Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia Mccall

Lupita is a teenage girl who moved to the U.S. from Mexico.  She is certain she can handle anything, but when she leans her mother has cancer, she is devastated.  Her only consolation is writing poetry under a mesquite tree which has sprung up in her mother's rose garden.  She also tries to battle her feelings by joining the school's drama club.  Finally, Lupita's mother and father go to Texas so her mother can get chemo treatments, leaving Lupita behind to care for her siblings.  Eventually, they are forced to live off the charity of their neighbors.  Lupita struggles on, but her determination may not be enough...

Wow.  I don't know what else to say.  This book was...beautiful.  Lupita's life was a nightmare, but she was persistent, ever hopeful.  I don't know how.  This book conveyed such strong emotions.  Parts of it were so sad, I almost cried.  I can hardly describe this book because it had such strong feelings in the writing.  It had too much feeling to put into words.  Under the Mesquite is definitely one of the best book's I've ever read.  This book is a gift to the world of literature. 

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lake City, IA USA