"Under the Mesquite" is a poignant coming-of-age novel that follows the life of Lupita, a Mexican-American girl growing up in a family of immigrant workers in Texas. As she navigates her adolescence, Lupita faces the challenges of cultural identity, family responsibilities, and the heart-wrenching experience of her mother’s battle with cancer. The story is told in lyrical verse, capturing Lupita's dreams, struggles, and her connection to her heritage under the shade of the mesquite tree. Through her journey, she discovers the importance of storytelling and the resilience of spirit in the face of adversity. [Generated by language model - please report any problems].

This book is the winner of numerous awards

This book has been graded for interest at 12-17 years.

There are 144 pages in this book.

It is aimed at Young Adult readers. The term Young Adult (YA) is used for books which have the following characteristics: (1) aimed at ages 12-18 years, US grades 7-12, UK school years 8-15, (2) around 50-75k words long, (3) main character is aged 12-18 years, (4) topics include self-reflection, internal conflict vs external, analyzing life and its meaning, (5) point of view is often in the first person, and (6) swearing, violence, romance and sexuality are allowed.

This book was published in 2013 by Lee & Low Books .