When Life Gives You Mangos

July 15, 2020
A young girl loses her memory after the incident that changed her life Clara Dee-Henson is a 12-year-old girl from an unnamed tropical island reminiscent of Jamaica. She spends most of her time with her best friend, Gaynah. But Gaynah has become more temperamental lately, and Clara begins to question their friendship. When a new girl moves to town, Clara is excited to meet her. That is, until she begins to fear the new girl will first hear about her from Gaynah and make up her mind about Clara before they get to know each other. Clara used to love surfing until something happened--now she has a deep fear of even going near water. To make matters worse, Clara has no idea what caused this change, as she cannot remember anything from last summer. Clara feels a constant anger that is always ready to overwhelm her and has begun acting out, much to the concern of her parents and neighbors. In order to work through her feelings, Clara needs to face her past--but how can she do that when she cannot remember it? Debut author Getten tells a story about the commonalities and complexities of friendship and loss that many readers will relate to. Their attention will be held by the fast pace and evocative language that brings the setting to life. All major characters are Black. A touching novel about letting go of the past and moving on. (Fiction. 8-12)

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August 14, 2020

Gr 3-6-Twelve-year-old Clara lives on an island that visitors call "exotic." But for Clara it's what she knows; it's home. Unfortunately, Clara is struggling to remember last summer. She's knows something big happened, but that space in her mind is nearly blank. As friends both new and old help Clara navigate her tricky situation, she not only rediscovers what happened that summer, she also learns to mend relationships and forgive herself. This is a beautifully written and paced novel perfect for a middle grade audience. Getten's handling of potentially tough topics like family, disability, and religion is spot-on, weaving important discussions into an adventurous, summery plot that just keeps going. In the end, a big twist blurs the line between reality and the supernatural. Readers will root for Clara and ultimately her whole community as they come together despite their differences. Clara and most of the cast have dark brown skin and hair, and both the story and setting are inspired by the author's childhood in Jamaica. VERDICT Getten's heartfelt, lyrical debut will find a home in all collections. Recommended as a first purchase.-Taylor Worley, Springfield P.L., OR

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