《芒果街上的小屋》 一本优美纯净的小书，一本“诗小说”。由几十个短篇组成，语言清澈如流水，点缀着零落的韵脚和新奇的譬喻，如一首首长歌短调，各自成韵，又彼此钩连，汇聚出一个清晰世界，各样杂沓人生。所有的讲述都归于一个叙述中心：居住在芝加哥拉美移民社区芒果街上的女孩埃斯佩朗莎。生就对弱的同情心和对美的感觉力，她用清澈的眼打量周围的世界，用美丽稚嫩的语言讲述成长、沧桑、生命的美好与不易和年轻的热望与梦想，梦想有一所自己的房子，梦想在写作中追寻自我，获得自由和帮助别人的能力。

Rafaela Who Drinks Coconut @ Papaya Juice on Tuesdays
　　On Tuesdays Rafaela`s husband comes home late because that`s the night he plays dominoes.And then Rafaela,who is still young but getting old from leaning out the window so much,gets locked indoors because her husband is afraid Rafaela will run away since she is too beautiful to look at.

　　Fafaela leans out the window and leans on her elbow and dreams her hair is like Rapunzel`s.On the corner there is music from the bar,and Rafaela wishes she could go there and dance before she gets old.

　　A long time passes and we forget she is up there watching until she says:Kids,If I give you a dollar wiill you go to the store and buy me something? She throws a crumpled dollar down and always asks for coconut or sometimes papaya juice, and we send it up to her in a paper shopping bag she lets down with clothesline.　　　　　　　

　　在星期二喝可可和木瓜汁的拉菲娜拉菲娜

　　每逢星期二，拉菲娜的丈夫回家就晚，因为这一晚他要玩多米诺骨牌。于是拉菲娜，年纪轻轻就因为倚在窗口太久太久而变老的她，被锁在了屋里，因为她的丈夫害怕拉菲娜会逃跑，因为她长得太美了，不能被人看到。

　　拉菲娜倚在窗口，倚着她的胳膊肘，梦想她的头发能像拉潘索公主的一样。酒吧的乐声从街角传来，拉菲娜希望能在变老以前去那里，去跳舞。

　　时间过去很久了，我们忘了她在那上面张望，直到她说：孩子们，我给你们一元钱，你们去店里帮我买点东西好吗？她扔下一张皱巴巴的票子来。她总是要可可汁，有时要木瓜汁。我们把它放进一个她用晾衣绳放下来的纸手袋里，给她递上去。