Book List
For this book club, we will be using the book Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall. You can purchase it in digital, hardcover, and audio formats. It is also available at many local libraries.
For this book club, we will be using the book Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall. You can purchase it in digital, hardcover, and audio formats. It is also available at many local libraries.
You will also need a notebook or binder for your notes, vocabulary, and writing.
This novel in verse deals with mature themes of illness, death, and grief, centering on a parent’s cancer diagnosis and its impact on the family. It also touches on immigration, cultural identity, sibling relationships, and financial hardship. The writing is tender and accessible, without profanity or sexual content, and violence is limited to emotional rather than physical trauma. While the subject matter is heavy, the book is ultimately hopeful, offering meaningful opportunities for reflection and discussion on resilience, family, and loss.
As with any children's resource, please refer to trusted sources for reviews before reading. For your reference, we have linked a review.
Under the Mesquite Book Review
Latina teen faces mom's cancer in award-winning verse novel. Read Common Sense Media's Under the Mesquite review, age rating, and parents guide.
