Children's Book Week: A Mango in the Hand by Antonio Sacre

Hi there!

Welcome back to the place that aims to please the reader in you, today and everyday...Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

So, how are things going in your neck of the woods?

Enjoying the bookish delights this week has to offer?

Celebrating like it's whatever year you fancy with books filled with imagination and wonder in honor of Children's Book Week?  Good!  That's the way it should be...  ^_^ ...and if you haven't entered the Children's Book Week Giveaway Hop as of yet, I HIGHLY recommend you do.  Just sayin'.  *ahem*

Today, we aim to continue the fun with a title that not only shares a simple story with delightful images, but many a life lesson in proverbs that are anything but lost in translation.  It's one of those books that might have slipped under the radar but trust me, for those with little ones at home (or those that simply enjoy the delights a good picture book can bring), you'll want to take note of this one.  Without further adieu, today's book of choice is...

A Mango in the Hand:

A Story Told Through Proverbs

by

Antonio Sacre

Illustrated by

Sebastia Serra

If you aren't already smiling from the cover image there, you might want to check your vision.  No, really; the artistic style employed is so welcoming, so smile-inducing that I couldn't help but chuckle at Francisco's earnest face, the little bees flying around the beloved mango tree and the family and friends waving their hello's from across the way.  Each turn of the page reveals another delightful scene with colors that POP and moments to explore.  Now, a picture book is certainly dependent on its pictures for true success (hence the name PICTURE book), but the story is what gets us from point A to point B and this one does it with finesse.

What starts as a simple story of a young lad overcoming several types of adversity in order to collect his beloved mangoes, turns into a tale of life lessons shared through the magic of proverbs.  Now, for those of you that might be scratching your heads at that word, a proverb is "a short pithy saying in frequent and widespread use that expresses a basic truth or practical precept".  Basically it boils down to a witty, memorable way of passing on the lessons learned on a general level from one generation to the next; think of them as tweets with a truth.  ^_^

Author Antonio Sacre

In this story, one is worked into at least every two page spread and while you might presume that would make the read choppy, it really doesn't...just more edutainment than first expected.  You still get to revel in the joy Francisco gets from his eventual success (though he still doesn't make it home with those mangoes; read the story to find out why!).  You still get to see the relationship between him and his papa as well as his neighborhood of family and friends.  What's more though is that while you're enjoying that aspect of the story, you and yours are also learning a little Spanish and taking away little gems like "es mejor dar que recibir" (Sometimes, it's better to give than to receive.) and "querer es poder" (Where there's a will, there's a way.).  What more could you ask for?

In conclusion, a beautiful representation of all that a picture book can truly be.  The pictures grab our
attention, the story captures our hearts and the message behind it all will dwell in the mind long after the final page has turned.  A great work on all fronts in my mind and one I'd recommend for all ages.

SIGNED review copy courtesy of author Antonio Sacre and Paula at Author Marketing Experts Inc.  website, like them on Facebook, or follow along on Twitter.  This book was published April 2011 via Abrams Books for Young Readers and should be available now on a bookstore shelf near you.  (Double THANKS!)  For more information on this title as well as their current promotions, be sure to visit their official

Until next time...feliz lectura!
(Happy reading!)