Esperanza Rising, the 2010 Pura Belpré Award-winning novel by Pam Muñoz Ryan, is a work of historical fiction set in the aftermath of the Mexican Revolution and the 1920s immigration of Mexican workers to the United States. Esperanza’s story is not only one of a privileged young girl’s reversal of fortune, but also of starting over, strengthening the bonds between women of different generations, finding inner strength, and respecting and celebrating one’s connection to family and the land. Ryan frames the story inside the course of a harvest year, connecting the agricultural seasons to the growth and changes in Esperanza, her family, and her community.

Summary

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Characters

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Literary Devices

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Quotes

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