Fifth or sixth grade
teachers looking for a good book for students in their classes to read over the
summer should pick up a copy of Esperanza Rising (Scholastic, 2002) by Pam Munoz Ryan. The book follows the adventures of the main
character, a twelve year old Mexican girl who must flee to the United States
after her wealthy ranchero father is murdered by vaqueros while out mending fences on his property. It is a tragedy with far-ranging
consequences. It is also a powerful
story that is perfect for students in intermediate grades because the author focuses
on character development and poetic language.
Ryan creates a realistic world and does not shy away from the dangers
and difficulties faced by migrant workers in the central valley of California.
Esperanza’s father is
a wise and important presence in her life who first teaches her to love the
land. He tells her the earth breathes
and is alive, like a person. On a grassy
hill, they lay down on their stomachs to feel the earth’s heartbeat. By being still and quiet, Esperanza senses
the living land. When she displays the
impatient attitude of a child who desperately wants to grow up, her father
tells her, “Wait a little while and the fruit will fall into your hand. You must be patient, Esperanza.” Additional lessons come from the roses her
father has so carefully cultivated, one he names for her and the other for a
son of his ranchero worker. The son,
Miguel, and Esperanza, although in separate classes within Mexican society, are
linked together in the plot and face the dangers and uncertainties in the new
world of America. Before the tragedy of
her father’s death, Esperanza picks a rose and pricks her finger on a sharp
thorn, a harbinger of the bad luck to come.
Throughout the story, Ryan laces in the folklore and traditions of
Mexican culture, to which many students will be able to relate and appreciate.
The story is set in
the 1920s parallel to the time and place of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. The journey to the U.S. for Esperanza and her
family is fraught with danger, and not much different from the perilous journey
of Latino immigrants today. The story is
interesting for the point of view it presents alongside that of the Okies in
Steinbeck’s work. Those white migrants
from the Dust Bowl are peripheral to this story, as are the Filipino and
Japanese workers who occupy similar camps in the valley as the one where
Esperanza and her family stay. All of
the migrant farm workers faced incredible hardships and challenges, and
Esperanza’s story presents yet another side to that period in California
history. Throughout the novel, the sense
of political upheaval is present. In
Mexico, Esperanza’s mother tells her, “Change has not come fast enough, Esperanza. The wealthy still own most of the land while
some of the poor have not even a garden plot.”
Later in California, some workers want to strike for higher wages while
others, like Esperanza and her family, value their jobs and do not wish to make
waves. This conflict results in violent
and bloody consequences for the workers.
The ending of the book
is a little too easy and neat. There is
definitely room for more story or a sequel, but the plot as a whole is
satisfying and enlightening. Ryan
manages to maintain the poetry of the Spanish language, which she translates
whenever she uses a phrase. It flows
naturally without seeming to be too pedantic.
Teachers are always on
the hunt for works that offer a good story and well-developed characters that
will interest young readers while also challenging them to improve their reading
skills. Since they are reading these
books on their own over the summer break, they require works that do not need a
teacher’s guidance as the students read.
Good literature demands readers, and Esperanza
Rising will certainly connect with intermediate grade level students. Pam Munoz Ryan does an excellent job of
pulling together an interesting and wise story.
It is perfect in scope and content for intermediate grades, and would
offer many opportunities for cultural insight and exploration of folklore and
traditions. It is a part of “Hispanic
literature,” but is readily accessible for a multicultural audience. It would make a good addition to any summer
reading list.