Esperanza Rising is written for younger readers than myself, so it was quite a quick read, which is usually a good thing. While reading this book, I felt like my 12-year-old self! The nostalgic feelings I felt while reading soon ended since the book only lasted for a few hours.
I would love to have my students read this book because it introduces them to a side of Spanish that they do not know. They view Spanish as the language spoken by their house cleaners or their gardeners. This book opens to a fairy-tale set on a Mexican vineyard that quickly turns into a heartbreaking story of survival that even the boys of my class would enjoy.
This book would be so positive for students on many levels: Students who have recently experienced loss can relate to Esperanza because her father dies. Students who are wealthy or privileged can watch a similar girl, Esperanza, lose every material possession and still find happiness and joy; they can also see second hand how important it is to remain humble before you are forced to be humble. Students who are of a lower socioeconomic status can relate to the struggle of Esperanza and her new family of lower class status. Students who deal with racial prejudices, which is every student today, can see how Esperanza suffered and dealt with prejudice. Students who are racist towards immigrants, especially Mexicans, are given a view of Mexican immigrants that will differ from negative stereotypes. All of these points make great topics for open-ended discussion about real-life situations.
I am planning to have my 7th grade students read this book in the second semester. I am confident that they will enjoy the book and learn more than they may initially realize.
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