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Under the Mesquite
by Guadalupe Garcia McCall
The LBBC’s recommendation for January’s Libro del Mes is Guadalupe Garcia McCall’s Under the Mesquite.
Under the Mesquite is the moving story of Lupita, the oldest of 8 children in a close-knit familia. Not long after they move to America, Lupita’s mother is diagnosed with cancer. This story chronicles Lupita’s struggle to keep her family together while dealing with the emotional burden that comes with knowing her mama may die. And it shows how Lupita discovers writing as an escape.
Written in free verse, Under the Mesquite immediately captures the reader’s attention with its poetic form. McCall’s descriptions are so vivid, that I felt as though I were sitting at Lupita’s kitchen table in Eagle Pass, Texas, or floating lazily on my back in the Rio Grande. I felt Lupita’s every emotion, and knew her most intimate thoughts. I really love that this story honestly depicts the struggle with poverty that Lupita’s family experiences, as well as the closeness and love that only families can understand.
Here is an excerpt:
It was Papi who first told me
I had the gift of words.
One night he said it was time
to put them on paper.
He opened Mami’s old blue suitcase,pulled out his notebook,
and leafed through
his sketches of horses,
which he worked on at night.
I caressed them as they galloped by,
page after beautiful page,
until he came to the blank pages at the back…
Under the Mesquite is written in English with embedded Spanish text. McCall does include a glossary in the back of the book.
Parents and teachers: this is a beautiful book dealing with the death of a loved one while providing hopeful ending. An excellent read if you are discussing family, dealing with family illness and loss. Other topics include extended family, immigration, Mexico, acclimating, and more. This book is best suited for older children ages 7 – 12.
If you would like to buy your own copy of Under the Mesquite, please click here. Or you can follow the link in our sidebar to the LBBC’s on-line store. We have both new and gently used copies available.
6 comments:
This is great. Thank you for your recommendation. I'm going to suggest it at my next book club meeting. Fun!
thanks! great recommendation!
I am always looking for reading material.
This sounds beautiful. From the excerpt, I think I'll enjoy this =)
Thanks for the recommendation. Though summer's almost over, looking for a new book to read after this French comedy I'm working on!
A few years ago, a friend lamented the lack of children books in Spanish that were first published in Spanish, as opposed to translated from English. She believes translations lack cultural context. I'm glad to see books in English with some Spanish that have Latino main characters. Cultural context is important for Hispanic kids who will see themselves reflected in the book, and non-Latino kids who will see a window into the culture of their friends and classmates.
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