•  She became a teacher, an administrator and then, at the encouragement of a friend who thought she could write, began her first book.
   
•  When Pam Munoz Ryan was a child, she would fight her boredom by writing books.

• When Pam Munoz Ryan was young, the library was her fovorite place to hang out because her family didn't have a swimming pool and the library was air - conditioned!                       

     It is during the Great Depression and right after the Mexican Revolution.  They live in a ranch style house which is called El Rancho de las Rosas.  Also, during that time a lot of poor people were breaking into rich peoples' homes and El Rancho de las Rosas just happened to be one of them.

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

     Esperanza's father felt grateful about the land. I don't think that many other ranch owners felt the heartbeat of the Earth.  Esperanza's father was a kind man who respected the land and treated it like he would treat an actual person.

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?

     Esperanza pricks her finger on a rose thorn and that means she could have bad luck.  Then Esperanza's father dies and the uncles burn their house down so that Esperanza's mama wouldn't really have a choice if to marry Tio Luis or not.

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

      Espranza is a wealthy ranch owners daughter and Miguel is a field servant. They mean that they both live in two different worlds and can't be together.

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?

      Esperanza's mama doesn't want to marry Tio Luis and if they didn't, they wouldn't have anywhere to live unless Hortensia and Alfonso take them to the U.S.A.  They would be living in California there.

Week Two:  pages 58-120

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

    Confused- Esperanza doesn't know why Mama is acting so wierd, like when she put her hair in a braid down her back instead of a bun.

   Mad - Esperanza is mad because her Papa would never want Esperanza and her family to sleep in such a place that they are in.  She also wants to go to a different house, better than the one they are in now.

   Sad  - Esperanza's father died and she knows that he will never come back.  She wants him back so he can do something about their situation.

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

    Carmen is a good person. She gave money to a person who was more poor than her and she'll do anything to try and help someone. Carmen has eight children to care for, but still she gives her time to listen to you when you need help, cares for people, and is very kind and thoughtful.

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 is trying to be nice to Isabel, but she is confused and doesn't get it yet. Which means that its going to take awhile for Esperanza to get used to things around here.

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 treats Esperanza like a rich snot. Marta's dad died when he was fighting the rich Mexicans for land, and Marta thinks that Esperanza's dad was one of those rude Mexicans that were mean. Which he was one of those Mexicans but he wasn't mean. We can learn that Marta has a point that shes trying to prove. Marta is mad because her dad died and I don't think shes gotten over that yet. 

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?

 Esperanza's life is different because she never had to work in Aquascalientes or sweep the floor or change and wash diapers/clothing. In California she has to do all those kinds of things.  At first she didn't know how to do that because she was never taught in Aquascalientes.  Also, because where she lives and her surroundings are different than in Aquascalientes.  Though it is similar because she still has most of her family with her, so they can help each other out.

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

 Esperanza has to learn how to change a diaper, sweep the floor, and wash the clothes on her own, without Mama or anybody else helping her.  She also has to learn to work at what she is doing and not want to give up.

 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?

       Mama says that because Papa's roses, from Mexico, have followed Esperanza and Mama to California.

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's bruises were to her pride and everyone else's bruises were physical bruises and hers hurt her heart.

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

      Mama is sick because she inhaled dust spores, from the dust storm. The spores got into her lungs and formed an infection and she can't overcome the disease because shes new and she isn't used to the dusty fields yet. If it was someone who lived there for a long time they could overcome this fever in a matter of days.

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

      Mama wants the blanket because she misses Abuelita and she wants Abuelita with her. We learn that Mama is very strong but she needs someone else to be strong and helpful to her right now.

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

    Esperanza feels she must work to pay for her mama's bills and she wants to earn enough money so that she can bring Abuelita to see Mama.

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?

     Espernza misses how her mama used to walk into a room, so graceful and regal,  she misses watching her hands crocheting, and she missed Mama's strong loud laughter. This surprises her because you would think that Esperanza would think of the bigger things like her mama's love,but she didn't.

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 shop at the Japanese store because the owner treats everyone like family and doesn't say that Mexicans, for example can't come into the store. People are mad because he is allowing any race come into his store.

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.

     The strikers feel that they don't get enough  money for what they work for and now people are coming from different places and only working for a penny, so they are going on a strike. The other people don't feel the need to strike because they don't want to lose they jobs and get sent back to Mexico.   

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?

      We didn't know what was going to happen with Esperanza and her family because they were Mexican. Yes, it is fair to the people who are citizens because they are on strike. No, it doesn't seem right to tear up someone's immigration paper though.

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.

     When they go swimming how they have to go in the afternoon before they clean the pool, when they go to certain stores they get teased for something not even necessary, and when the government is building a new house for the people from Oklahoma with toilets inside and hot water right in their house.

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?

      When Miguel tries to reassure Esperanza he isn't successful. Yes, I think it is related to the missing money orders because Miguel leaves and the next day the money is gone.

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?

    Part of her feelings are that her mama is sick, Esperanza is older now, and when she wouldn't let the little girl touch the doll her Papa just died and she just got that doll for her birthday from Papa so she thought that the doll was the only thing that understood her and was the last thing she would get from Papa.

 Week Five:  pages 234-262

1.      How  does the situation with the missing money orders work out?

 They work out well because Miguel takes Esperanza's money that she worked so hard for and then he brings back Abuelita.

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

 Up the mountain ten steps/stiches, add one, nine steps/stiches down the mountain, skip one. Esperanzas had a lot of ups and downs just like going up and down the mountain.

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

  Yes, because when Esperanza was in Mexico she had no clue how to do housework or any work, so when she moved to Californa she did not know how to do work, but then she learned how to do work, and when she was in Mexico she was a child. In Californa she is an adult.

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.

5.  Complete the table.