Mango Memories by Nabi H. Ali, Sita Singh ISBN: 0593486250
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
“Mango Memories” by Sita Singh & Nabi H. Ali tells the story of a young girl who gets to help with her family’s mango harvest for the first time. The mango is so instrumental to Indian culture that every person in her family has their own core memory related to this King of Fruits. She desperately wants her own special mango memory as well. Through trial and error, she learns that her mango memory will not be climbing the mango tree like Bhai, knocking mangoes down with stones like Dadima, or pulping and pickling mangoes like Ma. After almost giving up, she finds her special memory in mango-slurping. This diverse and intergenerational story was a delight to read and would be a great addition to any picture book collection. The illustrations were expressive and vibrant. The book also includes definitions of Hindi words used throughout the story and fun facts about mangoes at the end. Recommended for ages 5-7 (Kindergarten to 2nd grade).
Reviewed by: Jenn Mead, Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library, Lovell