Esperanza RisingAuthor: Pam Muñoz Ryan
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Published Date: 2002
Number of pages: 288
Reading Level: 5th-6th grade
Genre: multicultural, historical fiction, novel
Notable Children's Books, Pura Belpre Award, Jane Addams Children's Book, Willa Catner Award, ALA Top Ten Books for Young Adults, Los Angeles times Book Prize Finalist, New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing, Publisher's Weekly Best Book of the Year 2000.
This book is about a girl named Esperanza. She lives on a ranch with her family in Mexico, and her and her family were wealthy. Esperanza has beautiful dresses, a huge home, and her family has servants. Her life came crashing down when Esperanza and her Mama were instructed to leave Mexico and head to California. This tragedy was known as the Great Depression. Esperanza and her mother worked as farmers in camps. Esperanza is not use to this lifestyle and does not known what it takes to overcome these struggles and hardships as a laborer. She must overcome these trials if she wants to survive these Mexican farm camps.
I would rate this book an ESSENTIAL. This is a great book, and provides great details with a supportive plot. This is a book that students would be able to relate with and be able to make connections. This book fulfills the multicultural book and it also describes the time period of the Great Depression. The viewpoint of this story can help students understand the Great Depression. I enjoyed this book and I feel that it would be a challenging book for readers, and it will help them understand events in our history.
I would use this book in the class as an example of a different culture, and the Great Depression. I would like students to create their own Venn diagram. They would be identifying the social and historical differences of the book, and comparing it to todays world. Understanding the differences can help the students understand the story. I also like the idea of students journaling along as we read the story and making connections. They would be writing as if they were Esperanza during her struggles working in the camps. Because this story is being told by Esperanza, students are able to relate.
Ratings
ESSENTIAL: It would be beneficial if the school library had at least one copy of this book. This is a book that students could find interest in, and also serve an educational purpose. Educationally this book provides a strong plot and the grammar is perfect. This book may be challenging for the students, but it will help them grow academically and help them improve their education skills.
ADVISABLE: 'ESSESNTIAL' books are the most important and advisable books are next on the important list. These books are still beneficial to the students and could also be a popular genre, but it may lack in in the substance for educational purposes. For instance, the plot may not be as clear as an essential book. The education purpose would focus more on students' reading and comprehension, whereas an advisable book would be more for the enjoyment.
OPTIONAL: Books are interesting for the teachers and would follow the curriculum. This book would not support the students and their growth as readers. This book may be difficult to follow because the events are not plotted our in order or in a way that the students can relate to. These books would help provide students with a variety of options, but they are not common or the most popular books.
NOT RECOMMENDED: These books would not be appropriate. The writing, theme, or plot should not be supported and there are several writing errors.
I would rate this book an ESSENTIAL. This is a great book, and provides great details with a supportive plot. This is a book that students would be able to relate with and be able to make connections. This book fulfills the multicultural book and it also describes the time period of the Great Depression. The viewpoint of this story can help students understand the Great Depression. I enjoyed this book and I feel that it would be a challenging book for readers, and it will help them understand events in our history.
I would use this book in the class as an example of a different culture, and the Great Depression. I would like students to create their own Venn diagram. They would be identifying the social and historical differences of the book, and comparing it to todays world. Understanding the differences can help the students understand the story. I also like the idea of students journaling along as we read the story and making connections. They would be writing as if they were Esperanza during her struggles working in the camps. Because this story is being told by Esperanza, students are able to relate.
Ratings
ESSENTIAL: It would be beneficial if the school library had at least one copy of this book. This is a book that students could find interest in, and also serve an educational purpose. Educationally this book provides a strong plot and the grammar is perfect. This book may be challenging for the students, but it will help them grow academically and help them improve their education skills.
ADVISABLE: 'ESSESNTIAL' books are the most important and advisable books are next on the important list. These books are still beneficial to the students and could also be a popular genre, but it may lack in in the substance for educational purposes. For instance, the plot may not be as clear as an essential book. The education purpose would focus more on students' reading and comprehension, whereas an advisable book would be more for the enjoyment.
OPTIONAL: Books are interesting for the teachers and would follow the curriculum. This book would not support the students and their growth as readers. This book may be difficult to follow because the events are not plotted our in order or in a way that the students can relate to. These books would help provide students with a variety of options, but they are not common or the most popular books.
NOT RECOMMENDED: These books would not be appropriate. The writing, theme, or plot should not be supported and there are several writing errors.
I've seen this book before and I think it is an amazing book to incorporate within anyone's classroom. I like how you would compare this to the Great Depression. It is good to not only teach our class about culture, but about history that involves culture.
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to read this book! It would definitely be a good book to relate to the Great Depression, and I think students who are experiencing family financial problems would find an important connection with this book. It also provides a different perspective, because most people think that people who came over to America were dirt poor or had a bad life in their home land.
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