Title: The House on Mango Street
Author: Sandra Cisneros
ISBN: 0-679-73477-5
Recommended Grade Level of Reader: 9th and Up
Publisher: Vintage Books
Media Type: Book
Copyright: 1984
Genre: Fiction
Reader's Annotation: Growing up Latino, no one had high expectations for Esperanza, but she knew who she was and what she wanted to be and her dreams were going to take her away from the neighborhood.
Plot Summary: The House on Mango Street is a series of short stories told from the perspective of a young Hispanic girl. Esperanza, the female protagonist, lives in a diverse neighborhood in Chicago. Her stories tell about her life growing up as a minority in a unique community. By dealing with her different name, characters in her neighborhood, and her ethnicity, among other funny and insightful chapters in her life, the readers sees Esperanza grow and mature.
Evaluation: (B) Cisneros' writing is simple and to the point. This provides for belivability since Esperanza is young and honest about her emotions and therefore, straightforward. Although lacking rich description, once can still picture the sights and hear the sounds in Esperanza's neighborhood. The brevity of the stories is appealing as it leaves the readers wanting to know more.
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