Esperanza. The novel's protagonist and narrator is a twelve-year-old Chicana (Mexican-American girl). Esperanza is an aspiring writer who longs for her own house. The House on Mango Street follows her through a year of emotional and sexual maturation. Esperanza was written by Sandra Cisneros. It was published in 1994. The book has since been translated into several languages. Esperanza won the Newbery Medal, awarded annually by the children's literature organization, the National Center for Children's Literature. It was the first Latino author to win this award. The House on Mango Street received positive reviews from critics who called it a beautiful depiction of childhood. Some also compared it to Charles Dickens' novel David Copperfield because both novels follow their protagonists as they grow up. David W. Brown wrote that Esperanza "is a remarkable achievement for any writer, but especially for a young one". He continued by saying that Cisneros had succeeded in creating a vivid portrait of Latino life in Los Angeles during the 1980s. The New York Times called it a "sensitively drawn portrait" of adolescence in L.A. Cisneros herself said she wanted to write a book for young people that would make them feel like adults even though they're not yet born.