When life gives you mangos /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Named to Oprah Magazine's Best Caribbean Books for Your 2021 reading list, imagination and adventure run wild in the most talked about middle grade debut of the year!

A small village on a Jamaican island.
A girl who doesn't remember the previous summer.
A best friend who is no longer acting like one; a new girl who fills that hole in her heart.
A summer of finding fallen mangos, creating made up games and dancing in the rain.
Secrets she keeps from others...and herself.
The courage to face the truth even in the toughest of storms.

Inspired by the author's childhood experiences, When Life Give You Mangos is a celebration of island life as well as a rich, lyrical mystery.

Read it...and don't spoil the unforgettable ending!

A recommended read for classroom discussons and educators looking for diverse offerings.


"A heartfelt and accessible debut about friendship, memory, and forgiveness." --Tae Keller, author of Newbery Medal winner When You Trap a Tiger

"A wonderful story with great heart, mystery, and insight. Kereen Getten is a bright new voice." --Clare Vanderpool, author of Newbery Medal winner Moon Over Manifest and Printz Honor book Navigating Early

"A heartwarming yet suspenseful debut about the strength of family, the turmoil of friendships lost and found, and most importantly, remembering who you are." --Lynne Kelly, author of the Schneider award winner Song for a Whale

Excerpt provided by Syndetics

There is a new girl arriving in Sycamore. Her hair is in two Afro buns with big white bows, and she is wearing cat's-eye sunglasses, like a celebrity. That's according to Gaynah. I haven't seen her yet, but Gaynah says she saw her get off the city bus by the traffic circle with a woman that looked like her mother, and they are heading up the hill. The entire village is buzzing. This is the most excitement we have ever had, and no one wants to miss seeing it for themselves. Within minutes all the kids are gathered at the edge of the road, waiting for the new girl. Everyone is speculating on why she is here and what might be wrong with her. New people don't come to Sycamore. Not since the witch-­doctor episode. The last time someone new came here, it was two tourists with video cameras. They were driving to the Bob Marley museum and got lost. But we suspect they were some of the die-­hard fans who were desperate to meet Eldorath, my uncle, the man who saw ghosts. It's the story that brought shame and fear on the community. Pastor Brown was the most vocal. He said any man who claims to see ghosts is not a godly man, that my uncle was inviting evil to our community. So Eldorath was given a new name: the witch doctor. Tourists thought differently. My uncle was a tourist attraction. They wanted to see him, ask him if he could see their mother, their father, their best friend who had passed. Uncle Eldorath wasn't easy to find, though; his house was way up on the hill, and he rarely left it. Pastor Brown told us to never give anyone directions. When they couldn't find him, they gave us candy as a thank-­you for helping them get on the right road. Gaynah saw this as an insult and threw her candy in the bush. "Do they think I've never seen candy?" she said in complete disgust. "My brother sends me American candy every month." The new girl would be the second stranger to ever venture up Sycamore Hill in the last year. And no one can stop talking about it. If this is true and a girl ­really is coming here, then it could change our entire summer. Nothing exciting ever happens here. Some of the adults pick fruits from the fields to sell, while some work out of town in the big hotels. A few, like Papa, go fishing early in the morning. If they catch anything, they sell it at the market in town. I used to go with him to catch an early surf. Now that I don't surf anymore, there's not much to do except laze around by the river and play a few games. Most days, though, this is what we do. Sit around waiting for something to happen. That's why a new girl has us all so excited. Where is she from? Why is she here? Is she real or is she an alien? Gaynah said she saw an alien once down by Ms. Gee's guava tree. The alien had eight legs and three eyes and told her not to tell anyone because humans might hurt her. Of course, Gaynah being Gaynah, she told everyone she saw. "Are you sure she's real, this girl?" I ask, pushing away the curly bangs I thought were a good idea this morning. Gaynah's big brown eyes widen with shock that I could ever question her. She flicks her long, straightened hair, which will have reverted to curly by the end of the day. It's not that I don't believe there could be a new girl. It's just that Gaynah has a way of being in the middle of every drama on the hill. Usually the drama has already happened by the time she tells us, so we never actually get to witness it. The new girl could be real--­chances are, she isn't--­but it's summer and we have nothing else to do. It would be nice to have someone new. Maybe this new girl will know some new games we can play, or have stories about where she came from. Maybe she will speak a different language or have a talent she can teach us. I get a little excited thinking of the possibilities. It's midday, and the sun is at its hottest. It burns my dark brown skin as though someone is holding my arm over a fire. There is no shelter here like there is up at the house. On the roadside, the scorching heat has no pity on us. I wipe sweat off my forehead and flick it onto the ground. Gaynah grimaces, as if the very sight of me disgusts her. "She's not just any girl," she retorts in her usual snooty voice. She adjusts her little crossover bag that she proudly wears everywhere because her brother sent it from America. "I think she might be foreign." I roll my eyes. Oh, she's foreign now. Next she'll be telling us the girl is another alien that she saw. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Calvin leaving his house, a surfboard under his arm. His short black curls shine in the sun, and glimmers of gold bounce off his skin. Calvin uses his hand to protect his eyes from the sun and calls to Anton, his tall, lanky friend whose father is a police officer. Anton strolls over and meets him, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. As they approach, Calvin nods at me and says, "We're going for a surf. You coming?" I lower my eyes to the ground and shake my head. "Anton's brother is going to be there, if that's what you're worried about. You know my dad would never let me go without a chaperone." I draw a face in the dirt with my finger so I don't have to look at him. "I said no." The truth is, the sea sounds perfect right now. My sweat feels like slime on my forehead, and my body is screaming for a breeze. He walks off, shrugging. "I'm going to keep asking until you change your mind." I feel Gaynah stiffen beside me. "But you'll miss the new girl." She pouts, because Gaynah thinks pouting gets her anything she wants. Calvin doesn't answer her. Maybe he doesn't hear, or maybe he does but doesn't care to meet the new girl. "I'll tell him about the new girl at the game tomorrow," I say, feeling a little sorry for her. The game is "pick leaf," and all the kids on the hill play it every summer. Gaynah snorts. "If you remember." "­Really?" I say through clenched teeth. Mama tells me I must think before I have an outburst. "If you pause for five seconds, you will have a completely different reaction," she says. So I count as Gaynah fidgets with her bag and smooths the blue dress she is wearing. One. Two. Three. "Well, it's true. Everyone knows you don't remember anything." That's not true. I remember some things. I remember when Gaynah is a good friend and when she is not. I remember what happened a few weeks ago, even last month. Even some things last year. I remember that my name is Clara Dee-­Henson, and I remember I am twelve years old. I know I live on a small island that tourists call exotic. I know I used to love surfing every morning while Papa went fishing, but I don't do that anymore. Something happened that made me forget everything that happened last summer. Sometimes the memories come back to me in drips, like a tap that won't turn off no matter how hard I try. Sometimes Mama fills in the blanks. She'll say, "You spent the summer down at the river," or, "You went to the beach with Gaynah, do you remember?" She'll tell me small details, like what I was wearing, what time we left for the beach, how we had a nice snapper for dinner that Papa had caught on his fishing trip. Sometimes those memories stick so fast, I think they're mine, but they're not. They are hers. Excerpted from When Life Gives You Mangos by Kereen Getten All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Horn Book Review

Everyone in the seaside village of Sycamore knows that twelve-year-old Clara Dee Henson hasn't been herself for a while. Last summer something fateful happened -- if only she could remember what -- and now she fears water and is prone to emotional outbursts. Moreover, her relationship with her best friend, Gaynah, is unraveling. Clara's unusual behavior is as shrouded in mystery as her uncle Eldorath, the village pariah with whom she develops a special bond. The arrival of a new girl in Sycamore prompts Clara to confront her complex feelings about Gaynah. Set on an island inspired by Jamaica (the author's birthplace), this story of friendship, healing, and self-forgiveness sensitively explores the emotional landscape of childhood and the complexity of loss. The villagers, each in their own way, help Clara face her troubles and lay the ghost of last summer to rest. This layered and realistic portrayal of relationships in a close-knit Black community complements rather than competes with elements of the supernatural, resulting in a plot that reads like a gradually unfolding revelation. Although the characterization can be shaky at times, and the island setting is not as fully realized as it could be, deft storytelling and an authentic rendering of a child's voice make this a promising debut. Summer Edward January/February 2021 p.103(c) Copyright 2021. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Book Review

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) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Author notes provided by Syndetics

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. Visit her on Twitter @kereengetten or on Instagram @Kezywrites.