Esperanza is a young girl whose father owns a ranch called El Rancho de las Rosas in Mexico. The night before her thirteenth birthday, something terrible happens. A series of events eventually forces Esperanza and her Mama to go to the United States in secret, where they hope to start a new life. In the United States, Esperanza’s life is changed forever. She must take care of babies, manage housework, and more. Will Esperanza be able to learn patience and strength as her new life unfolds before her and many things threaten to pull her down?
This is one of my favorite books. I think it is a great book that explores many hardships such as the struggles of starting over, as well as the pain of losing home and family, and the unfairness and judgment that people who are different sometimes experience. There wasn’t much I disliked about the book. Really, everything I have to say about it is good.
I enjoyed how you could feel Esperanza’s pain as she was forced to realize that her life would never be the same. I felt like I journeyed with Esperanza as she struggled with work she had never encountered before and grew annoyed with the unfairness of her situation. Throughout the book, it’s almost as though I watched her grow in strength and spirit. There were also plenty of funny, sad, and inspiring situations that kept the book flowing and interesting. Below is an excerpt from the book from a time when Esperanza feels that all hope is lost.
“... tears sprang from her eyes and she suddenly felt weary, as if she had been clinging to a rope but didn’t have the strength to hold on any longer. She sobbed with her eyes closed and imagined she was falling, with the wind whooshing past her and nothing but darkness below. ‘Anza.’ Could I fall all the way back to Mexico if I never opened my eyes again?”