Told in a series of vignettes, The House on Mango Street shows snippets in the day-to-day life of Esperanza Cordero, a young Mexican-American girl living in poverty. With no central plot, the story hints at the characters, events, and settings around her as she struggles to find where she belongs in a world that doesn't seem to want her. Short but powerful, The House on Mango Street conveys the reader right into Esperanza's world, making it a great coming-of-age read.