The house on mango street
The House on Mango Street
Sandra Cisneros
Gwen
A fabulous book I’ve recently enjoyed is The House On Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. It tells the story of a young girl named Esperanza who lives in a dilapidated house on mango street; a street avoided by upper class citizens. Esperanza guides us through her story with a young child’s filter of the world, stretching out every thought and detail. She speaks about her neighbors and her embarrassment of her house and Mexican name. Through a collaboration of small stories, you get to know Esperanza, her friends, family and her dreams.
I really loved The House On Mango Street for it’s beauty and message. Cisneros managed to turn a somewhat sad tale about a young girl’s struggles into a wondrous adventure. Everything was written in the very black and white way of a naive child. Esperanza is happy with the way her life is, but well aware of the position she has in society. Her unknowingness is not in what the world thinks of her, but in what she thinks of the world. As the story flows, she develops dreams and this ignorance eventually wears off, but the bluntness of each startling event remains.
The only element of The House On Mango Street that I didn’t like was the structure. The vinyets allowed the book to flow and be extremely impactful, but also to be a bit confusing. The reader really has to read into the words to gain full meaning. Also, every subject was only touched on in-depth once, but brought up over and over again. I found myself having to pause and recall who a particular person was or what specific thing happened to lead to this other major event. This book should be read slowly and thoroughly; like a question on a test. Take your time with the challenging concepts and flowing language. This book is really for an older, more mature age group. If you like books with rich language that make you think, The House On Mango Street is a good choice.
Sandra Cisneros
Gwen
A fabulous book I’ve recently enjoyed is The House On Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. It tells the story of a young girl named Esperanza who lives in a dilapidated house on mango street; a street avoided by upper class citizens. Esperanza guides us through her story with a young child’s filter of the world, stretching out every thought and detail. She speaks about her neighbors and her embarrassment of her house and Mexican name. Through a collaboration of small stories, you get to know Esperanza, her friends, family and her dreams.
I really loved The House On Mango Street for it’s beauty and message. Cisneros managed to turn a somewhat sad tale about a young girl’s struggles into a wondrous adventure. Everything was written in the very black and white way of a naive child. Esperanza is happy with the way her life is, but well aware of the position she has in society. Her unknowingness is not in what the world thinks of her, but in what she thinks of the world. As the story flows, she develops dreams and this ignorance eventually wears off, but the bluntness of each startling event remains.
The only element of The House On Mango Street that I didn’t like was the structure. The vinyets allowed the book to flow and be extremely impactful, but also to be a bit confusing. The reader really has to read into the words to gain full meaning. Also, every subject was only touched on in-depth once, but brought up over and over again. I found myself having to pause and recall who a particular person was or what specific thing happened to lead to this other major event. This book should be read slowly and thoroughly; like a question on a test. Take your time with the challenging concepts and flowing language. This book is really for an older, more mature age group. If you like books with rich language that make you think, The House On Mango Street is a good choice.
thirteen
Thirteen
Lauren Myracle
Nalani
This book is great for girls ages 11-14. The title pretty much explains what it’s about: a thirteen year old girl! She goes through everything from annoying older sisters to very friendly boys. This book is a fun, easy read and I have read it at least 15 times. If you like "girly" realistic fiction, this book is definitely for you!
Other books you may enjoy by this author are: Twelve, Eleven, Ten, Thirteen Plus One, the Internet Girls series (ttyl, ttfn, l8r g8r, and bff), Luv Ya Bunches, Violet in Bloom, Oopsy Daisy, and Awesome Blossom.
Lauren Myracle
Nalani
This book is great for girls ages 11-14. The title pretty much explains what it’s about: a thirteen year old girl! She goes through everything from annoying older sisters to very friendly boys. This book is a fun, easy read and I have read it at least 15 times. If you like "girly" realistic fiction, this book is definitely for you!
Other books you may enjoy by this author are: Twelve, Eleven, Ten, Thirteen Plus One, the Internet Girls series (ttyl, ttfn, l8r g8r, and bff), Luv Ya Bunches, Violet in Bloom, Oopsy Daisy, and Awesome Blossom.