Professional/ Critical Resource of A Mango-Shaped Space

“Wendy Mass, author of A Mango-Shaped Space, published by Little, Brown & Company Children’s Publishing, is the winner for middle school. The main character Mia is a sensitive 13-year-old girl who comes to terms with a rare neurological condition called Synesthesia. The story is an introspective look inside the world of one who perceives letters, numbers, and sounds as colors. Mass’s exceptionally descriptive prose makes Synethesia understandable and intriguing. The story demonstrates that, although acceptance from family and friends is important, the most important aspect in accepting one’s own differences is to realize that they are an integral part of who one is (“Schneider"). ”

This review was on the American Library Association website, explaining why A Mango-Shaped Space won the Schneider Family Book Award. I agree with this review and truly enjoyed reading this book. It was a fast read and hard to put down. I never heard of Synethesia before reading this book and found the disability to be extremity fascinating. I continued to read up on the disability on the internet and found Mass’s descriptions to be accurate. The events and I also believe that this story shows the importance of family and friends. Mia realizes this but also learns that the most important person that you need to be true to is yourself. This is a great message for children as well as all adults.

Mass, Wendy. A Mango-Shaped Space. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2003.

“Schneider Family Book Award Recipients”. American Library Association. 2008. American Library Association. 10 April 2008.