Lupita Manana

A completely engaging novel about how two adolescents, Lupita and Salvador, must sneak into the United States looking for work after their father dies in a fishing accident and leaves the family destitute. Beyond being a "refugee" story, Lupita Manana encompasses the protagonist's coming of age as she grows from an idealist young child to a realist who lives with over-extended family, works for barely no pay, and ultimately loses her brother to hooligan behavior and deportation. A bittersweet st [...]

I found this book boring and a bit too liberal for my tastes. It's a shame I had to read it in school.

This book is a sad yet, thrilling tale that fallows two main characters, Salvador , and Lupita. the book shows the struggle of two kids trying to make there, and there families lives better. The goal throughout the story is cross the border, ( due to there fathers death) and make money to help there mother back in encenada. Of corse this causes them many troubles such as La Migra (immagration police) and having to work with no cards and or papers.I love this book although I do have a few problem [...]

Lupita Manana is a book about immigration. The setting takes place in Mexico and New York. The main characters are Lupita, Salvador. And the other characters are Caramela, Captin Ortega, Uncle Consuelo, Dorotea and Aunt Consuelo. This is a pretty good book because if you want to learn Spanish words, it tells you them in the book.Captin Ortega sends his son named Paco to Senor Aguilars hotel to get Lupita's mamaCaramela. Paco informs Caramela that her husband has died because of a bad weather. [...]

In Spanish the major part of our curriculum this year was to read this book. All of the kids didn't want to read it, I didn't want to read it, even the teacher didn't want to read it! But, the district said we had to.In the end, I really didn't like this book that much. It was either too boring, or too over dramatic. It didn't feel like an accurate description of how people crossed the border.I also hated the characters. Lupita was too optimistic, and Salvador too bitchy. I found myself very hap [...]

This book sucks. It is very very very very boring. Lupita and her brother Salvador must cross the border to the US. Lupita is supposedly incredibly optimistic. Really thought, she's and her brother Salvador are both just bipolar.Lots of Love,Michelle D.

I liked the descriptive language that was included, but I was a little disappointed in the Lupita character. She was a bit of a drag, and her optimism was a little forced. It got on my nerves for some reason. I have yet to recommend it to anyone :oS Is that bad?

I personally didnt like it at all it had to much drama in the book for me.I didnt like the story line at all it was a little confusing for me to understand what was going on.

Lupita Mannana is a nice book to read on your free time. It has a nice story and its not too long. The book is about a Mexican family that just lost their dad while he was fishing. The mom needs the two kids Lupita and Salvador to go to America to get money for the family. This book is interesting and has a nice adventure story to it. I will say it is not my favorite but it is a good book. The book does get straight to the point and hooks the reader. i do recommend this book to to readers who li [...]

Very well done YA novel

This book is . not good. It was written by a (presumably) well meaning white woman in 1981. I read it because I'm going to use it for lit circles at the middle school where I now teach 7th grade language arts. I chose it in part because it was just what we had available at school. I wanted stories with female MC's, POC, and with stories my students, many of whom are immigrants and children of immigrants, might relate to. Many voted to read this story, and I do think it will overall be a good sto [...]

Lupita Manana by Patricia Beatty is about a girl named Lupita and her family. Her father dies during work out in the ocean and leaves his family struggling to pay back money lenders for his funeral. Lupita's mother explains to her and her older brother Salvador that they must go look for work across the border in the United States as illegal immigrants. They head out on a long journey to their Aunt Consuelo's house that they believe is rich. Lupita is to dress as a boy so less problems will occu [...]

I like the historical fiction book that Patricia Beatty writes very much. This book differs from the kind of books she usually writes. And it gives the normal American a different look at illegal immigration. The author says in the back that the story is based on real children. Although Mama works as a maid in a hotel, the family is desperately poor and when Lupita's father is lost at sea Mama must go to the moneylenders in order to support her 6 children. It is decided that 13 year-old Lupita a [...]

After their fathers death Lupita and Salvador Torres are left in charge of taking care of their younger sibligs, so they are somehow forced by their mother to com to the United States for a better living. Once they have crossed the border they seem to be in a diffrent world, not knowing the language, the American work/money, etc. The first job they got was lupita as a motel chambermaid and salvador as a dishwasher, later we find out that someone had called immigratin so the kids have to flee. Go [...]

Lupita Torres and her family live in Ensenada, Mexico. Her father works on a fishing boat. Her mother cleans rooms at a local hotel. When Lupita's father is swept out to sea during a storm, her mother is forced to borrow money. Lupita and her oldest brother, Salvador, are sent north to Indio, California where Aunt Consuelo lives in hopes that they can earn enough money to pay back the loan. If they can't, they will lose their house. Their escape from Mexico is perilous and exhausting- filled wit [...]

I would not have picked up this novel had it not been the one that we chose to teach for this unit at school. I am thrilled with our choice even though neither of us had read more than the synopsis on the back.I teach in a school with a 61% Hispanic population. Many of these students either personally experienced immigration similar to Lupita or know a close family member or friend who did. We chose this novel to engage the students and give them motivation to read even though, unfortunately, th [...]

This story is mostly about immigrants struggling to live the lives of pressured and discriminated world. Crossing over the border from Mexico to United States is very dangerousBut Lupita must cross from Mexico to America. After her father dies in a fishing boat accident in the seas near their small Mexican village, Lupita's family is left in poverty. I feel as if gender played a big role in this because when the father passed away, it's like the whole family fell apart. Lupita and her big brothe [...]

Reading Lupita Mañana in school when I did was probably a very bad choice. I had only recently read Esperanza Rising for fun and found it to be an excellent description of the so-called "immigrant experience". Lupita Mañana felt like a pale copy next to Pam Muñoz Ryan's solid writing.But what I recall of Lupita Mañana is that the writing is awkward and dull. That the characters were unsympathetic and annoying. That the story was overly dramatic and often strained. This was one of the first b [...]

This contemporary realistic fiction is a real mind grabber with the way the author portrays the American Dream. Being written in first person,off the coast in Mexico, Lupita and Her brother, Salvador, must find a way to earn money in America after finding word that there father has died. Though, they have to find a way to get into America legally or illegally if they have to. They soon find a way into America and find some work. On the way they were given a bigger surprise. This book does have s [...]

I would have given this book a 5 of 5 had there been a sequel. Although, maybe I should give it a five out of five considering this was the author's last book before her death. Anyhow, this was an extremely well written account of two young children that must cross the border of Mexico to get to the United States in order to send money home to their mother who was a recent widow. The story was very realistic and shows how hard a toll the body takes both mentally and physically to cross and also [...]

Lupita Manana, a unique novel written by Patricia Beatty, is full of adventures, family relationships, and humor. This cleverly written book teaches readers what family really should be like. With humor sprinkled on top of adventure, Beatty has created a novel reflecting true stories, but with fictional characters. With simple words, simple characters, and a simple plot, this still is a must read book. It is an appropriate book for all ages, based on two sibling's journey into America to help th [...]

Lupita Manana, by Patricia Beatty, is a story, told in 1st person narraation,about Luptia and Salvador, two Mexican children, who must immigrate to modern-day Southern California to earn money for their mother and better opportunities. As they advance in a dragging plot they meet many undeveloped characters and Salvador and Lupita beging to grow apart. The dialog and problems that they face and realistic and accurate. Salvador and Lupita must learn the importance of family before it is too late. [...]

I enjoyed this book. The main character is a 12 year old girl who due to family circumstances is forced totravel to the United States from Mexico to seek work. The anxiety and helplessness of trying to deal withcircumstances beyond your control are well dealt with. The main character is a bit passive and dominatedby her older brother. I like to read books in one of the genres I write in. I was interested to note after I ordered itthat it was published twenty years ago. Just shows that books are [...]

After spending two years working in Mexico City I have a huge heart for Mexico and her people. Lupita is close to my heart. I loved the story and how it helped readers identify with the plight of the Mexican people. You (as a reader) identify with Lupita and her terror of the immigration police. It opens your eyes to the exploitation of illegal immigrants and the fear and troubles they face. Lupita is 14 and is trying to make money for her starving family. You will fall in love with her courage, [...]

After her father dies in a boating accident Lupita and her older brother Salvator are sent by their mother to go to America, find their rich aunt and work to support the family. This book shows the difficulties faced in making such a crossing and the surprised when you arrive in a foreign country. Overall I that the portrayal seemed honest (personally not a trip I've ever faced) but dull. Lupita and her brother face many challenges but they were delivered in a flat and unemotional way. Students [...]

Well this books was a very heart filled, fascinating book. It had a lot of emotions at one point you could be frustrated, happy, and sad all at the same time. Honestly I thought I would not enjoy this book but in the end it made me very happy. I think this book did not end as I expected it to, but it was still a great ending! I'm glad that I got the opportunity to read this book and be able to share my thoughts and opinions with you! If you have not, I do recamend reading this book for sure! You [...]

The honors students at my school are currently reading and discussing this novel. For the most part, they seem to like the story, even though they feel like the characters aren't fleshed out enough. I would have to agree. However, I still cared about Lupita and Salvador and was completely anxious for them throughout the entire novel. There are also some very important themes that sparked intelligent discussion among the students like self-sacrifice, family comes first, and staying positive in di [...]

I thought it was a decent book if you like adventure and suspense i would recommend this. I liked the action parts were they would get close to getting caught. I think when salvador got caught it kinda brought the book down. It kept building you up like they weren't gonna get caught and all that then when he got caught it just dropped you. i thought the plot of the book was really good and finding out that it was a true story later on made the book a lot better for me.

Very good! Sad in many ways, but reminded me of "Life is Beautiful" (movie) or City of Joy. We are asked to empathize with, not pity the hero/heroine, who endures so much without losing his/her soul. This is a very important contemporary subject (immigration) and probably always will be.

This is a scholastic book that I originally bought for my grandson. After reading it I didn't think he would like it so I didn't give it to him. This was pretty good about a brother and sister from Mexico that sneak into the United States to work to help the family after their father is killed in a fishing boat accident. I'm not for illigal immigrants but this book did open my eyes to some of what they go through and why.