Living on her family’s ranch in Mexico in the years following the Revolution, 12‑year‑old Esperanza has always had all the material things she could want. More important, she has had the love and devotion of her parents. But on the eve of her 13th birthday, Esperanza’s world is shattered when bandits kill her father. With the help of a Zapotec Indian family, Esperanza and her mother flee to the United States, escaping Esperanza’s despicable uncles, who now own their land. Thousands upon thousands of workers have come to California looking for work during the Great Depression. Esperanza’s mother tells her daughter they must be grateful for the shelter and the jobs they have found in a field labor camp. But Esperanza’s privileged childhood has not prepared her for the harsh, overcrowded conditions, nor for the housework and childcare she is expected to do. Initially determined to succeed at her tasks as a matter of pride, Esperanza soon develops a fierce determination based on more compelling need. She wants to provide for her mother, who has fallen ill. But the generosity, hopes, and heartbreak Esperanza witnesses among the workers, who live with dignity in almost unbearable conditions--teach her that the fate of many cannot be isolated from the fate of one. Pam Muñoz Ryan’s novel, inspired by events in the life of her grandmother, deftly weaves social issues into a novel that is first and foremost a compelling story of family and coming of age. (Ages 10‑14)

The brutal murder of her father forces Esperanza, almost thirteen, and her mother, from their flourishing Mexican ranch to California. Foundering during the Great Depression along with other migrant workers, they suffer humiliations and deprivations. Yet Esperanza, inspired by her Abuelita's words "We are like the phoenix rising from the ashes," helps herself, her mother, and her people to survive.

**CELEBRATING 25 YEARS IN PRINT!**

A modern classic for our time and for all time―this beloved, award-winning bestseller resonates with fresh meaning for each new generation. Perfect for fans of Kate DiCamillo, Christopher Paul Curtis, and Rita Williams-Garcia.

Pura Belpre Award Winner

* "Readers will be swept up." -Publishers Weekly, starred review

Esperanza thought she'd always live a privileged life on her family's ranch in Mexico. She'd always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home filled with servants, and Mama, Papa, and Abuelita to care for her. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California and settle in a Mexican farm labor camp. Esperanza isn't ready for the hard work, financial struggles brought on by the Great Depression, or lack of acceptance she now faces. When Mama gets sick and a strike for better working conditions threatens to uproot their new life, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances--because Mama's life, and her own, depend on it.