 5/5
      In my opinion Esperanza Rising demonstrates a wonderful scenario of immigration and segregation issues many years ago. It allows the reader to live vicariously through a young girl who after losing her father and their ranch must travel to the United States from Mexico to work for a living. The family goes through many hardships including low wages, and long hours of work, and not exceptional living conditions. As the book continues we get pulled in to the story of Eperanza and her travels. This is a chapter book and that being said the author has to pull the reader in through her writing and plot. Although, there were no pictures in the book the reader could visualize the different parts of the story. In one scene of the book Esperanza is explaining Christmas on the Rancho to her friend Isabel, "Hortensia cooked for days, There were empenadas filled with meat and sweet raisin tamales," This gives the reader not only the fact that there was a lot of food but what exact kind of food there was.
    • 5/5
      Esperanza Rising is the story of a young girl who persevere though many times of trouble. She has to learn to push on when times are tough. Esperanza eventually learns and understands, that even in times of despair, there is always a chance to start anew. I really enjoyed this story. It does not have the perfect ending, but it is still filled with encouragement. I would use this book for grammar school through high school. I would like to see the way students of different grads and different backgrounds or upbringings interpret the story.
    • 3/5
      Set in post-Revolutionary Mexico and in California during the time of the Great Depression. Good book for learning about different cultures and is a will challenge ESL students to read a chapter book.
    • 4/5
      I loved this book, I read in sixth grade and it has stuck with me ever since. It's great.
    • 3/5
      Esperanza rising is a small insight into what life would be like for young Mexican woman immigrating into the United States. Esperanza loses everything, her home, her wealth, and her father and instead is left with a small hut to live in with her remaining family while she spends probably the rest of her life working like a slave. This story shows young readers how unfair life can be but how to always make the best of a situation, I recommend this book as being educational and influential to readers everywhere.
    • 5/5
      I loved every moment and every sentence of this book - and it touched on so many memories and stories told to me by my own light skinned mexican-born grandmother who also worked the canning/packing sheds as a young woman. My only critique was at the beginning of Ezperanza's transition: I wanted her mother's desire to be more complex. After her mother was diagnosed with depression (towards the end) my critique was satisfied. Again, and incredible book - I forgot I was reading a book written for children.
    • 5/5
      Esperanza Rising is a coming of age fiction novel that is based upon real events and people. The story takes place in Mexico in the early 1930's and also in California. Esperanza a 13yr old girl is forced to leave her lavish lifestyle as a plantation owner's daughter when her father gets murdered on the eve of her birthday. Her two uncles quickly try and take over her fathers life even trying to force her mother to remarry one of them. Her mother refuses so their house, which is all they are left with is burned to the ground. In an escape for freedom the mother daughter combo, along with their old servants ho were like family escape to America for a better life. They go to work on the plantation in California and quickly realize the transition is not as easy as expected. The story deals with loss, poverty, friendship, love, and gives a brief history lesson as well.
    • 5/5
      Esperaza Rising is a beautifully written book! Even though this story is intended for young readers, it can be enjoyed by all ages. It's story is one of bravery, strength, change, culture, and history. To see the growth of the young and nice but self indulged Esperanza into a young woman of strength, bravery and determination was beautifully told. The symbolism in the story was perfect. I love how Pam Munoz Ryan has connected the fruit/food with the chapters. Each ones characteristics line up with the characteristics of that chapter. This is a great story to share with 4th, 5th, or 6th graders to connect with a history lesson to bring it to life.
    • 4/5
      Esperanza Rising was a "cute" book with a somewhat happy ending and a good message that was enlightening. I would stay the central message in this book was to never give up hope and to persevere. The things I liked about this chapter book was how Esperanza was perceived and the plot. At first Esperanza was somewhat selfish and spoiled, but as the story progressed she turns her attitude around for the best. She realized the important things in life was family and to push through hard times. I feel like Esperanza can serve as a role model for all ages. Therefore, the author had a great way of describing her inner thoughts and goals throughout the book. The plot was suspenseful at times which helped the book go by fast. Throughout the storyline I was constantly questioning what was going to occur next. For example, since Esperanza wanted her grandmother to come, she had to come up with a large amount of money. How long was it going to take her? How would she get all that money in a short period of time?
    • 5/5
      The experiences of the characters in Esperanza Rising, are perfect in introducing the history of Mexican Americans to the classroom. By incorporating reading Esperanza Rising, with history and cultural lessons of Mexican Americans, students are able to connect with the Mexican American history on a more personal level. The events in this book foster empathy as well as demonstrating the struggles, cultural experiences and history of minorities within the United States. Tying the book with a history curricula, builds critical thinking towards the importance of minorities and their experiences within the pluralism of American society.
    • 4/5
      This book is an ideal way to discuss immigration as well as California history. This book is a personal favorite of mine because I come from a family of farm workers that lived their lives in farm camps and working in the fields. This book discusses class, race, human rights, the right to unionize in the United States, and personal perseverance. It is also a historical account of immigration and working and living conditions in the early part of the 20th century. Since the central character is female it also shows that young girls can be strong, smart, and self-sufficient in any decade.
    • 4/5
      Esperanza had everything she ever wanted. Her father was killed mysteriously by bandits. The legal system twists the will of the father so the ranch is left to his shifty brother. Esperanza eventually lives in a labor camp, and she migrates to the U.S. This book teaches stability of character and perseverance through horrible odds. Children will feel empowered and inspired from this story.
    • 5/5
      Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan is a historical fiction novel. Esperanza had everything that any little girl dreamed about, a mother, father, and grandmother that loved her. A beautiful home and many dolls to play with. Until one day when everything changed. Esperanza father was killed by bandits in Mexico. They were forced to give their ranch over to her uncle who mistreated them and the property. Esperanza and her mother have to flee the country with the people who once were there servants to find work in the United States in the times of the the Great Depression.Students in 5-7th grade could relate to the young character of Esperanza. There are a lot of issues that could be discussed with children. Esperanza went from having everything to nothing and at first had a very hard time dealing with this fact. This could be one topic that could be discussed in class. This would be a great literature circle book.
    • 5/5
      This is a great book to discuss immigration and the history of immigration in California. I think this could be beneficial for children of immigrants to see how immigration worked in the past.
    • 3/5
      Read it in middle school, rereading it again.

      It's pretty good. The main character is really naive, but she learns. Love Miguel, he is really sweet.
    • 5/5
      It is my belief after reading this chapter book that the author did a masterful job of highlighting a number of important themes throughout the story. Class structure was one issue addressed in Esperanza Rising. Some of the other themes that could be seen throughout were perseverance, humility, and family unity. The author did an amazing job of using symbolism in many instances to strengthen her stance. One example was the quilt with the mountains and valley's which signify the highs and lows of life. Also used were roses, which were planted by two main characters and symbolized their growth throughout the story. Many many lessons can be taken from this story as it is an absolute must read for 5th and 6th graders or anyone who loves good literature.
    • 4/5
      After reading this chapter book, I think I got a better understanding of the central message compared to when I first read it in fourth grade. The "Big Idea" was the insignificance of class systems. Esperanza focuses on them so fiercely in the beginning of the novel, but by the end she has moved to America and truly experienced "the other side of the river". In the beginning, Esperanza was also portrayed as the stuck-up wealthy girl who didn't have time for the servant boy. As the reader, I was frustrated with her because she had grown up with this boy but still treated him like the family servant. Pam Munoz Ryan does an incredible job of characterization and forcing the reader to see both sides to Esperanza. The side that was the wealthy brat and the side she became, the loving, strong, family-centered young woman. This book is a great example of differences in class, the Latino culture, and the importance of family.
    • 4/5
      In my opinion, Esperanza Rising is a great book! The author did a great job of connecting the book to the history of the Mexican Revolution. For example, the book described immigration and what it was like to be an immigration worker through Esperanza and her family. Also, I think that the author did a great job of highlighting change and how change was difficult for characters in the book. For instance, the author portrayed Esperanza as having a rough time adjusting to the life of a girl who's family had a lot of money on a large ranch to a servant who does not have much. I think that this aspect of the story is a great mirror for children who are struggling with change or for children struggling with loss (especially since Esperanza lost her house and father). Another aspect of this book that I liked is the recurring theme of stepping out of one's comfort zone. In the beginning of the book, Esperanza's grandmother tells her, "Do not be afraid to start over." Again, at the end of the book Esperanza tells Isabel, "Do not be afraid to start over." I think that this is a great phrase to emphasize to readers in the sense that it encourages readers to step outside of their comfort zone. The central message of the story is greatly connected to the phrase, "Do not be afraid to start over." The central message of the story is to stay positive in difficult situations and to not be afraid or hesitant of change.