Pam Muñoz Ryan – BookBunnies

Marshmallow reviews Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan

In the past weeks and months, Marshmallow has reviewed several books by Pam Muñoz Ryan. This week she went back and reread the very first book she had read by her, Echo. This book was published in 2015 and won Muñoz Ryan a Newberry Honor in 2016. Marshmallow originally read it for school a couple years ago, and she very much enjoyed revisiting it this week. Below she shares her thoughts on this 600-page page-turner.

(You might also like to check out Marshmallow’s reviews of Esperanza Rising (2000), Paint the Wind (2007), and Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs (2022).)

Marshmallow reviews Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan. — Marshmallow reviews *Echo* by Pam Muñoz Ryan.

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you like books based on historical events or if you have enjoyed reading some of Pam Muñoz Ryan’s other books, then this might be the book for you.

Marshmallow’s Summary (with Spoilers): “Fifty years before the war to end all wars”, a little boy named Otto goes into the forest to hide while playing hide-and-seek and gets lost. Having recently bought a book and a harmonica from a Gypsy, he gets so intrigued by the story in the book that he does not realize how long he had stayed hidden.

The tale is about three sisters who were raised by a witch. The three sisters were in fact the daughters of a king who desperately wanted a son. Upon their birth, the king ordered the midwife to leave them in a forest. The midwife took pity on the babies and brought them to a witch, who named them Eins, Zwei, and Drei in the order they were brought to her. These girls grew up unaware of their royal origins. Years later, when the king died, his son (the sisters’ brother) learned of them. He and his mother were overwhelmed with happiness and sent the midwife to bring them to the kingdom. The midwife came and told the sisters the good news. However, the witch did not want to lose the girls, who had become useful servants to do all the work. She cursed them, saying that they could never leave the forest unless they saved someone’s life.

After tripping and hitting his head, the little boy, Otto, wakes up and discovers the sisters in the forest. The sisters, Eins, Zwei, and Drei, help Otto find his way home but ask for a favor. They each take a turn playing the harmonica, and it appears that they store their spirits in the harmonica. He promises to pass on the harmonica when the time is right.

Seventy years later, Friedrich Schmidt discovers the harmonica in Nazi Germany. Born with an unusual birthmark and a father who dislikes the new regime, Friedrich is not safe. When his father is taken to Dachau, Friedrich’s life turns upside down.

Years later, in Philadelphia, Mike Flannery is living in The Bishop’s Home for Friendless and Destitute Children. His brother, Frankie, is a fountain of enthusiasm. Mike and Frankie must stick together. When a rich woman named Mrs. Sturbridge adopts them both, it seems like all their dreams have come true. Mike soon gets his hands on a harmonica that has an unusually magical sound (and yes, of course, this is the same one Otto and Friedrich had). However, Mike eventually discovers that Mrs. Sturbridge is planning to “unadopt” them and he must figure out a way for him and Frankie to stay together.

Much later, Ivy Maria Lopez in California is excited to play a harmonica solo on the radio. The United States just joined World War II, and Ivy’s brother is off fighting in the army. Ivy soon learns that her family is moving again and she won’t be able to perform her solo. Upon moving, she faces segregation. The Hispanic children are put in a different school from everyone else. Prejudice and hate seem to be everywhere during the war. Can Ivy adjust to her new home?

Marshmallow is reading Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan. — Marshmallow is reading *Echo* by Pam Muñoz Ryan.

Marshmallow’s Review: Echo is perhaps my favorite book by Pam Muñoz Ryan, and I really enjoyed (re)reading it. I especially love the end, and I really love how the separate stories are all tied up in the end. All storylines are set in different time periods, with different characters, and different plots, but they are all connected by the harmonica and wrapped together in the end. Some themes that are started in the beginning are repeated in the end, which makes it feel even more like a conclusion. It is impressive that the author could distinguish all the stories and make each a separate line but put them together in a fashion that was not clunky or confusing.

The characters are all unique, and you come to really care about them by the end of the story. They each have strong connections to music which brings them joy and empowers them to face challenges. The tragedies they face and the events that occur are all based on real history. (For example, while writing the book, Pam Muñoz Ryan researched Roberto Alvarez v. the Board of Trustees of the Lemon Grove School District (1931), a desegregation case from California with connections to Ivy’s story. The internment of Japanese Americans during World War II also plays a significant role.)

I think another strong point of this book is the fact that it tackles several challenging issues in one place successfully. The author weaves a tale spanning from Nazi Germany to a negligent, abusive orphanage to a war-torn California. The hate, neglect, mistreatment, prejudice, and unfairness the characters face and eventually overcome all make this an even more touching story.

The only flaw with Echo one may find is the contradictory tones of the different parts of the book. The prologue is a major part of the overall plot but has a more fantasy-like, magical atmosphere. Then the vibe of the book changes significantly. The realistic, down-to-earth, historical fiction aspect of the rest of the story does not really follow naturally from the fantastic, magical, surrealist tones at the beginning.

However, I still loved Echo. I would recommend it to all readers. The writing is not particularly difficult to read but the topics and plot make it intriguing to older readers as well.

In short, Echo is a touching, majestic piece of literature that should hold a place on everyone’s bookshelf and everyone’s heart.

Marshmallow’s Rating: 100%.

Marshmallow rates Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan 100%. — Marshmallow rates *Echo* by Pam Muñoz Ryan 100%.

Marshmallow reviews Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Marshmallow first read Pam Muñoz Ryan’s Esperanza Rising (2000) for school and liked the book so much that she wanted to review it for the book bunnies blog. About a year ago, she enjoyed reading and reviewing her Paint the Wind (2007). Today she talks about her most recent book, Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs, published in 2022.

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you like books about magic and fantastical events, then this might be the book for you.

Marshmallow’s Summary (with Spoilers): Solimar, daughter of the king of the land of San Gregorio, has watched the monarch migration since she was a little girl. However, in previous years, she would go to the oyamel forests and watch the monarch butterflies come in to hibernate from a distance. This year, before her quinceañera, she crosses the creek and sits among the butterflies when they come home. But then something mystical happens, and she finds herself with a peculiar gift.

Solimar discovers that she can correctly answer questions about the future, but she soon figures out that this ability only functions in the sunlight. Additionally, her rebozo (her silk shawl, see Wikipedia for more) gains a peculiar, shiny side. Solimar tries to tell her best friend about her new gift, but the friend, Maria, dismisses it as a combination of great intuition and clever guessing. Then Solimar tells her abuela (grandmother), who takes her to the curandera, whom Solimar believes is a witch. This woman tells Solimar that the ancestors appointed her as a guardian to protect the monarch butterflies on their way home. She must protect the young and weak butterflies with her magical rebozo.

Then Solimar’s father and brother leave on an expedition. Taking advantage of their absence, a neighboring king invades their kingdom and holds everybody hostage. This invader king plans to cut down the oyamel forest in which the butterflies live. Solimar escapes, but now she has a tough mission. Can she save her kingdom, her family, and the monarch butterflies?

Marshmallow is reading Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs by Pam Muñoz Ryan. — Marshmallow is reading *Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs* by Pam Muñoz Ryan.

Marshmallow’s Review: I’ve read several books written by Pam Muñoz Ryan before and really liked them. I like her poetic writing style and the mystical aspects of her books. This book displays the same lyrical style and magic is threaded neatly into the story line.

The mission Solimar must embark upon was exciting to read about, and the descriptions throughout the book were lovely. The characters were all interesting and unique. They all stood out as separate individuals. I also liked how Pam Muñoz Ryan wove some parts of Mexican culture into the book. Some examples would include the usage of Spanish words and Solimar’s quinceañera.

I would recommend this book for bunnies of any age. There isn’t really anything that would make this book scary or inappropriate for younger bunnies.

I did feel like the book was a little short. I would have liked it a little more if the adventure was a little longer or more complicated. Also I think that the main character could have used a little bit more depth. However, Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs is a beautiful story overall, and I appreciated reading another book from an author whose writing I really enjoy.

Marshmallow’s Rating: 90%.

Marshmallow rates Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs by Pam Muñoz Ryan 90%. — Marshmallow rates *Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs* by Pam Muñoz Ryan 90%.

Marshmallow reviews Paint the Wind by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Today Marshmallow reviews Paint the Wind, a 2007 novel by Pam Muñoz Ryan.

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you like books about horses and family, then this might be the book for you.

Marshmallow’s Summary (with spoilers): Maya has been living in Southern California with her paternal grandmother Agnes Menetti since her parents’ death. Maya doesn’t remember too much about her parents, especially her mother Ellie. But she does know that her grandmother hated her mother and that she blamed her for the death of Maya’s dad. Agnes has destroyed everything about Ellie, cutting her out of pictures and throwing away her belongings. The only thing in the house remaining which belonged to Ellie are her toy horses, and only because Maya has kept them a secret.

Maya’s grandmother Agnes likes to control everything: people, things, lives. For example she has never had a housekeeper for very long because she’s always been dissatisfied; she believes everything in the house must be kept a certain way and it is hard for people to live up to her expectations. Of course it’s not always the housekeepers’ fault. Maya seems to have a habit of sabotaging the housekeepers’ jobs. For example one time Maya put a blue sweater in the white laundry to get one of the housekeepers fired.

Maya also has a habit of lying. When the new housekeeper discovers her playing with the toy horses, she lies about how her parents died and why she’s hiding the horses. But the housekeeper tells the grandmother anyways. So Maya sabotages her job, too. After that housekeeper is fired and a new one is hired, Agnes starts acting differently and showing signs of memory loss. Eventually, one morning, she collapses into her breakfast, and soon we learn that she has passed away from a stroke.

Afterwards, Maya is sent off to live with her mother’s family. Her mother‘s family lives in the open fields in Wyoming and rides horses. Maya has never met these people before except for when she was a baby and so she’s very nervous. Living with her new family will lead to some changes. She will have to adapt to survive.

A second thread of the book develops around a wild horse named Artemisia. Several chapters, including the first one, have the reader follow Artemisia and the other mustangs as they go through their lives in the wilderness of Wyoming.

As you can expect, the two storylines eventually do merge together and we see Maya and Artemisia forge a strong bond. But not all is fun and games. There is serious trouble ahead.

Marshmallow is reading Paint the Wind by Pam Muñoz Ryan. — Marshmallow is reading *Paint the Wind* by Pam Muñoz Ryan.

Marshmallow’s Review: I think that Paint the Wind is a neat book. The plot line is very intriguing and the whole book is overall very informative. I learned a lot of new things about horses which I didn’t know before. I can see how this would be a great book for bunnies who love horses. I am not especially interested in horses, not more than any other four-legged creature, but I too found the book compelling.

I also found the characters interesting and unique. Though Maya starts out as a lying and inconsiderate person, the book does show us how she transforms into a person who cares about people and living creatures other than herself.

I found the repeated theme about ghost horses interesting: Maya remembers a story about them told by her mom Ellie, and this comes up a few times throughout the book. However I was a little confused about the ending. I wanted to know more about the ghost horses.

The author Pam Muñoz Ryan also wrote Esperanza Rising, which I recently reviewed. The two books have a similar writing style, and they both involve a young girl being forced to leave the life she was used to, though the plots and the characters are very different. I do have to admit that I found Esperanza Rising a lot more touching.

Marshmallow’s rating: 90%.

Marshmallow rates Paint the Wind by Pam Muñoz Ryan 90%. — Marshmallow rates *Paint the Wind* by Pam Muñoz Ryan 90%.

Marshmallow reviews Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Marshmallow read Esperanza Rising in school a couple years ago. She recently read this 2000 novel by Pam Muñoz Ryan again and wanted to review it today for the book bunnies blog.

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you like books about family and bravery, then this might be the book for you.

Marshmallow’s Summary (with Spoilers): In Mexico, Esperanza Ortega has lived in luxury all her life. Her father is the owner of El Rancho de los Rosas (The Ranch of Roses). She lives in a large house with servants and maids. But all of that changes when her father is killed by bandits.

During this time (early 1930s), Mexico is split between the rich and the poor. As Esperanza tells Miguel, a boy whose father works on their ranch and who Esperanza is good friends with, she and Miguel are on two sides of an uncrossable river. (At the time, Esperanza doesn’t realize how insensitive that is to say to him.)

Esperanza’s father is generous to his workers, however, the bandits don’t care. They attack when he, Miguel, and Miguel’s father are repairing a fence. After Esperanza’s father dies, his stepbrothers immediately start to try to pressure Esperanza and her mother. Her mother, Ramona, is influential and popular. Ezperanza’s half-uncles try to pressure Ramona into marrying the older uncle. If she marries him, he could win any election he wants to, which is his intention. Esperanza’s mother naturally turns him down, and he threatens her and tells her she will regret that decision.

Later, Esperanza’s house is burned down in a fire. (We are to assume the fire was caused by her uncles.) Abuelita, Esperanza’s grandmother who lives with them, is injured while escaping the fire. The older uncle proposes marriage again, and Esperanza’s mother accepts. Secretly, Esperanza’s mother and Miguel’s parents plan to flee Mexico and go to America to find work with Miguel’s relatives. Esperanza, her mother, Miguel, and his parents secretly leave Mexico. However, they are forced to leave Abuelita behind because she is unable to come with them given her injury. Abuelita plans to join them in America when she is better, using the money in her bank account. Unfortunately, the bank is owned by Esperanza’s uncles who are likely to try to prevent her from accessing her money.

In America, it is the Great Depression. Esperanza and her mother have to adjust to not living in luxury. They settle in a camp for Mexican farm workers. However, Esperanza is not at all accustomed to the conditions. She doesn’t know how to wash clothes, sweep floors, or even bathe herself. She has to face financial difficulties, harsh labor, dust storms, and spiteful people. Will Esperanza be able to take all of this?

(If you don’t mind more spoilers, the Wikipedia article for the book explains a lot more of the plot. It also talks a bit more about the historical background of the story.)

Marshmallow is reading Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan. — Marshmallow is reading *Esperanza Rising* by Pam Muñoz Ryan.

Marshmallow’s Review: Esperanza Rising is a great book. It is so touching and Esperanza is such a realistic character, with all her flaws, that I really enjoyed reading it again after having read it in school two years ago.

The author did an amazing job of making the reader feel really sympathetic to Esperanza and her predicament. The author also did a great job of describing the places Esperanza sees. The descriptions in the book of the characters, places, and things are vivid and poetic.

I also liked the character development in Esperanza. I would give more descriptions about how she changed and what made her change, but that would spoil too much of the book. Suffice it to say, Esperanza changes for the better and it is interesting to see the difference in her from the beginning to later in the books.

I think that the author did a good job of making the book seem very real to the reader. I believe that some of the events in the book were very realistic. In fact, in the back of the book, the author, Pam Muñoz Ryan, writes that the book is based on her grandmother’s life. Her grandmother, Esperanza Ortega, suffered through most of the same events. Learning this made this book even more impactful and touching for me.

Marshmallow’s Rating: 100%.

Marshmallow rates Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan 100%. — Marshmallow rates *Esperanza Rising* by Pam Muñoz Ryan 100%.