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Rodriguez, Edel

The Mango Tree / La mata de mango

48 pp. | Abrams | June, 2024 | Trade ISBN 9781419745867 $18.99 | Ebook ISBN 9798887073736 $17.09
(1) K-3 In this wordless picture book, two boys make a mango tree (or mata de mango) their hideout -- napping, eating juicy mangos, and even taunting some fearsome creatures from the safety of its branches. When a vicious storm blows through their island, it whisks away the mango tree in its boat-like pot, along with one child. After a choppy night at sea, boy and tree land on another island, with unfamiliar people and vegetation. The boy plants the last mango from the tree, and as a new tree grows, it becomes a space to play and enjoy its fruit for a crowd of children. Rodriguez's striking wood block and digital illustrations in a limited color palette are dynamic and well-balanced, with the sunset-glow of a mango guiding viewers through even the darkest spreads. Although the story itself is fantastical, the author's note -- provided in both English and Spanish -- explains how Rodriguez was inspired by his own experience of migration and by the mango tree and best friend he left behind.
Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024

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