Esperanza Rising

By Pam Muñoz Ryan

Pampered thirteen-year-old Esperanza and her mother are forced to flee Mexico following her father's sudden death and his brothers' takeover of their land. In a California migrant-worker camp, they encounter poverty and racism that are mitigated by the support of family and friends. Esperanza's response to the fall from a privileged life into a 1930s, immigrant experience transforms her from a spoiled child into a strong adolescent.


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