Cover of Under the Mesquite

Under the Mesquite

by Guadalupe Garcia McCall · Grades 7–12

Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall is on US reading lists at grades 7–12. It appears on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Grades 7–12. The button opens the print edition (ISBN 9781600608759). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Assigned across 2 curriculum lists

Grade placement varies by school — the median assigned book spans 4 grade levels (83% span three or more, across 13,258 source-cited assignments).

On reading-award lists:William C. Morris YA Debut AwardPura Belpré Author Award

This page shows where Under the Mesquite is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Reading level at a glance

Grade range
Grades 7–12
First published
2011
ISBN-13
9781600608759

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-06-19; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

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About this book

Book facts and sources (2)
Award won
  • Pura Belpré Author Award, 2012 (source: Wikipedia)
On award reading lists
  • William C. Morris YA Debut Award (source: Wikipedia)
Catalog record
First published 2011 (source: how we source book data)

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Where this book is recommended

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Common questions

What grade level is Under the Mesquite?
Under the Mesquite is listed for grades 7–12. It appears on 2 book-award lists. Exact placement varies by school and district.
What curricula assign Under the Mesquite?
Under the Mesquite appears on reading lists for Pura Belpré Author Award, William C. Morris YA Debut Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Under the Mesquite banned in schools?
Under the Mesquite does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.

Why this book is on this list

How we classify

Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.

Lexile measure
Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
Grade band
Grades 7–12 — drawn from the book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 2 curricula on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Not yet documented in a state-level framework on this site.
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: award-winner, read-aloud.

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