When I was Puerto Rican

Esmeralda Santiago's childhood in rural Puerto Rico was a vibrant mix of love, hardship, and cultural discovery. From learning the proper way to eat a guava to navigating the complexities of Puerto Rican and Yankee customs, her early life was rich with sensory details and familial strife. When her mother moves the family to New York, Esmeralda, the eldest, must adapt to a new language and identity, marking the beginning of an extraordinary journey.