February 15, 2023
A testament to the power of mangoes. Brown-skinned Mia and Mama, who is darker-skinned, have moved into a new house. Mia loved their apartment and misses it but understands that Mama has wanted a house for so long; indeed, having a house has become Mia's dream, too. It's a pink two-story building with "five rooms. Eleven windows. And a whole lot of promise." One of the things that makes this home so special is the mango tree in the yard. Mia is delighted to finally eat a ripe mango, special because it's from their home. After that, the mangoes just keep coming and coming, and soon there are too many. But Mia quickly has the idea of sharing the fruit with the neighborhood. A full spread depicting racially diverse people eagerly mingling in Mia and Mama's yard allows readers to see how wonderful it can be to find a new community. Mia decides, "There's no such thing as too many mangos." The light and optimistic story and the vibrant artwork complement each other smoothly. Collagelike illustrations in warm tones make inspired use of color, the pink of the new home contrasting well against the green of the lawn. The book will have readers considering what it means to forge new connections. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A sweet and refreshing reminder that community is all around us. (Picture book. 3-6)
COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
February 15, 2023
Preschool-Grade 2 Mia introduces herself and Mama and then announces that they have moved into a house with a yard and a mango tree. Though she misses her old friends, every day she enjoys checking out the green mangoes on the tree, hoping they will ripen. And one day, a mango turns red and yellow. Slowly, the other green fruits on the tree begin to ripen, too. Mama fixes mango recipes, and Mia eats many mangoes, but they can't keep pace with the tree's abundance. Mama challenges Mia to find a solution, and she does. They invite their new neighbors to come and pick their own mangoes. Soon, their yard is full of people picking fruit, talking, and making new friends. Throughout Mia's inviting first-person narrative, she shares her latest favorite facts, from "We have a house" to "There's no such thing as too many mangoes." With simplified forms and bold colors, the appealing illustrations capture Mia's impatience with the mangoes, her occasional loneliness, and her warm relationship with Mama. A satisfying picture book that reads aloud well.
COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
July 24, 2023
After moving from an apartment, narrator Mia’s new home is “A house! Five rooms. Eleven windows. And a whole lot of promise,” Sauer writes. Because “a house has been Mama’s dream for so long,” living there has grown into Mia’s dream too. And since it comes with a yard and a mango tree, the child anticipates picking that first ripe fruit—an act that results in sharing the mangos with neighbors, portrayed with various abilities and skin tones. In Martin’s bright-hued illustrations, planes of tropical colors mimic textured gouache as light-brown-skinned Mia wears a Band-Aid on their chin, and darker-skinned Mama sports red spectacles. The child’s delight at the new home—and creative way of making sure “all kinds of special” distinguish the family’s new life there—is the theme of this neighborly picture book about a first house and how its bounty creates a new community. Age 4–8.