Garcia McCall, Guadalupe. UNDER THE MESQUITE. New York: Lee & Low, 2011."My pencil whispered the letters onto the paper like magic." Like the protagonist of Under the Mesquite, Guadalupe Garcia McCall certainly has a way with words. Throughout this novel in verse, Garcia McCall employs her beautiful, lyrical story-telling to capture the emotions and experiences of Lupita, the eldest of eight children, who is entering high school. Lupita navigates high school, friendships, and extracurricular activities. Then, her mother's cancer diagnosis devastates the family. With her parents frequently at the hospital or out-of-town getting treatments, Lupita must care for her siblings, juggle life on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, and focus on her future goals. Lupita is forced to grow up too fast and confront the gritty realities of life that many immigrant families must face.
Lupita is a dynamic character; she was born in Mexico, has spent most of her life in the United States, and she struggles to be seen as "Mexican enough" by her friends and "American enough" by her teachers and acting coaches. This is a realistic dilemma in which many children of immigrants find themselves. Living and teaching in a South Texas border town, I have encountered students who have shared similar feelings of frustration at living in between two cultures. The setting of Eagle Pass, positioned right on the border, symbolizes Lupita's struggle. In particular, Lupita's mother's garden and the mesquite tree in the backyard and central symbols in the novel's setting. The mesquite tree is hardy, at first seen as a pest, but then recognized for its "survivor" quality. Throughout the story, cultural elements like food (elote, nopales) and music (Las Mañanitas, Selena) make the readers feel like they are there along the border with Lupita.
The theme of Under the Mesquite is one of survival. Just like the mesquite tree, Lupita overcomes challenges and continues growing up strong. This theme can apply to so many immigrant families who have to overcome loss, alienation, racism, and injustices, all while trying to maintain their pride and dignity. In this way, Under the Mesquite strikes me as a tribute to the strength of immigrants.
Garcia McCall does not stereotype with her characters. Lupita, her friends, and her family members are dynamic. When Lupita changes her accent for her acting, her friends make fun of her for trying to "sound white." This highlights a real issue faced by many people who are immigrants or of a multicultural background. The behaviors and speech of the characters are not flat and stereotyped, but authentic.
The setting of Eagle Pass, as well as the village in Mexico where Lupita's relatives live are also authentic and real. Because Garcia McCall lived in these places herself, she is able to include depth and vivid descriptions to bring them to life for the reader.
At the end of the text, Garcia McCall includes a reference section with names, Spanish words, and cultural references to aid the reader. The author's notes in this glossary allow for a seamless reading during the book, while also providing helpful tools for readers who may not be familiar with some of the terms. Garcia McCall was born in Mexico and grew up in Eagle Pass, a small South Texas town that serves as the setting for Under The Mesquite. She is clearly a qualified and authentic narrator, as it seems that the novel in verse traces her own life experiences rather closely. As the child of an immigrant family, she understood and was able to successfully convey the experiences of Lupita to her readers.
Garcia McCall includes some words in Spanish throughout the book. She successfully integrates them, without defining them right there in the sentence, which could have been clunky and disrupted the flow of her beautiful words. Instead, the use of a glossary in the back of the book allows the reader to find definitions and also the cultural explanations of proper nouns, certain foods, and music, for instance.
Under the Mesquite is an excellent book, which earned a starred Kirkus review and the Pura Belpre Award. It was a pleasure to read, and offered a window into the story of an immigrant family overcoming everyday struggles and coming to terms with life's changes.
In a secondary English Language Arts classroom, a teacher or librarian could guide students in close reading using Under the Mesquite. As students read the text multiple times, they will look for certain information, getting deeper and using critical thinking more with each level. This lesson provides questions for the close reading lesson: Close Reading of Under the Mesquite.
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