The Hummingbird's Daughter - Urrea

This is a book for any parents out there who are reading my blog. Kids could read it, but I don't think many middle schoolers would enjoy it. It's a beautifully written historical fiction novel about Mexico in the 19th century centered on Teresita, a young woman who becomes a healer on a ranch in Mexico. Teresa clearly has a gift for healing and is called a saint by many of her followers, who swarm the ranch in legions, but she never accepts this title herself, remaining humble to the end of the story.

The book has religious and political themes woven throughout a compelling storyline with many surprises along the way. I constantly found myself gasping out loud as the events unfolded in ways I never expected. This story is based on the life of the great-aunt of author Luis Urrea, an author who has won awards for his non-fiction writing and who spent nearly twenty years researching this novel. This book was recommended to me by someone who was reading it for a book group, and if you have a book group, this would be a fascinating choice. the history alone is interesting, and there is a lot of richness to be discussed.

Enjoy!