Under the Mesquite

• Genre: Fiction; young adult contemporary in free verse
• Originally Published: 2011
• Reading Level/Interest: 990L; grades 7-12
• Structure/Length: 6 parts; 47 chapters; approx. 224 pages
• Protagonist and Central Conflict: Lupita, the oldest of eight children, must grapple with the change that comes with her mother’s cancer diagnosis. Juggling high school and caring for her siblings, Lupita must come to terms with her mother’s death to find herself.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Death of a parent; cancer

Guadalupe García McCall, Author

• Bio: Born in Piedras Negras, Coauhila, Mexico; raised in Eagle Pass, Texas; fluent in Spanish and English; chosen for keynote address at Sirens Women in Fantasy Conference in 2016 and for the National Latino Children’s Literature Conference in 2017; taught K-12 in San Antonio; moved to the Pacific Northwest to teach literature, women’s studies, and creative writing at George Fox University; currently serving as Visiting Professor of Creative Writing at Antioch University; advocate for literacy, diverse books, and Own Voices
• Other Works: Summer of the Mariposas (2012); Shame the Stars (2016); All the Stars Denied (2018); The Keeper (2022)
• Awards: Pura Belpré Medal (2012); William C. Morris YA Debut Award Finalist (2012); Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award (2013); International Latino Book Awards Honorable Mention (2012); International Literacy Association’s Promising Poet Award (2013)