Esperanza Rising

This book centers on the transformation and growth of Esperanza.
At a young age, Esperanza is forced to convert from a treasured Mexican rancher's daughter to an independent bread earner working in a farm labor camp in California. After her papa was murdered the day before her 13th birthday, Esperanza's world and life had been horridly shaken. To escape from the threats of her slimy and despicable uncles, Esperanza's mom and her fled to California with their loyal servants to work in a labor farm. A peasant's life is nothing close to what Esperanza used to have in Mexico. She had a hard time readjusting herself to the new environment in the U.S., making friends, and disarm her pride as being superior to others. It took her a while to realize the world doesn't evolve around her. After her mom became seriously ill, Esperanza learned to stand on her own feet, pay her own efforts in making money for medical bills and life savings, and reposition herself in the new life. In the course of a year immigrating to America, Esperanza had truly become an independent, thoughtful, determined young girl who had saught her own new identity. With that, she had gained "hope"--like the meaning of her name in Spainish--to move forward to the brand new future.
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The reasons I like this novel are as the following:
-- The plot is partly based on the recollection of real-life experience of the author's grandma. It makes the characters seemed more real, and as I place myself in such historical background, it's easier to empathize with the antagonist's struggle, bravity, and determination.
-- There are many foreshadowing throughout the story. This creats some suspension for readers and prompt them to keep reading.
-- The plot is tight and appealing. Most interesting of all, each chapter is titled by a name of the fruit or vegitable. This is used to represent the times of the year as the story goes along. Esperanza and her mom left Mexico in the season of grapes, they've toiled through the time of potatoes, asparagus, almonds, plums, avocadoes, peaches, and finally back to grapes. This is an interesting cycle inseparably intertwined with the main plot.
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This book is on my recommendation list to young adults!