A Mango in the Hand
A Story Told Through Proverbs
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
Francisco is finally old enough to journey to the mango grove all by himself to gather the mangoes for a special dinner. But bees swarm the fruit, and Francisco has trouble picking them from the tree. He returns to his father several times, and each time his father shares a different proverb to inspire Francisco to continue trying. "Querer es poder. Where there's a will, there's a way!" Finally, Francisco is able to gather some mangoes, and on his way home he stops to visit his uncle, grandmother, and aunt. Francisco shares his mangoes with them, and by the time he gets home he no longer has any! "Es mejor dar que recibir. Sometimes it's better to give than to receive."
Luckily for Francisco, his generosity does not go unnoticed. "Amor con amor se paga. Love is repaid with love."
Readers are sure to be charmed by this humorous story about problem solving and sharing. The book includes a glossary of Spanish words.
Praise for A Mango in the Hand
“A "story told through proverbs" could easily go terribly wrong, but this sweet tale succeeds beautifully. This smoothly written family story is filled with warmth and humor and incorporates a blending of well-placed proverbs in both Spanish and English to drive the story’s themes. Digitally colored pencil-and-ink cartoon drawings reflect the lush greens of summertime and outdoor living in this intergenerational barrio.” –Kirkus Reviews
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Francisco's attempts to fend off bees and retrieve mangos from a tree give his father many opportunities to do what fathers do best: offer words of wisdom. Pap does so in both English and Spanish (" l que mucho abarca, poco aprieta. He who tries to grab too much, gets little"), and his lessons also help Francisco reach out to another familiar type of relative: the seemingly crabby (but actually lonely) aunt. Sacre's snappy storytelling avoids being overly moralistic, and Serra's digitally colored pencil-and-ink artwork creates a friendly, close-knit neighborhood for Francisco, the kind in which food, conversation and proverbs can be found in abundance. Ages 4 8.