Rating: 
Summary: Historical Fiction Book Report
Review: Esperanza Rising, a historical fiction book written by Pam Munoz Ryan, is about a girl whos life was once rich and now suddenly poor. Esperanza, Ramona(mamma), and Sito Orgeto(papa) are the owners of El Rancho de la Rosas and thier servant boy is Miguel, but he is more than a servant, he is a friend. The Ranch is in Mexico where a terrible tragety happened forcing Esperanza, Mamma, and all the servants to move to the US to work without papa.
This is a heartbreaking story it happened during the 1900s. One day Esperanza waited and waited to see her dad but soon came Tio Luis came with the news and Sixto Orget's belt buckle. Not so long after Tio Luis asked mama to marry, but she said no. Then when he asked her to reconsider, she said yes with a trick up her sleve to sneak out of Mexico to the US. The reader will enjoy this story even though it's confusing in the beginning. Read past that and you'll get the story.
Rating:
Summary: Gracie: A Great Book for Today
Review: 13 year old Esperanza, who was living in luxery in Mexico during the Great Depression, loses it all when her father dies. She flees her country to live in a camp with her mother and her ex-servents in Califorina. All of this makes her think her life is coming to an end.
Esperanza Rising is an adventure story because she has to flee from her dominating uncle. This story is very intersting. I recomend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction. I think this story is for ages 11 and older. It's a good book to read if you really have the time.
Rating: 
Summary: Book Review by chelsea
Review: Esperanza Rising, by Pan Munzon, is about a girl that migrates from Mexico to California. The story takes place during the Great Deperesion, in the rosy plains of Mexico and the working fields of California. The main charactor, Esperanaz, is a girl that thought as she got older nothing would change.
If Esperanaz's life turned out how she thought it would be, this book would be a fairytale. But when tragedy strikes she must leave her home and move to California. The reader will enjoy this book because of the vivid words the aurthor uses. If you think your life could be a fairytale, just till you see what's coming your way.
Rating:
Summary: You have got to read this book....
Review: This awesome book is historical fiction. The story of Esperanza is told with such great description that you really feel you know and understand each character. As a children's librarian I want to use this book for a book club with girls. It shows how a young girl can be strong and make a difference. Be sure to pick this book up now and get ready for a great read.
Rating: 
Summary: Ryan Delivers Hope With Esperanza Rising
Review: Esperanza Rising is the story of a girl of the same name, who has to change her entire life. But, this book is really about overcoming personal difficulties, enduring hard times, and surviving no matter what.
The story is something I can relate to because it is like my life. If you are not familiar with Hispanic culture you may not be interested in this book, though the attitudes and some spoken Spanish, like the birthday song, might intrigue you. Although Ryan didn't do a particularly good job of conveying the Hispanic culture, her writing and storytelling will make the reader want to continue reading.
Esperanza, her mother, and grandmother live together. Family circumstances cause Esparanza's family to move to America where her mother has to work in the fields of California as a laborer. Because Esperanza is used to wealth, she is very unhappy being poor in America. How she overcomes her poverty is the story.
The character Esperanza is based on Esperanza Ortega, Ryan's grandmother, her real life experience living on a hacienda in Mexico and later coming to America. Through Esperanza, Ryan shows how her own family made it through a tough time and survived - showing if you work hard enough and are not afraid to start again, you can resolve any problem big or small. Is it a coincidence that in Spanish, "esperanza" means "hope"?
If you choose not to read this book you are missing an opportunity. It will mean a lot to you and maybe teach you something. Take my word. You have to read this book.
Pam Munoz Ryan also wrote Riding Freedom, her most famous book to date, which won the Willa Literary Award, the I.R.A. Teacher's Choice Award, Parenting Magazine's Reading Magic Award, the 1999-2000 California Young Reader Medal, was a 1999-2000 Texas Bluebonnet Award Finalist, and a Pan West Award Finalist.
Rating:
Summary: The greatest book ever
Review: I have the exact book you may want to read its called Esperenza Rising,by Pam Munoz Ryan this book is filled with lots of excitement. For example I liked this book because it talks about nature,and how Esperenza learned how to do new things. When her father died,she moved to the United States where life was different,and harder.She learned how to take care of the babies. Her mother got very ill;the doctors thought she wouldn't make it.Even though Esperenza has to take care of the babies,she also worked.She needed to earn money so she could bring her grandma. Her mother misses her,but she is very ill,and cant come home. Esperenza is very sad Esperenza had lots of problems,but she is fixed them,and that's what made this book awesome.
Rating:
Summary: Esperanza Levantamiento
Review: Esperanza Rising is a very unique story about the journey of a young Spanish girl, Esperanza Ortega Munoz Hernandez Elegart. Unlike any book I have ever read, it was easy to get caught up in rooting for Esperanza. Spanish words, culture and traditions are woven in throughout the story. Pam Munoz Ryan was inspired to write this story from the tales her own abuela told her as a child. Esperanza Rising will inspire you to enjoy what you have, persevere in the trials in your life, and not be afraid to try new things.
There are many poor individuals in Mexico; however Esperanza has everything a young girl her age could wish for: lovely dresses, expensive dolls, and her own maid to play with and clean up after her. Of all these things, her most valuable possession is the abundance of love she has from her Mama and Papa. Esperanza spends her days outdoors in the beauty of nature doing whatever she feels like at the moment. Her Papa always gives her whatever she wishes; Esperanza doesn't realize how very blessed she is. Yet this is not meant to last forever.
It is harvest time, Esperanza's most favorite days. Each day is long and lazy with the pleasant aroma of green vines full of plump grapes about to drop. Also, each year after harvest time there is a great fiesta with singing, feasting and gifts for Esperanza's birthday. This year was to be even more special for she was turning thirteen. Every year for her birthday, Esperanza knows she can count on receiving a beautiful porcelain doll from her loving Papa, but a tragedy causes this to be the last time that she ever will. She and her mother's lives are turned upside down and they are forced to immigrate away from the ranch they know and love. Esperanza cringes away from the dirt and poor way of life, so strikingly different from what she is used to. For instance her new chores of sweeping and caring for babies would better be done by girls half her age. In spite of her haughty attitude there is much for her to learn here from people who have genuine joy and love for each other. Will Esperanza give up or will she persevere through the trials.
At first, every night she cries herself to sleep from the horrible ache of missing her dear papa. The fairy-tale life full of splendor was over and made way for the new simple life. In many ways it was better than before because of what she had learned. At first Esperanza feared she would never be happy here far from home, but all that changed. By keeping a positive attitude and not being afraid of new things, Esperanza was able to rise above her doubts and fears.
Esperanza Rising will inspire you to enjoy what you have, persevere in the trials in your life, and not be afraid to try new things. Simple pleasures are the best things in life. Hard-earned food and shelter are much more enjoyable when you deserve them, Esperanza learns. She will never, ever forget her past and her heart will never stop aching for Papa, but she can live a joyful life with those she loves and is loved by.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Reading
Review: This book is a very good book to start the children in any classroom to interest children in reading. This book is easy reading and it was made with that purpose in mind. This book helps students become interested in reading because the story is about a universal human concern which is security and this allows for further investigation through reading. The book immediatley helps you in getting started in a reading mode and the story is so intriguing and gripping that you keep reading the story until you finish the book. In the elementary school years it could be a three day project of heavy reading so the children can get interested and to have menaingful discussions about univeral concerns of security. The reading is fun and helpful. In the middle and high school level it helps to conquer fear and helps in reading.
In this book Esperanza the protagonist looses it's security because bandits kill her father. Esperanza's uncle takes advantage of the situation and practically gives Esperanza's mother an ultimatun, wether to marry him or loose evrything to poverty. The main universal concern in this story is about security but at wehat price. The family had to loose it's pride and dignity in order to keep their security. The moral of the story is that the price was too high and not worth it.
The family decides to become immigrants and become laborers. This new found change was their reality. they gave up being rich because they felt it was more important to have spiritual security than depend on financial security. This way they will have a life and not feel alsmost like they were selling themselves for money. This story has many universal concern and it has many moral messages that young people can relate to. This book is about a particular ethnic group and nationality that any body can relate too. this book trancends culture and clearly proves that all the peoples in the world are more alike than they are different. I highly recommend this book for any age level after third grade because it is a good book that has a good story and is not full of vulgarities and fowl language. There is zero profanity and the dstory just keeps you glued to it which for reading instruction is what is the ideal. As an ethnic culutre book it is very good, it represents the culure in a dignified manner and does not use crude stereotypes to portray it's characters. All in all this book is very good reading. In terms of it's academic value it is very good for the teaching of reading. It is a book that makes you feel good and gives you a feeling of accomplishment when you finish it. It makes you feel like if you had a good human life experience. This book will give a good insight into ethnic reading material. It was written in a manner that gives you an insight into another culture and nationality. This being the Mexican culture, however it clearly gives you an understanding that all humans are all the same just different circumstances and history is what sets up apart.
Rating:
Summary: Read this book!!
Review: This is a great book and everyone should read it. It talks about the struggles of a girl and her family after her father dies, and her uncles burn down their house.She goes with her mother and their previous slaves to go look for work in California. A great book!
Rating:
Summary: A hope-full book both good, and good for you.
Review: Growing up in white, middle-class Southern California, it was commonplace to think the worst of Mexican immigrants. After all, they were so unlike us...poor, uneducated, etc. (you get the idea). Thankfully I grew up to reject the stereotypes and prejudices, but sadly the same thinking is still rampant today. If only I had had Esperanza Rising to read! This aptly named tale takes readers inside the Mexican immigrants' world. We see Esperanza and her family laughing, loving, living a good life in Mexico until a series of sudden changes sweeps them upside down and into a new, hard life as '30s field hands in California's Central Valley. How Esperanza, her family and friends cope -- and eventually rise -- through their struggles is a story of character, strength, determination and love that opens eyes and can open hearts. Hope rising, indeed!
|
