logo

57 pages 1 hour read

Pam Muñoz Ryan

Esperanza Rising

Pam Muñoz RyanFiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2000

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Book Brief

logo
Pam Muñoz Ryan

Esperanza Rising

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2000
Book Details
Pages

262

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Mexico • 1930s

Publication Year

2000

Audience

YA

Recommended Reading Age

10-14 years

Lexile Level

750L

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

In Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan, Esperanza Ortega, a 13-year-old girl from a wealthy Mexican family, faces a drastic change in her life after her father's death and their family estate is seized by greedy relatives. Forced to flee to California with her mother, she must adapt to the harsh conditions of a migrant labor camp, discovering resilience and the true meaning of wealth and family along the way. The book includes sensitive topics such as violence, death, and illness.

Inspirational

Contemplative

Heartwarming

Bittersweet

Hopeful

Reviews & Readership

4.4

116,592 ratings

76%

Loved it

17%

Mixed feelings

7%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan captivates with its poignant exploration of cultural displacement and resilience. Readers praise its vibrant prose and compelling, multifaceted characters. However, some find its storytelling predictable. Overall, it is a celebrated, meaningful read for both young and adult audiences.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Esperanza Rising?

A reader who would enjoy Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan is typically a middle-grade student (ages 8-12) who enjoys historical fiction. This reader appreciates stories with strong, resilient characters and themes of overcoming adversity, much like those found in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor and Number the Stars by Lois Lowry.

4.4

116,592 ratings

76%

Loved it

17%

Mixed feelings

7%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

262

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Mexico • 1930s

Publication Year

2000

Audience

YA

Recommended Reading Age

10-14 years

Lexile Level

750L

Continue your reading experience

Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.