The+House+On+Mango+Street


 * The House on** **Mango Street**

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is a story about a young girl named Esperanza Cordero who grows up in the Latino section of Chicago. It tells the story of a small part in Esperanza’s life when she lived on Mango Street. Esperanza does not like and is not proud of her rundown neighborhood and small red house. She does not want to have anything to do with Mango Street, so she dreams of what she wants her life to be like and what she will become. Even though this book was not exactly the kind of book I normally like to read, I must say when you read it the chapters are very detailed so you feel like you are there with her. She tells about her next door neighbors, friends she makes, and even about her first job. It almost feels like every chapter is a new story telling you about what it is like to live in this area of Chicago. This fictional book is short, different, interesting, and descriptive. The book has short chapters, sometimes they are only half a page. It also has an unusual writing style, it takes you through a short period in her life and jumps around telling you about different experiences that she faced while living on Mango Street. Sometimes it is like you are reading her thoughts and other times it is more like poetry. If you are looking for a short, new, interesting yet entertaining book, I would urge you to read it. -Cassi Formolo

This sounds like a interesting book, because of all of its detail you feel, as you said, like you were in the book along with her. it sounds like such a good book and it's short, how wonderful. -Katherine Simmons

Review by Grace Flickinger The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, is about a girl named Esperanza Cordero. Esperanza has moved many times in her life but her new house on Mango Street is one she is not fond of or proud to be affiliated with. Many times in the book Esperanza tells the reader she "didn't want to belong on Mango Street." Esperanza describes her house on Mango Street as, "small and red with tight steps in front and windows so small you'd think they were holding their breath. Bricks are crumbling in places, and the front door is so swollen you have to push hard to get in. There is no front yard, only four little elms the city planted by the curb. The house has only one washroom and everyone has to share a bedroom." Esperanza doesn't like her house because she feels people look down on her for living their. The only good thing about the house in Esperanza's perspective is that they do not rent the house, they own it. While Esperanza lives on Mango Street she starts a dream of one day having a big house of her own. Read the book to find out if Esperanza follows her dreams. The house on Mango Street is a great book that teaches kids it doesn't matter what's on the outside, what matters is on the inside. I feel that this book is a great book for someone who enjoys a story with a great life lesson. I love girly books and wasn't sure when my friend recommended it to me. I gave it a shot and I don't regret it. It's a great book! I would give it a 10 out of 10. -Grace Flickinger

Review by Jeannie Peters: Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street

This summer, I choose to read an author biography called The House on Mango Street by, Sandra Cisneros. I had never heard of this book until I read through the book list and I don’t think I would recommend this book if you don’t like author biographies, you might think it is boring. This book is interesting to read because you learn about someone and what happened in there life. Even though it is interesting, it is sad. This book starts by telling the reading about constant movement of the main character’s Esperanza family, and how they go house to house and one day will finally get there dream to settle down in a big house with running water, a yard, stairs, more bedrooms and washrooms, and a basement. Will this dream ever come true? Esperanza is a girl who is in a family of five and including her six. She has one sister named Nenny, two brothers, Kiki and Carlos, and her mother and father. This family lives in a house on Mango Street, the neighborhood is not so great there, were they life is a little dangerous. They are not so found of that house on Mango Street so when a Nun asked Esperanza if that was were she lived as if she was ashamed of it and she said, “I knew then I had to have a house. A real house. One I could point to. But this isn't it. The house on Mango Street isn't it.”(Page 5) In the end I thought this book was very interesting to see what another persons life was like, and then compare it to mine. I found that my life and this books life are not the same. The author did a great job telling her story and what happened when she was younger and I would recommend this book to people that are interested and like to read author biographies but for the ones that don’t, I do not recommend this. -Jeannie Peters

Review by Danny Schur: Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street

I read a book called The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros. The main character in the book is Esperanza Cordero. She has many other relatives and family members mentioined in the book. The book is an interesting collection of short stories about Ezperanza's life. Ezperanza comes from a pretty poor family. There is not much money around and you definitely get the feeling of it. She moves a lot. She has lived in all sorts of houses that are mainly small. This book points out the house on Mango Street which is not to her satisfaction. There is no running water, one bathroom, and not much space to move around. She wants a very big house with many bathrooms, running water, stairs, and things she really doesn't have. The only good thing in Ezperanza's mind about the House on Mango Street is that the own it and don't rent it. Her family has had a history of bad encounters with land lords. Now her family is free of that issue. She moves a lot and doesn't like it. The move to the house on Mango Street is no exception. Eventually she meets other kids and has friends. She also plays and hangs out with her sisters, brothers, and cousins. I really enjoyed reading this interesting and touching book. It gives impeccable insight to her life. Unlike other books I have read, this one was quite hard to put down. I give it a 9 out of 10 as nothing is perfect. -Daniel Schur