Poetry Review: Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall

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Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall
1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY
McCall, Guadalupe Garcia. 2011. Under the Mesquite. NewYork: Lee and Low. ISBN 978-1600604294
2.  SUMMARY
The story is told in free verse, from the point of view of Lupita, who devastatingly discovers that her mother, the matriarch of her Mexican-American family, has cancer. As the oldest of seven children, she feels it is her responsibility to keep the family together. She desperately tries to balance life as a high school student while remaining strong for her younger siblings. She finds refuge during this difficult time by writing under a mesquite tree, using the healing power of words to express her emotions.
3.      CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The free verse format is a fitting medium for this story. The pacing gives readers a time to process the difficult emotions that Lupita is trying to cope with. The use of similes and metaphors in this novel are bursting with imagery, making readers feel that they are part of Lupita’s family. “The six of us sisters were round beads knotted side by side, like pearls on a necklace, strung so close together we always made one another cry” (McCall, loc 248). This quote depicts the relationship Lupita has with her sisters, which is tense, but beautifully bound by the difficult experiences they share.
McCall uses symbols of nature to depict the strengths and weaknesses of the characters in the story. At the beginning, the author provides the reader with a definition of mesquite, a tree that is strong and has extraordinarily long roots. It can survive harsh climates and adapt to any soil, endure droughts and grow back from small pieces of root left in the ground. Lupita seeks refuge under a mesquite tree as she writes to help express her emotions during this difficult time. Much like the mesquite tree, she learns to adapt to her new surroundings after being uprooted from Mexico to America. She endures trying times but comes back stronger. When Lupita’s father tells her that they will be moving to America, Lupita worries that there won’t be any sunflowers to play with in the yard. Sunflowers symbolize happiness, and Lupita is worried about finding as much happiness in the United States as she does in Mexico.
McCall injects spanish words and phrases throughout, exposing the reader to the culture of immigrant families. She accurately depicts life as a Mexican-American immigrant and exposes readers to the trials and tribulations of being a transplant in a new country.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Under the Mesquite is a window into a family dealing with cancer; but it is also more than that. It’s the look at an immigrant family, balancing traditions and cultures.”
KIRKUS REVIEWS: “A promising, deeply felt debut.”
5. CONNECTIONS

*Help students discover the healing power of words by writing their own free verse poems about a difficult time in their life

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