This ended up being a much more emotional read than I had initially expected. The island & cultural setting had so much realness and I loved seeing the different family/neighbor dynamics at play in such a small community. I was definitely not expecting the twist at the end, but I think it culminated perfectly! The only point in the book that got a little confusing was when we went back to what really happened - because there is no set time frame, the overlap in what she thought happened and what actually happened got a little more jumbled than I would have liked. That being said, it was very easy to pick back up and I think the themes of friendship, loss, blame, and guilt were covered beautifully throughout the generations. It is very rare to see physical and mental responses to traumatic events as key character traits in middle grade level fiction, and I was so excited to see how developed it was and how the family went through different options for her recovery. All in all, I am very excited for our library to get this book!

When Life Gives You Mangos
Written by Kereen Getten
Published by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Ages 10-14
Available September 15, 2020

Clara lives in a small village on a tourist-destination Caribbean island, but to Clara, it’s not a destination—it’s just home. This summer, she is twelve, and she’s struggling. Her former best friend Gaynah does not want to play in their secret dugout anymore; she is more interested in Calvin and being grown up. Also, Gaynah teases her about last summer. Even though Clara tries, she cannot remember what happened. All she knows is that her parents will not let her surf anymore, and she can never go into the water alone. Sometimes she has nightmares that she does not understand. Her parents explain the imagery, but they tell her not to worry. Clara finds that she angers and frustrates easily, but she does not understand why. Now, a mysterious new girl named Rudy is living on the island and wants to be friends with Clara. But Rudy does not know the rules of the island, and what spots are off-limits. Clara does not want to lose another friend, so she follows along, even though she could get in trouble. Kereen Getten’s When Life Gives You Mangos begins slowly, unfolding the story of Clara’s memory loss. The calm pace and beautiful landscape exacerbate the scary and obscure reason behind the amnesia. The book takes time to reveal what happened, and the grief behind the loss is significant. Newcomer Rudy serves as a stand-in for the reader at times, as she is learning how the village of Sycamore operates. Religion is an important factor in how Clara’s memory loss is dealt with by the community; ultimately Getten reveals that pastors and bishops, no matter how well-intentioned they are, are ultimately human and can make mistakes. The reveal behind Clara’s amnesia involves grief, but also reconciliation as her family makes room for members that have been long shunned in the village. This read emphasizes the power of love and community.

This is an excellent Middle Grade read that encompasses many themes. Bullying, loss/grief, family, friendship and so much more. I think this one would be enjoyable for adults (I am an adult and enjoyed it!) and younger audiences alike. There is some suspense throughout the book with a great twist at the end!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an eARC of When Life Gives You Mangos. All opinions are my own, as usual.
2.75 stars
When Life Gives You Mangos is a heart-touching middle grade story. I unfortunately didn't like any of the characters. The main character Clara is very over reactive until the ending, but I felt like there wasn't enough time for me to like her. All of the other characters were either unlikeable or were not developed enough for me to connect with them. I was also left confused at the end which has been bothering me ever since I've finished it! I would still recommend this to middle grade readers, it just wasn't my cup of tea.

This book was an enjoyable read. This is the first time I’ve read a book that took place on an island in the Caribbean and it made me feel proud and represented.
The book begins with our main character, Clara, beginning summer vacation. She lives in a small quiet village where nothing really ever happens until a new girl arrives. Apparently Clara has some trouble remembering what happened the summer before, but whatever happened left her with a fear of sea. From her point of view, Clara feels that something is wrong with her and ends up pushing everyone away including her best friend Gaynah who’s she can’t stop arguing with and have trouble controlling her outbursts. It seems that no one understands what she is going through and it sometimes it seems that everyone around her are keeping something important from her. Slowly with the support with her family and the community, she is able to face her fears.

I loved that this book was set in Jamaica! The story was interesting and meaningful. The arguments between friends felt true and realistic, and made the big reveal all the more believable. I appreciated the information about the parts of the author’s experiences growing up that worked their way into Clara’s story. I think that this book will be talked about by all who read it! It lends itself to great discussions about life.

This is a heartfelt story that explores themes of friendship, trauma and grief. Twelve year-old Clara is struggling with her friend, Gaynah’s, reactions toward Clara's trauma-induced memory loss. The plot unfolds as Clara's memories from the previous summer begin to return. Young readers are in for a surprising twist at the end.
This book is perfect for fans of Shouting At The Rain or The Thing About Jellyfish.

Verdict: I would recommend purchasing this book for school libraries and for school mental health counselors.

Thank you NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the eArc.

So, so good. I couldn’t put it down. I hope people of all ages read this wonderful story.

The setting, people, emotions were perfect. Vivid. There are many themes and topics in this story. My take-away is: words spoken can hurt, words left unsaid can do just as much damage.

Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's for a digital ARC of this book. When Life Gives you mangoes is a fun, meaningful, and heartwarming middle-grade debut by Kereen Getten. It follows Clara and her experiences on her small tropical island. It explores the meaning of friendship and family and will have you at the edge of your seat with a surprising ending. I thought this story was very cute and unique and unlike anything I have ever read before! The only negative about it was that it did seem a bit slow at times. Still, it was a good book that I feel that all ages would enjoy.

I really enjoyed this middle grade book that hit on themes of family relationships, friendship and loss/grief through the eyes of a child. The story was quick, enjoyable, and heartwarming and had a fun little plot twist that was unexpected.

This book pulled me in from page one, and didn't let me go until the final sentence! I've added it to my list of favorite MGs. It was full of heart and charm, and reminded me of a few of my other favorites, like A Snicker of Magic, and Where The Watermelons Grow. The world-building was beautiful, in fact I not want to live in the small-town-on-a-little-island where the book was set. The characters were endearing, full-of-life, and nuanced, and the plot was one of the most satisfying that I've read in awhile. I loved the complex friendships and family relationships, and the twists and turns that we go on as we follow the MC on her journey. I'll be pre-ordering a finished copy of this one!

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Children's for a free eARC of this book to review.

(I'll be sharing this review on my social media, blog, and Goodreads two weeks before the publication date, and on retail sites as soon as it is published.)

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

When Life Gives You Mangos is a powerful story of friendship, family and community, that I won't soon forget!. Twelve year-old Clara is struggling with her best friend, and her trauma induced memory loss. She is also balancing a budding friendship with the strange new girl that just moved to the small island village. We see the plot unfolding as Clara recovers her memory and begins to find her true self. And as the details of that last summer come to surface, this book grabs your heart and doesn’t let go.

There are so many great themes weaved throughout this book. I found the beginning a little slow to dive into but then was loving following Clara as she faces bullying, friendship, and guilt, all while dealing with trauma and loss. The cover is beautiful and it really drew me in, but it is the writing that really shines through here.

I thought this was going to be a really cute, quick read and that would be that. But, instead I got an emotional, adorable, tender story about love, friendship, community, and forgiveness.

I loved the character of Clara, even in such a short book it made me genuinely love her so much that I wanted to just yell when she wouldn’t stand up for herself. Her family maybe a little misguided, but it’s only because they love her and want to help her. Genuinely, this was such a good book. Y’all know I’m not good at reviews or really making coherent sentences when I’m excited, so just...read this book! Support this author! Buy it when it comes out! It’s such, such a good story and it’ll have your heart by the second paragraph.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s publishing for an ARC of this in exchange for my honest review!

When Life Gives You Mangos was not at all what I expected. Though I found the beginning to be slow, the twists and turns the story takes you on near the end made reading so worth it. Clara's view of friendship and the youthful innocence is noteworthy and wonderfully written. This is a book I'd recommend to students who already have a positive relationship with reading and are looking for a book on loss and friendship.

When Life Gives You Mangoes is a powerful story of friendship, family and community. Twelve year-old Clara is struggling with her best friend, Gaynah’s, new behavior towards her trauma-induced memory loss; all the while, she is balancing a budding friendship with the strange new girl that just moved to the small, island village. The plot unfolds as Clara recovers her memory and begins to find her true self, and as details of that last summer come to surface, this book grabs your heart and doesn’t let go.

Debut author, Kereen Getten, weaves themes of bullying, friendship, guilt, and dealing with trauma and loss into this heart-felt story. I originally picked up this book because I’m a sucker for standout covers, but the story behind the cover was just as compelling and kept me fully hooked until the end. This novel is well-written and driven by the author’s ability for strong characterization and description. This a beautiful middle grade novel I won’t soon forget.

I really enjoyed Kereen Getten's debut novel and would recommend it to any middle grades student especially those dealing with loss or feeling excluded. It was well written, engaging and has a surprising plot twist toward the end. The story in Jamaica where 12 year old Clara lives in a small community and is dealing with not being able remember what happened last summer as well as issues with her best friend, bullying and suddenly being afraid of the water. This book addresses memory loss, loss of a loved one, bullying and her uncle being excluded from their community due to his perceived differences. The book leaves the reader feeling hopeful and provides insight on how to hold to the memories of loved ones we have lost while also finding joy in living.

This book surprised me in a lot of ways. I knew that it was a book about friendship - but ultimately, its a book about grief.

Our young and adventurous main character does not remember anything about the prior summer. She has friends, but feels somewhat separated by her memory loss. On top of that, her uncle is an even bigger outcast and lives in seclusion for reasons unbeknownst to her.

Fair warning, you won't see the plot until 3/4 of the way through this book. It feels a bit aimless throughout that part as well. You'll see a precious little girl feel like she's losing her mind and everyone knows. It's heartbreaking but ends well. I promise. It is much deeper and darker than I was anticipating but not in a bad way at all.

I absolutely loved When Life Gives You Mangos by Kereen Getten. It was a sweet friendship and family story centered around a girl, Clara, who mysteriously has forgotten all the events of the previous summer. Throughout the story, you learn certain things such as that she used to love the water, but now she is afraid of it, but the full extent of what happened the previous summer isn't revealed until the end. I don't want to say too much, but you definitely should read it!

A twelve-year-old girl, Clara, lives on a small, yet still known island called Sycamore. Often nothing juicy nor out-of-the-ordinary happens on this tiny island. Well, not until this new girl comes to their village. She looks different and she is the latest news. Gaynah is supposedly Clara's best friend, but soon after the new girl arrives Gaynah changes. She is always making fun of Clara because she can't remember some things that happened last summer after a hurricane hit their village. It's like her memory comes in-and-out, but she can't recall what is real and what is not? Soon, Clara comes face-to-face with many obstacles in their small village and one of those is coming to the realization of what indeed happened last summer and how it will change her moving forward.

Not only was this such a well-written middle grade book, but getting into the Clara's thoughts and learning so much about Clara at the end had me feeling some type of way. I totally did not expect the end, and that's saying a lot as I am an adult. I was trying to puzzle together what happened to her and when I did, it made me shake. But the final few pages left me crying, and I could not stop. A beautiful story of holding onto the past, and learning how to move forward.

Thank You to the publishers and netgalley for sending me this arc in exchange for an honest review!

When Life gives you mangos is a book that takes place on an island in Jamaica, it follows our main character Clara who is struggling with some bullying and memory loss. She cannot remember what happened to her in the previous summer but she knows that she is now afraid of the water when she previously loved surfing and swimming.

This book was sweet and heartwarming it had themes of friendship, coming to terms with loss and many more. I thoroughly enjoyed every single page of this book and just flew through it. I found the writing and storyline very beautiful and touching.

I don’t read middle grade very often but when I saw a blurb that said this book was similar to The Thing About Jellyfish I was instantly intrigued. I found the ending super shocking and could not stop reading. After finishing this book I had to just sit on my bed for a little while because it was very impactful for me.

I would 100% recommend this even if you don’t typically read middle grade.