Mango, Abuela, and Me

by Meg Medina

Paperback, 2017

Status

Available

Call number

863

Publication

Candlewick (2017), Edition: Illustrated, 32 pages

Description

"Mia's abuela has left her sunny house with parrots and palm trees to live with Mia and her parents in the city. The night she arrives, Mia tries to share her favorite book with Abuela before they go to sleep and discovers that Abuela can't read the words inside. So while they cook, Mia helps Abuela learn English ("Dough. Masa"), and Mia learns some Spanish too, but it's still hard for Abuela to learn the words she needs to tell Mia all her stories. Then Mia sees a parrot in the pet-shop window and has the perfecto idea for how to help them all communicate a little better. An endearing tale from an award-winning duo that speaks loud and clear about learning new things and the love that bonds family members."-- From Amazon.com.

User reviews

LibraryThing member samantha.cox
Genre: Picture Book
This book is about a little girl and her grandmother comes to live with her. Her grandmother only speaks Spanish, and the girl only speaks English. It is a story on how they found out ways to communicate (like marking all the furniture with sticky notes and their words in
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English) they also have a parrot named Mango. Mango also helps the grandmother and granddaughter grow closer.
This book can be used for a Spanish introduction in a classroom. There are some good Spanish word that the students could learn in a fun way through story.
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LibraryThing member pataustin
When Mia’s “far-away grandmother” moves in with the family and shares Mia’s room, the pair has a lot to adjust to. The initial charm of grandmother’s treasures, a photo of Mia’s grandfather and a red feather, wear off because Mia knows too little Spanish and Abuela, too little English
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to communicate. With their “mouths…empty,” they watch TV. Mother encourages Mia to teach her grandmother English words, and Grandma follows suit. When Mia suggests that they buy Abuela a parrot to keep her company. Mango, as they name him, comes to serve another purpose. He repeats both English and Spanish along with them until “their mouths are full of things to say” (unp.). This charming tender story about family bonds and communication has lively illustrations that jump off the page.
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LibraryThing member Ash13276
I enjoyed reading this book about Mango, Abuela, and Mia. This book had a few Spanish words which had the English word right next to it so that the reader knew what the Spanish word is. This book helps connect to background knowledge as well as relating to the students life. You can simply ask your
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students, " Have you ever had a time when your grandma surprises you, and shows up at your house?" well that is what Mia's Grandma does in this story. Great book to keep readers engaged with all the neat pictures as well as the detailed sentences.
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LibraryThing member KrissyKares
"Mango, Abuela, and Me" by Meg Medina is a wonderful Multicultural Fiction Book to share with a class or with your family. It is filled with bright and bold illustrations that will draw the youth to the story. Young readers with different ethnic backgrounds might find themselves with a connection
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to the main character who is meeting her grandmother who doesn’t speak English. Since Abuela speaks Spanish, the book beautifully integrates some Spanish vocabulary into the story as the girl’s bond grows with her Abuela. This book shows that having a language barrier can be a challenge, but is a journey worth taking! Read the book to find out how “Mango” the parrot helps the girl build a bond with her Abuela. I hope that you will enjoy this story as much as I have. I give it a five!
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LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
When Mia's Abuela, or grandmother, comes to stay with her family in the city, the young girl doesn't have enough Spanish, and her grandmother doesn't have enough English, for the two to communicate with one another. Mia tries a number of things - pointing and naming objects, taping English labels
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on everything in the apartment - but nothing works. Then she and her mother buy Abuela a parrot named Mango, and that seems to help with language acquisition on both sides...

It easy to see why Meg Medina's story was chosen a Pura Belpré Honor selection last year (2016) - The Pure Belpré Award is given annually "to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience" - as Mango, Abuela and Me presents an engaging and heartwarming tale. I liked the fact that both Mia and her Abuela have to work at communicating with one another, and I appreciated the fact that an animal is involved in the process, as studies have shown that animal companions often help people to learn to speak and/or read, when they are having difficulty in those areas. The artwork by Angela Dominguez is colorful and expressive, capturing the love and warmth of the relationship between Mia and Abuela. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories addressing themes such as living with grandparents or communicating across language barriers, and that feature Latino characters.
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LibraryThing member Tessa.Johnson
This is a very sweet book about a girl and her Abuela trying to overcome their language barrier and get to know one another. She teachers her grandma English, and in the process learns Spanish as well. I think children will enjoy this lovely story and be excited to learn a few Spanish words in the
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process.
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LibraryThing member Robinsonstef
In this book, Mia’s grandmother comes to live with them in the city. They’ll be sharing a bedroom, but they have trouble communicating. Mia doesn’t know how to say what she wants to say in Spanish, and her grandmother (abuela) doesn’t know many words in English. They begin doing little
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things every day to help them talk to each other. When they’re cooking, the grandmother will say the Spanish word for an ingredient and Mia repeats it, and then says the English word for each item. When Mia remembers what her class did to help a new student who was learning English, she puts words on top of objects all around the apartment so her grandmother will know how to say them in English. To make her grandmother feel more comfortable, Mia asks her mom to buy a parrot so her grandmother will be reminded of the one in her garden back at her old home. The parrot is a wonder and repeats words it hears Abuela and Mia say to each other. Another way for the two to learn to understand each other!

This was a fun story that will help people learn some words/phrases in Spanish or English. The illustrations are bright and interesting. A great book for families who want to learn other languages or who have relatives staying with them who don't speak the same language.
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LibraryThing member Jessica5858
The main character, Mia, is a young girl who lives in a house with her mom and dad. Her grandmother comes to live with them but Mia can't communicate with her! She knows very little Spanish and her Grandmother knows very little English. She gets frustrated but her mother encourages Mia to keep
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trying. After a while the two learn how to teach each other simple words, Mia decides to buy a parrot for her Abuela and from there on out their language acquisition really flourishes. At the end of the book both can communicate with one another in both English and Spanish.

Ages: 5-8
Source: Tacoma Public Library
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LibraryThing member bxr032
I love this story because it tells the story of the true definition of family. Mia's grandma comes to live with her family in the city but because of a language barrier, it is hard for communication. With a little help, both learn each other's native languages. This book is a great book when
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thinking about a classroom setting because we are in a day in age when there are more and more students who come who do not speak English, and it also shows how hard it for those who do not speak the native language to comprehend the knowledge being taught.
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Language

Original language

English

Physical description

10.63 inches

ISBN

0763695130 / 9780763695132

Other editions

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