Written by Paola Santos
Illustrated by Juliana Perdomo
Publisher: Neal Porter Books
Hardcover: 40 pages
ISBN-10: 082345388X
ISBN-13: 978-0823453887
Reading age: 4 - 8 years
Grade level: Preschool – 3
Abuelita teaches Carmencita that you can’t rush mango-eating: it takes five steps to appreciate the gift and feel the love.
Carmencita doesn’t want to help Abuelita pick mangoes; she doesn’t even like them! They’re messy, they get stuck in her teeth, and it’s a chore to throw out the rotten ones.
But Abuelita adores mangoes, and patiently, she teaches Carmencita the right way to eat them. Together, they listen to the tree’s leaves, feel its branches and roots above and below, and smell and feel the sweet, smooth fruits. Each step is a meditation on everything Mamá Earth has given, and in the Earth’s love, Carmencita feels the love of her Mami, her Papi, her little brother Carlitos, and of course, Abuelita.
When they finally bite in, the juice running down their arms, Carmencita understands. The mangoes are more than just mangoes… and she’s ready for another!
Inspired by her own childhood in Venezuela, Paola Santos’s mango-sweet story is a grounding, life-affirming take on gratitude for nature’s gifts and connection with family and culture. Juliana Perdomo’s cheery artwork brings Carmencita, Abuelita, and their mango tree to life with all the warmth of golden fruit under the sun.
Abuelita le enseña a Carmencita que comer un mango no puede precipitarse: se necesitan cinco pasos para apreciar el regalo y sentir el amor.
Carmencita no quiere ayudar a Abuelita a recoger mangos. ¡Ni siquiera le gustan! Ensucian, se atoran entre sus dientes y es una lata limpiar los podridos.
Pero Abuelita adora los mangos y, con paciencia, le enseña a Carmencita la forma correcta de comerlos. Juntas, escuchan susurrar a las hojas del árbol, sienten sus ramas y raíces arriba y abajo, y huelen y sienten los dulces y suaves frutos. Cada paso es una meditación sobre todo lo que Mamá Tierra ha dado, y en el amor de la Tierra, Carmencita siente el amor de su Mami, su Papi, su hermanito Carlitos y por supuesto, Abuelita.
Cuando al fin prueban una mordida, los jugos escurriendo por sus brazos, Carmencita lo comprende. Los mangos son más que una fruta... ¡y ya está lista para otro!
Inspirado en la infancia de la autora Paola Santos en Venezuela, esta historia, tan dulce como un mango, fomenta la gratitud por los regalos de la naturaleza y la conexión con la familia y la cultura. Las alegres ilustraciones de Juliana Perdomo dan vida a Carmencita, Abuelita y su árbol de mango con toda la calidez de los frutos dorados bajo el sol.
Review
"Sunny, shape-based digital images by Perdomo radiate joyous warmth and nurturing."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
"A heartwarming—and delectable—narrative that readers will treasure."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
"A vibrant picture book that sets up a wonderful way for individual readers or an entire classroom to reflect on the natural wonders all around them."—School Library Journal, Starred Review
"Sensory experiences explode on each page."—BookPage, Starred Review
"Bright and full of musicality and movement."—The Horn Book
Paola Santos was born and raised in Venezuela, and holds a master’s degree in Children’s Literature and Reading Promotion from the Castilla-La Mancha University in Spain. She is a member of SCBWI and a graduate of the Children’s Book Academy. She was awarded the Las Musas-Hermanas Mentorship with author Alexandra Alessandri and the We Need Diverse Books Picture Book Mentorship with author Meg Medina. How to Eat a Mango is her debut book.
Juliana Perdomo was born in Bogotá, Colombia, surrounded by a huge loving family, friends, bright colors, music, weird fruits, sunshine, lots of rain, but also rainbows. With a background in psychology and art therapy, she is the illustrator of many books for children, and the author and illustrator of the picture book Sometimes All I Need is Me. She lives in Colombia with her partner, son, and dogs.
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