The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

Narrated by thirteen-year-old Esperanza, The House on Mango Street explores the people and events in Cisneros’s created community. Esperanza’s parents purchase their first home in a crowded neighborhood. Contrary to Esperanza’s dreams of her new home, she realizes that her new community is a disappointment as she views it through the quickly maturing eyes of an adolescent. The style mimics a young writer, but incorporates many literary devices. Many students will make an instant connection to Esperanza’s Chicago, Latino neighborhood. The novel addresses the themes of community and how one fits in, getting to know one’s self, coming of age, Latin American culture, storytelling, and gender study.

About the Series:

Novel/Drama curriculum units contain complete lesson plans with preliminary and follow-up work, teacher notes with plot summary, background, and rationale, ready-to-use worksheets, and suggested answers for student questions. These study guides encourage the development of thinking, reading, speaking, research, and writing skills as well as critical thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.