Esperanza Rising: one young girl's journey through the hardships of the Great Depression

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan is a coming of age story set during the Great Depression. Esperanza had a great life on her family’s ranch in Aguascalientes, Mexico. She wanted nothing: fancy dresses, parties and servants. Until a series of tragic events forces Esperanza and her mother to flee to California. Along with their former servants, they settle in a camp for Mexican farm workers. Esperanza isn’t prepared for the hard labor, financial struggles and the sudden prejudice she experiences, especially from other Mexicans. She has some hard lessons to learn. When Mama becomes ill, Esperanza finds the strength and determination to rise above the circumstances and a new hope for their lives. 

I first saw this book many years ago and have always wanted to read it. But I had forgotten about it until my oldest daughter read in school this past year. As she talked with me about the book, I was once again intrigued to read it. Inspired by her grandmother’s story of life during the Great Depression, Ms. Munoz Ryan writes a story about faith, hope, and survival against all odds. At a time when everyone was looking for work and coming to California, Esperanza saw the harsh realities of life outside the privilege she was accustomed to. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and discussed it further with my daughter. I highly recommend Esperanza Rising. 

Esperanza Rising is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

El Cinco de Mayo: a look into its surprising origins

El Cinco de Mayo: An American Tradition by David E. Hayes-Bautista is a historical, societal and political look into the origins of the popular holiday, Cinco de Mayo, as an American invention and not one transplanted from Mexico. Knowledge about the history and origins of the holiday had been lost in time as many celebrated with no real understanding why it was celebrated in the first place. Maybe people incorrectly assume Cinco de Mayo came to America with the immigrants after WWII. Mr. Hayes-Bautista witnessed spectacular celebration of Cinco de Mayo in the US in 1960s at the height of the Chicano movement and almost no celebrations in Mexico during the same decade. He set out to find out way and focused his book on the development of Cinco de Mayo in the US. What he discovered was a socially and deliberately constructed holiday in response to the events and changes around Latinos living in California during the Civil War.

Cinco de Mayo is a celebration commemorating the First Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. The United States had been at civil war since April 1861. Napoleon III, the Emperor of France, took advantage of the US’s inability to enforce the Monroe Doctrine (1823) and began an invasion of Mexico. The French lost the First Battle of Puebla but continued to occupy Mexico for another five years. So why is the First Battle of Puebla still commemorated by Latinos in California and the US as whole today? Because a network of Latino groups in California known as the juntas patrióticas mejicanas (Mexican Patriotic Assemblies) helped create and maintain a public memory of the day. The juntas used the Cinco de Mayo to encourage support defense of freedom and democracy for the US and Mexico. The juntas eventually ended after WWII but their influenced continued as the Latino communities grew and Cinco de Mayo became a day to help highlight trends and problems in their communities. By 1986, the true meaning and origins behind the holiday was truly lost in public memory. “One of the great traditions that has come to the United States from Mexico is the celebration of the Cinco de Mayo” (William Davila, then president of Vons grocery stories, 1994).

Growing up in California and having the Latino influence in my life, I was aware Cinco de Mayo referred to the Battle of Puebla; however, I was not aware of the depth of the holiday or its true origins. As Mr. Hayes-Bautista states, “It did not seem to occur to anyone that the commemoration of the first battle of Puebla might have originated in California.” Cinco de Mayo is a genuine American holiday. Created in California and echoed in Oregon, Nevada and eventually across the nation. It originated in devotion to basic American values of freedom and democracy. El Cinco de Mayo is a great and detailed book as it explores the origins and growth of the Cinco de Mayo. I now have a new understanding and greater appreciation for the holiday. Cinco de Mayo is as American as Thanksgiving and should be celebrated by all. I highly recommend El Cinco de Mayo for anyone who is curious and wishes to learn more about Cinco de Mayo.

El Cinco de Mayo: An American Tradition

is available in paperback and eBook

Pierced by the Sun: a murder mystery

Pierced by the Sun by Laura Esquivel is a mystery which centers on a woman who must solve the mystery while battling her own demons. Lupita is a police officer who was in charge of the protection of Licenciado Arturo Larreaga, a local politician. The night ends with his murder and Lupita lost about how it could have happened. Lupita returns home in a daze and unsure of how to proceed. She spends the next few days reliving her past, fighting her demons. Since she witnessed the murder of Larreaga, she becomes a target of the corrupt Mexican government. They want to make sure she stays silent about what she knows. Can Lupita escape the danger? Will she be able to put the past behind her?

Pierced by the Sun was a very hard book to read. It was a lot introspection and not a lot of interaction between characters. The book promised action, mystery, an interesting story. Unfortunately, it failed. I really didn’t care about Lupita, her issues or her struggles of her fight to escape. I’ve read many books with characters like her: deeply failed and struggles with demons but they still seemed to care about the world around them on some level. And I didn’t feel that with Lupita. If you are a fun of Esquivel’s books, you may like Pierced by the Sun. However, I cannot recommend it. 

We visit Norway, France, and Mexico in the "If you were me and lived in..." series

More books in the “If you were me and lived in…” series by Carol P. Roman. First, we start with Norway. A country in Northern Europe known as the Land of the Midnight Sun. Their currency is called the kroner which is a small coin with a hole in the center. While living in Norway, one can see the aurora borealis or the northern lights. They celebrated Syttendde Mai on May 17^th as a celebration of the signing of Norway’s constitution. There are parades and costumes.

Second, we travel to France located in Western Europe. Its most famous city, Paris, is known as the City of Lights because it was the use to use gas lamps in 1838. The most famous landmark, the Eiffel Tower and the famous crepes which are served as a breakfast food or dinner and even dessert. They celebrate July 14^th, known as Bastille Day as their independence day. It signifies the beginning of the French Revolution.

Lastly, we visit Mexico. The largest city is Mexico City which is home to the Palacio de Bellas Artes or the Palace of Fine Arts. In Mexico, we learn about the Chichen Itza, a Mayan temple which has 365 steps one for each day of the year. Mexico celebrates Descubrimiento de America which honors the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, similar to America’s Columbus Day.

I love these books. As this is my four review of the series. I highly recommend these books for any family and classroom!

All the “If you were me and lived in…” titles are available on Amazon for $9.99