The House on Mango Street

By Sandra Cisneros

The House on Mango Street - Sandra Cisneros
  • Release Date: 1991-04-03
  • Genre: Fiction & Literature
Score: 4
4
From 966 Ratings

Description

A TODAY SHOW #ReadWithJenna BOOK CLUB PICK

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A coming-of-age classic about a young girl growing up in Chicago • Acclaimed by critics, beloved by readers of all ages, taught in schools and universities alike, and translated around the world—from the winner of the 2025 Ivan Sandrof Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Book Critics Circle.

“Cisneros draws on her rich [Latino] heritage...and seduces with precise, spare prose, creat[ing] unforgettable characters we want to lift off the page. She is not only a gifted writer, but an absolutely essential one.” —The New York Times Book Review


The House on Mango Street is one of the most cherished novels of the last fifty years. Readers from all walks of life have fallen for the voice of Esperanza Cordero, growing up in Chicago and inventing for herself who and what she will become. “In English my name means hope,” she says. “In Spanish it means too many letters. It means sadness, it means waiting."

Told in a series of vignettes—sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes joyous—Cisneros’s masterpiece is a classic story of childhood and self-discovery and one of the greatest neighborhood novels of all time. Like Sinclair Lewis’s Main Street or Toni Morrison’s Sula, it makes a world through people and their voices, and it does so in language that is poetic and direct. This gorgeous coming-of-age novel is a celebration of the power of telling one’s story and of being proud of where you're from.


Reviews

  • We must never forget where we come from!

    4
    By Adri_mb88
    I love this book. This is the second time that I read it because of the great memories that come to my mind. As a Latin woman, the Three Sisters is one of my favorite chapters because it is very sincere. I feel that many people may be identified with Esperanza, especially those who had been raised in a poor neighborhood or suffered discrimination because of its social and/or economic disadvantages. We must never forget where we come from!
  • Great Summer Read !

    5
    By ChicyetCheap
    I bought this book over a month ago and just started reading this week and have already finished it. Each chapter has about two pages, maybe three at the most. These compositions of short stories cover topics such as domestic violence, gentrification, prejudice, sexual assault, etc.
  • as

    2
    By JoeysPop72
    c de sex🏈🏈🏈😭🏈👎🏻👊🏻👊🏻👎🏻👊🏻👊🏻👍🏻👊👎🏻
  • Amazing

    5
    By Shahid katharevousa qwerty
    Wonderful
  • Great!

    3
    By Destiny cutie
    A great book but very hard to follow at times. I did overall enjoy the book
  • 0 stars

    4
    By I am nit happy right now
    Terrible just talks about a girl who wants a new house because the one she got isn’t good enough she should be grateful.
  • Trash

    1
    By Gaben Nule
    I would’ve given it 0 stars if I could. Just random uninteresting stories. Also if you get the audiobook the authors voice is really annoying sounds like a little kid rambling, no wonder she wrote this piece of trash. I only finished this book because my school made me. Absolute trash don’t waste anytime with this book.
  • .

    1
    By physicslover1234567890
    This book kinda blows
  • Garbage

    1
    By Hownot2 pl47
    None of it makes sense it’s just non sense spewed from a child. I hated every second of this book.
  • Bad book bad!

    1
    By Sofia_sapo
    This book was terrible. Had no point, very idiotic chapters, I didn’t not like it, nor do I recommend it!!
  • Great

    4
    By Alexis Rose Marie
    It’s a great book but I’m not sure on the purpose exactly some chapters confuse me like the poetry. I wish they’re was a explanation part of this book to see all the real things she’s talking about but I overall love this book.
  • The House On Mango Street

    1
    By JLaw03
    I love reading books but this book is a book I would not want to read anymore I was assigned this book for a project in school and didn’t get done with it in about 3 weeks it was confusing and regret paying 8 dollars for it I feel bad for the Arthur because he/she is trying to get a point across but they are just not getting it, I personally don’t recommend this book but if you end of reading it and liking it congrats 👏
  • Interesting

    4
    By ESPN Logan
    I was reading for my class and was assigned this book. It is interesting, but confusing at times. But the funny part is that my name is also Esperanza. Lol.😱😊😂
  • This book is so misunderstood by many

    5
    By Waam
    Wow, this book is so misunderstood by so many people. The stories, told as mini stories opens you up to the reality of life on Mango Street from a little girls point of view. Your job is to piece it together. If you make that effort, enjoy!!!
  • Boring

    1
    By Worms like bananas
    This book was a waste of my time had to read it for summer reading author must've been stoned while writing this
  • The House on Mango Street review

    5
    By SavinaMitchell1!
    The novel "The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros is a very realistic book that I think people should read because unlike other books were the characters are perfect and live great perfect lives. It is a life of an ordinary girl who has many things going on in her life mentally and physically. She wants to have a nice pretty name and be pretty and have nice things. But is not narcissistic or selfish at all just dreaming. She wants to live somewhere nice and be alone and independent. But not completely ghost herself from the world. People tell her things and say she has a beautiful unique name that is being caried on to another generation. She doesn't want to carry the generation with the name though. Esperanza is meant to be a confusing long name for people who are sad and do nothing and sit at home with their sad loneliness. She meets many people and different daily challenges. Lucy, Rachel, are her friends from Texas that she's with usually on the daily. And her younger sister Nenny. Sally is her best friend but the opposite of Esperanza because, as Esperanza says, she is pretty and gets the boys and is popular and etc. Her house is red and crippling into the ground slow as can be, getting eaten up by the ground. With brown all around, and dark alleys and corners with few lights at night. It is a vignette told story but they do connect and you will under stand it and feel Esperanza's life and emotions. I definitely recommeand it. "¡Afortunado! Lucky! Lucky the generation who grew up with Esperanza and The House on mango street. And lucky future readers. This is funny, beautiful book will always be with us."-Maxine Hong Kingston says. I will translate in Spanish too because this book is also written in Spanish so people can read my review who are bilingual. La novela "La casa en la calle del mango" de Sandra Cisneros es un libro muy realista que creo que la gente debe leer porque a diferencia de otros libros eran los personajes son perfectos y viven grandes vidas perfectas. Es una vida de una chica normal que tiene muchas cosas pasando en su vida mental y físicamente. Ella quiere tener un bonito nombre bonito y ser bonita y tener cosas buenas. Pero no es narcisista ni egoísta en absoluto soñando. Quiere vivir en un lugar agradable y estar sola e independiente. Pero no completamente fantasma del mundo. La gente le dice cosas y dice que tiene un nombre único y hermoso que se está transmitiendo a otra generación. Ella no quiere llevar a la generación con el nombre sin embargo. Esperanza está destinado a ser un confuso nombre largo para las personas que están tristes y no hacer nada y sentarse en casa con su triste soledad. Conoce a muchas personas y diferentes desafíos diarios. Lucy, Rachel, son sus amigas de Texas con las que suele estar en el diario. Y su hermana menor, Nenny. Sally es su mejor amiga, pero lo contrario de Esperanza porque, como dice Esperanza, es bonita y recibe a los niños y es popular y etc. Su casa es roja y paralizante en el suelo lo más lento posible, siendo devorada por el suelo. Con marrón todo alrededor, y los callejones y las esquinas oscuros con pocas luces en la noche. Se trata de una viñeta contada historia, pero se conectan y lo entenderá y sentir la vida de Esperanza y las emociones. Definitivamente recommeand. "¡Afortunado, Lucky, Lucky, la generación que creció con Esperanza y The House en la calle de mango y afortunados futuros lectores.Esto es divertido, hermoso libro siempre estará con nosotros." - Maxine Hong Kingston dice.
  • Great

    5
    By max112458
    Is too short but it was a very good book great to read on the train
  • Gripping, inspiring, and humble.

    4
    By mojemash
    Reading this book made me want to write. It touched my heart with the simple stories told from the perspective of a child, so meaningful to an adult. My teenager was recommended this book by her teacher, I'm so glad we share our favorite books.
  • The World's Longest Introduction

    1
    By Ted21073
    The First 100 pages of the book consist mostly of introduction, those that aren't are the spliced together ramblings, of an unfinished book, definitely not worth it