Reviews with content warning for Xenophobia - Esperanza Rising

I know I read Esperanza Rising when I was in middle school, but that was so long ago that when I picked this up a week ago, I remembered absolutely nothing about it. Not even a vague recollection of the story. Sometimes, a fleeting memory is a good thing, because it means you get to experience a book for the first time, again. So it was with this one.

This is such an impressive book. Pam Muñoz Ryan hits just the right notes to have a conversation about racism, sexism, xenophobia… without making the book inaccessible to younger readers. There’s little wonder why Esperanza Rising is taught in so many schools. It’s a well-written book, but it also broadens students’ minds. Books like this… books like this are why we need more Own Voices authors. A white author could not accurately recreate the immigration process and the struggle of living in migrant work camps. Muñoz Ryan is half Mexican, and it’s clear her Latinx heritage informs the storytelling.

But Esperanza Rising is more than just an issue story – though the realities of daily life do define the journey. Esperanza is coming into her own as well. After suffering from a deep personal tragedy early in the book, Esperanza and her mother flee to California. Here, they have to come to terms with their new socio-economic situation and trying to be accepted both in the community and in the country. Esperanza struggles to keep hope throughout the book… and like the very best of young reader stories, she has to find the strength from within.

The cast of characters surrounding our protagonist are also fantastic. We have the kind wisdom of Abulita. The passion and determination of the protestors to make sure they are treated well and given a fair wage for their work. Miguel is kind and steady. Isabelle is sweet and caring. They’re all wonderful and I enjoyed every one of them.

If I were to list just one fault with Esperanza Rising, I would say: it’s too short. I think the story is well told in the pages we have, but I do think the story could have been fleshed out even more. There are opportunities here for multiple POVs as well. That said, back in 2000 when this was first published, we had childrens books and adult books and no clearly defined in-between. In that way, Esperanza Rising falls into the “childrens” category. I’d say it is accessible and enjoyable for everyone, but given the intended audience, the simplicity of some things makes sense.

Despite all that, the world is well fleshed out, the characters come to life, and the story keeps the reader engrossed. I’d recommend this book all around.

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