Esperanza

Esperanza by Carol Gaab is perfect for level 1 Spanish students! This hardcover book is a narrative nonfiction written in first person.
This novel is based on the chilling true story of a young family caught in the middle of political corruption and unspeakable violence during Guatemala’s 36-year civil war. Tired of watching city workers endure countless human and civil rights violations, Alberto organizes a union. When he and his co-workers organize a strike, Alberto and his family find themselves on the government’s “extermination” list. The violent situation leaves Alberto separated from his family and forces them all to flee for their lives. Will their will to survive be enough to help them escape and reunite? And if so, will they ever find another place they can call home?
The exceptionally low unique word count and high frequency factor (the number of times core structures are embedded in the text) in the Comprehension-based reader, ‘Esperanza’, make this an ideal read for advanced beginning Spanish students. Each page is loaded with cognates (words that are similar in English and Spanish), recycled vocabulary, and illustrations, which makes this read highly comprehensible. Enjoy the story! The more you enjoy it, the more you will acquire Spanish without even realizing it! We hope you enjoy reading your way to FLUENCY!