Chicago native's 'The House on Mango Street' selected for One Book, One Chicago
The House on Mango Street, Chicago native Sandra Cisneros’ poignant collection of vignettes told by a Mexican-American teenager struggling to “fit in” while finding herself in Chicago, is the 16th selection in One Book, One Chicago.
The only daughter in a family of nine, Cisneros grew up in Humboldt Park and made frequent trips to Mexico. She graduated from St. Josephinum High School and Loyola University and taught high school dropouts at the Latino Youth Alternative High School who inspired her award-winning book.
(Keith Hale/Sun-Times)
The third One Book, One Chicago selection set in Chicago, The House on Mango Street is the story of Esperanza Cordero, the daughter of immigrants who’s trying to find her place in this city of immigrants.
“I’m going to tell you a story of a girl who doesn’t belong,” Esperanza says in the book.
Although those words are spoken by a Mexican-American girl, Mayor Daley said, “It identifies any young girl growing up in Chicago. It doesn’t matter what race, ethnic origin you're in. It can apply to anyone.”
Library Commissioner Mary Dempsey said, “It's a story about growing up. It’s a story about trying to fit in. It’s the story of having those challenges when your name is Esperanza Cordero and you’re growing up in a society that may not accept you, and you may not accept yourself.”
She added, “This is a book for boys and girls — for teens, for adults. This is a book about what it’s like to grow up, what it’s like to try to fit in and what it’s like to live in a dynamic and urban environment. It’s not always perfect. But it’s what’s inside you that makes it good.”
Mexican Counsel-General Manuel Rodriguez Arriaga was so thrilled about the choice of a book about, as he put it, “Mexico in Chicago,” he attended the mayor's news conference at the Harold Washington Library.
“It’s the challenge of identity. We see that here — among mostly our young people — children and youngsters who were born in Mexico, but came very early in their lives, or children . . . who have Mexican parents, or mixed couples,” he said.
“That challenge is not an easy one because . . . the Mexican culture is a very strong one with very deep roots. But once they are here . . . they belong to this country as well. They will grow and serve this country. That’s a challenge. It’s not always easy to solve it,” said Arriaga.