How to Eat a Mango by Paola Santos

How to Eat a Mango

Paola Santos

Candlewick Press · Print & ebook · July 16, 2024

A Picture Books pick for readers exploring How to Eat a Mango.

Buy on Amazon

We earn from qualifying purchases.

Who it’s for
Five slow steps turn mango-eating into a lesson in attention, gratitude, and family love.
Themes
Gratitude for nature, Family love, Family and cultural connection
Pacing
Reflective

Nearest books

Matched by what the books are about, then ordered by what their readers also loved. Most of these share its genre: US: Hispanic & Latino Stories.

  1. Oshún and Me: a Story of Love and BraidsAdiba Nelson46% match
  2. Martina Has Too Many TíasEmma Otheguy52% match
  3. Elena Camps/elena Va a Acampar: a Dual Edition Flip BookJuana Medina46% match
  4. This Moment Is SpecialJohn Parra47% matchAlso shares Multigenerational Families
  5. Alma, Head to Toe/alma, De Pies a CabezaJuana Martinez-Neal49% match
  6. Rainbow ShoppingQing Zhuang48% matchAlso shares Cooking & Food
  7. The Monarchs of WinghavenNaila Moreira47% match

For older readers: The Mango Tree, The Moonlit Vine, Cuba 15

Start with three books, and this one can be the first.

Members get a new edition every morning: a route out from their books to essays, research and talks, with the reason for each.

Start with this book

About this book

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.

Continue reading

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. Simultaneously released in Spanish as Cómo se come un mango. A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year

Mango Moments

Five slow steps turn mango-eating into a lesson in attention, gratitude, and family love.

Come here for

  • A sensory pause with leaves, roots, and ripe fruit
  • Family warmth rooted in gratitude for nature’s gifts

Expect

  • A gentle, meditative pace
  • Mango juice, messy hands, and affection across generations

Where it sits

US: Hispanic & Latino Stories37%
Cooking & Food36%
Multigenerational Families35%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Caribbean & Latin American Stories
  • Big Feelings
  • Cooking & Food
Authors
Paola Santos
Publisher
Candlewick Press
Published
July 16, 2024
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Gratitude for nature · Family love · Family and cultural connection
Reading lane
Caribbean & Latin American Stories