Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan

Pura Belpré Award Winner

IRA Notable Book for a Global Society

New York Public Library's 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing

Esperanza thought she'd always live with her family on their ranch in Mexico--she'd always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home, and servants. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California during the Great Depression, and to settle in a camp for Mexican farm workers. Esperanza isn't ready for the hard labor, financial struggles, or lack of acceptance she now faces. When their new life is threatened, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances--Mama's life, and her own, depend on it.

Pam Muoz Ryan is the author of Echo, a New York Times Best Seller, a Newbery Honor Novel from 2016, and the Kirkus Award winner. She has authored over forty novels for children and has received numerous awards, including the National Endowment for the Arts' Human and Civil Rights Prize, the Virginia Hamilton Literary Award, the Willa Cather Award, the Pura Belpré Medal, and the PEN USA Award. Esperanza Rising, Riding Freedom, Becoming Naomi León, Paint the Wind, and The Dreamer are some of her novels.