Esmeralda Santiago (Ana Maria Lagasca) and her family move to New York from rural Puerto Rico and face a difficult transition because of many challenges. Esmeralda enrolls in school and becomes the translator for her family, excelling at everything. She trains to be a stage actress after prompting from her high-school guidance counselor. She struggles in pursuit of her dreams, yet the challenges give her the life experience to become a great actress and writer.—Anonymous