Under the Mesquite

Review
By The Quiet Moments

McCall told Lupita’s story very tenderly (I often forgot that these were events that actually DID happen in the author’s life), with a quiet reserve and dignity. The love of the eight siblings was so evident in each verse (when the apparent ne’er-do-well brother runs off with his rowdy friends, only to return with dinner for a hungry bunch of kids, my heart smiled); it was second only to the clear worship Lupita had for the light of her world - her mother.

Watching Lupita grow from a ninth-grader to a rising freshman in college was a privilege I’m lucky to have had. I’m thankful that McCall was so willing to pour herself out in verse, because I cannot think of a better way to tell this story.

As part of this club, we are asked to grade the books. I struggled with this, because I hate to assign a number or letter to anything. Keeping in mind that this is a YA novel, I’m going to give it a solid A. It’s suitable for all ages, it approaches the delicate subject of loss and struggle in a dignified way, and is beautifully written.