This nonfiction companion to Esperanza Rising discusses the lives of Mexican farm workers in California during the Great Depression, including workers' strikes, immigration and deportation, and class differences.

In Esperanza Rising, Esperanza lives a comfortable, well-to-do life on her family's ranch in Mexico. When her life suddenly changes and she must become a farm worker in California, she has a difficult time adjusting. In this nonfiction companion to the popular novel, readers learn about the struggles farm workers faced during the Great Depression, including illness, dust storms, and the decision of whether or not to strike, as well as the small joys, like favorite foods and weekly fiestas.

The Nonfiction Companion series takes popular, grade-appropriate fiction titles and provides a more in-depth understanding of them. What were ration booklets really like? How did barefoot doctors work? Did families really run away to work on farms? Students will love to read about the histories, author backgrounds, and real-life facts surrounding books they already know and love.