With what’s happening in the US right now in regards to immigrants and immigrant rights, I was reminded of a wonderful story I read for one of my Masters courses.
Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan is a story of drastic change and the necessity of adaptation. It’s a story of extreme racism and stereotypes. Our heroine, Esperanza is forced to flee Mexico with her family. She has been exceeding wealthy all her life but suddenly she finds herself on the outside looking in. She is now one of the poor she used to judge. The novel opens our eyes to the hopes and dreams of those who came to the “new world”, looking for a better life. For some, like Esperanza, it is to escape from possible hardship and even death. This book really makes you think and question but it is not a difficult read. A straightforward story with a wonderful reflection on how we treat others.
I not sure what the answers are regarding immigration, but I do know that I’m an immigrant and Canada has gifted me with a wonderful life in a beautiful country. While I understand the need to protect citizen’s rights, I sometimes think we lose sight of exactly how privileged we are. How can we deny basic freedoms to others if we have the capacity to provide them? Just as Esperanza discovered, we should be careful because who knows? One day it could be us.
Ages: 10 and up Rating: 4 stars
My Childhood Bookshelf 
This was my favorite book in 4th grade! As an American, sometimes I turn on the news and just want to cry, and I think Esperanza Rising’s relevance today is tragic. However, I also believe that books like these are the reasons that each generation is less and less hateful than the last. It’s important to remember that as far as we have come as a society, the world is never truly absent of hate, but also never absent of hope.
LikeLike
It never seems to get better does it? We never seem to learn from past mistakes.
LikeLike