“A Rice Sandwich”
2. Why does Esperanza think that the kids who eat in the canteen are special? Why is this ironic?

The kids in the canteen are special to Esperanza because they remind her of her at a certain point.

Explanation:

These children in the canteen go to lunch there because they do not have their mothers around, either because they work or because they are far from home.

At that moment Esperanza remembers when she also asked her mother for a sandwich and also wanted to eat in the canteen, but her mother refused, believing that it was a lot of work for her to prepare a sandwich every night.

The fact that these children are like Esperanza is what makes them special to her.