A Rice Sandwich Summary

Esperanza hears of a dining hall at school called the Canteen, where certain kids get to go to eat lunch. It is here that the children who cannot go home for lunch bring their food. Esperanza begs her mother to make her a sandwich and write her a note saying that she can eat lunch at school. Her mother is angry with her for providing more work to do. Nenny, Kiki, and Carlos do not want to eat lunch at school in the Canteen, as Nenny goes home with a friend who has a color TV, and the boys act as patrolmen near school. Esperanza claims that if she were home less, then her mother would be mad at her less and love her more.

Esperanza's mother eventually writes the note and makes a rice sandwich for her, as...