Sandra Cisneros is an American poet, writer, and storyteller. She’s most known for her first novel, The House on Mango Street, a classic coming-of-age book. The book covers a year in the life of Esperanza Cordero, a young Chicana girl living in a poverty-stricken neighborhood with her family. Her book was so successful that it’s been translated into 25 languages and is a required reading book in schools across the nation. 

Cisneros was born in Chicago to Mexican parents and has grown up with Mexican and American heritages. Cisneros is one of the leading Chicano and Latino authors in the United States. She holds awards like the 1985 National Book Award and the 2015 National Medal of Arts.

Now, almost 40 years after publishing her first book, Cisneros has written another book titled Martita, I Remember You. The book came out on September 7, and was published as a dual-language paperback. Cisneros started writing this book in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. From the title itself, it seems that this book was written for someone whom she missed a lot. 

The setting of the book is in France in the 1980s. In the story, Martita follows Corina, a 20-year-old woman who has left her Mexican family in Chicago to pursue her dreams in literature in the cities of Paris. After moving, she struggles with money, other artists, and has to sleep on crowded floors. However, she fights through it all, and bonds with her friends Martita and Poala who are just as poor as her, but are there by her side. 

After many years pass, the three women travel to different continents and they fall out of touch with each other. They have forgotten what it’s like to be with one another, until one day Corina finds a string of old letters in a closet, bringing out old memories back in Paris. Immediately after, these memories sweep by, as if time has never left. 

AHS sophomore Audrey Lim said that she “first knew about Sandra Cisneros after reading her short story ‘Eleven’ in sixth grade.”

“I’d definitely read Martita, I Remember You because of how she brings themes together through her writings, which really touches me,” she stated. “I really like how she makes her writings detailed and easy to read while also being entertaining.” 

According to usnews.com, Cisneros’ book is “a representation of an overdue letter for a dear friend of hers.” The story speaks of memory and friendship, along with the experiences young women face as immigrants.  

Just like any other one of Cisneros’ books, the story is told with familiarity and tenderness, as it holds a tribute to the power of a youth friendship. 

Photo courtesy of Gage Skidmore