Divided into four sections, Beneath the Halo explores various aspects of Celeste Guzman Mendoza's experience as a Tejana , a native Texan of Mexican-American descent. She brings the landscapes and cultural life of her roots to life by delving into topics fundamental to her Tejana identity--family, land, faith, and marriage. Possessed of a rich imagery, Mendoza's insights into coming of age during a period of cultural and demographic evolution are at once heartrending and hilarious and will appeal to younger readers as well as students and professors interested in contemporary Latina poetics.