While the rest of her family protests at the Navy base, Esperanza and her grandfather take a day trip to northern Vieques, the small island off the coast of Puerto Rico, to see the old Ciebo tree. Esperanza’s grandfather tells her that the tree had a special message for him many years ago, and when she finally sees the tree and sits between its immense roots, she learns what the tree has to say to her as well.

Note: Though this is historical fiction and the characters have been developed to accommodate a story, their attributes and development may be useful as reference points and inspirations.