Release: September 15th 2020
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Source: Netgalley
Find it at: Amazon, Audible, B&N, Indigo,
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For fans of deeply poignant middle grade about friendship and loss like The Thing About Jellyfish, comes the story about a young girl who can’t remember anything from her previous summer after a hurricane.
Twelve-year-old Clara lives on an island that visitors call exotic. But there’s nothing exotic about it to Clara. She loves eating ripe mangos off the ground, running outside in the rain with her Papa during rainy season, and going to her secret hideout with Gaynah–even though lately she’s not acting like a best friend.
The only thing out of the ordinary for Clara is that something happened to her memory that made her forget everything that happened last summer after a hurricane hit. Sometimes things come back to her in drips like a tap that hasn’t been turned off properly. Other times her Mama fills in the blanks…only she knows those aren’t her memories and it is hard feeling like she is not like everybody else.
But this summer is going to be different for Clara. Everyone is buzzing with excitement over a new girl in the village who is not like other visitors. She is about to make big waves on the island–and give Clara a summer she won’t forget.
About the Author:
Kereen Getten grew up in Jamaica where she would climb fruit trees in the family garden and eat as much mango, guinep and pear as she could without being caught. She now lives in Birmingham with her family and writes stories about her childhood experiences. When Life Gives You Mangos is her debut novel.
When Life Gives You Mangos Review:
“When Life Gives You Mangos” turned out to be a delicious surprise, and I enjoyed reading it a lot.
Firstly, when I picked up this book, I was not expecting what I just read. I thought the story would be a light-hearted middle-grade novel about a girl on an Island. This book is so much more than that. The author fills the story with mystery, secrets, and mental health issues that profound the reading experience. Also, the cover is gorgeous and makes you want to pick the book up just by looking at it.
For me, the highlight of the plot was the characters. I adored Clara, and my heart went out to her. From the beginning, you see that she has a turbulent friendship with Gaynah and hasn’t acted like her best friend. Moreover, the supporting characters were also excellent. Rudy surprised me because I was not sure what kind of influence she would have on Clara when she first appeared. The author spins Clara’s story excitingly and surprisingly that I did not expect.
Similarly, the plot also has its moment. For me, some of the memorable parts were when Clara and her friends see Mr. Eldorath, and Clara learns new secrets. Another gripping scene was the incident involving Pastor Brown. On a side note, I also liked the small creative details the author added, like the pick leaf game. The author portrays a beautiful story about friendship and adapting to family and loss. The tale also ends in a shocking twist that I did not see coming, making it even more memorable.
Overall, “When Life Gives You Mangos” is a beautiful middle-grade fiction that stands out for its beautiful landscape, exciting characters, and strong storyline.
