•  Pam uses her day-dreaming ideas to come up with her books.
•  When Pam was a child, writing books helped her over-come her boredom.
•  Pam has two dogs named Buddy and Sammy.  Pam takes riding lesson with a horse named Smokey
•  Pam has written over 25 books.

•  Pam was born and raised in San Joaquin Valley,  

 Green, delicate scenery, sunny skies, and gentle breezes.

2.      How does Esperanza's father feel about the land?  Do you think every land owner in Mexico felt the "heartbeat" of the earth? 

 I think he repects it a lot more than other farmers because he thinks of it as "living",  and takes care of it as if it was his own family.   Other people think of it as a "thing."

3.      Authors use foreshadowing to help readers get a sense of what might be happening later in the story.  What event does the Pam Munoz Ryan use to foreshadow the event that happens at the end of the first chapter?

In the first chapter, Esperanza had poked her finger with a rose thorn, and to them, that meant bad luck. 

4.      What do Esperanza and Miguel mean when they say that in Mexico they "stand on different sides of the river"?  (page 37) 

 They realize that Miguel is just a servant, and Esperanza is the owners' daughter, so they have HUGE differences.

5.      Why do Hortensia and Alfonso offer to take Esperanza and her mother to America with them even though they are risking their lives to help them escape?

 Because Esperanza's father was good to them, so they are trying to return the favor. 

Week Two:  pages 58-120

1.      What character traits best describe Esperanza?  Use examples form the story to defend your position.

Before Papa died, she was happy, generous, and giving. But after he died, she was greedy and didn't want to be around the peasants because she was used to being rich.

2.      How is the woman, Carmen, rich, even though she is poor?

 She is not rich in money, but rich in soul, spirit, health, and her children and family.

3.      When Esperanza meets Isabel in California, she smiles at her, yet thinks Isabel can be so happy about “such little things." (page 90)  What does this tell us about Esperanza's character?

It tells us that Esperanza(in her view) would never make a big deal of little things, Esperanza is used to being wealthy so she is used to making a big deal over expensive, rare items.

4.      How does Marta treat Esperanza?  Why do you think Marta acts this way towards her?  What can we learn about the character, Marta? (page 96)

Marta is very rude and insulting towards Esperanza.  I think she has had a bad past with wealthy land owners so she really doesn't care to be by them. I think we will learn that she may be kind, or she can be very rude. It is all up to her whether to act kind or not. I think that Martha's friends did not treat her nice. So she is not nice  to Esperanza

5.      Compare the setting in Aquascalientes to the company camp in California.  How is Esperanza’s life different in each place?  How is it similar?

    In Aquascalientes it is clean, beautifully kept, and very green. In the camp in California, it is very dusty, dry, and not very sanitary.

6.      What kind of new skills must Esperanza learn in order to live in California?

She must learn how to work instead of having servants do it for her. She must learn how to sweep, do laundry, change diapers, etc.  

 

 Week Three:  pages 121-178

1.      Why does Mama say, “Didn’t I tell you Papa’s heart would find us where ever we went?                  

    Even though you can't see him he is with you.

2.      After one day at the farm camp, Esperanza and her family have bruises.  How are Esperanza’s bruises different from those of her family?

 Esperanza has more bruises than anyone else because she has never worked that hard before.

3.      Why is Mama the only one to get sick with Valley Fever?

 Some bodies can handle the fever if their used to the climate but those who aren't used to it get sick.

The doctor said that older people have the fever worse than children because their boidies are younger than the childrens'.  

4.      Why does Mama want Abuelita’s blanket?  What do we learn about Mama because of this?

 She wants to feel comfort from her mother.  We learn that Papa's death, her house burning down, and Abuelita still being in Mexico is really hard on

Mama because she has to stay strong for Esperanza.

5.      Why does Esperanza feel she must work in the sheds with the older women?

She thinks that Abuelita may not be able to get her money out of Tio Luis's bank, and all of the money that Mama has made working, is all spent on doctor bills, so she must do her part in working too. 

Week Four:  pages 179-233                    

1.      Esperanza learns that she misses some very specific things about her mother.  What are they, and why does this surprise her?

Esperanza misses how her mom used to dress up in her fancy clothes.  It suprises her because usally her mom looks beautiful and she likes to look pretty. Esperanza probebly misses how her mother was healthy, she had easier jobs, and life was easy.

2.      Josefina and Hortensia tell Esperanza and Miguel to shop only at the Japanese store.   Why?  What does Alfonso mean when he tells Miguel Mr. Yakota is “getting rich on other peoples bad manners”?

     They are to shop there because he treats,Mexicans like people unlike other shop owners he treats them a lot nicer.  Mr.Yakota is getting very 

annoyed by other people's behaviors. 

3.      Why do some of the farm workers feel they must strike while others do not?  As a group, decide whether or not you would choose to strike and then explain why you made that decision.

  Because they feel like they don't get paid enough, therefore, not enough money to support their families.   We decided as a group that we would not strike,because if we do strike we could lose are jobs and lose all our food.   

4.      What is the reaction of your group to the bus coming to pick up the strikers and deport them from the country?  Is it fair to deport people who are citizens?  Does it seem right to tear up someone’s immigration papers?

Our reaction is that it is so very unfair.  No! We think it is rude and

very mean.  No,it is not fair because they are legal citizens.

5.      Prejudice is an evil thing.  Unfortunately, we experience it in our daily lives.  Identify some examples of discrimination that Esperanza and the other people who live at the camp must endure.

6.      Miguel tries to reassure Esperanza about the injustice she sees in the world around her.  Is he successful?  Explain the outcome.  Do you think this is related to the missing money orders?

        He is not sucessful.Miguel ends up running away and taking the money orders and brings back abulitia

7.      On the ride to California, Esperanza refuses to allow a peasant girl to touch her treasured doll; yet later she offers to give the doll to Isabel.  What has brought about this change in her feelings?

 Week Five:  pages 234-262                                                                                                         1.      How  does the situation with the missing money orders work out?

 In the end, I think it is the best possible thing to happen. Instead of being a bad thing, it turned out to

be a very good thing.

2.      In what way does the crocheted blanket mirror Esperanza’s experiences?

At different times Esperanza crochetes the blanket, but while she crochetes, she sews her feelings in it.

As an example, Esperanza sewed a portion of her hair into the blanket.

3.      After reading the book do you think the title Esperanza Rising is appropriate?  Explain.

So far I think it is appropriate because she used to be  snotty and irrisponsible and now she is responsible and nice to other people.  So she has risen to be a better person. It has taught us how the correct way to treat peole around us.   

4.      Describe the ways in which the character of Esperanza has changed or grown from the beginning of the book.  Use examples from the story to support your answer.

 Esperanza has become a better person beacause she has been more open to the other peasants around her.  In this way her character has grown in love, trustfulness and caring not just for weathy people, but for peasants. Example: On the train ride to California, Esperanza wouldn't let the peasants touch her doll, but later she let Isabel have her doll.  

5.  Complete the table.