Mangaboom - Hardcover

Pomerantz, Charlotte

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0688129560 ISBN 13: 9780688129569

Publisher: Greenwillow Books, 1997

Synopsis

Daniel is walking in the woods one day when he comes upon the biggest mango tree he's ever seen. But even more amazing is it occupant, a lady giant named Mangaboom. She's nineteen feet tall. She speaks Spanish and English. She like to skinny-dip and turn cartwheels on the beach.

"Holy mo," Daniel says. He's never met a giant before, much less one as fabulous as Mangaboom. As it turns out, Daniel and his new friend have a lot in common--which is more than Mangaboom's three bumbling gentlemen suitors can say.

Here is a story as charming and larger-than-life as Mangaboom herself. Equally captiviating are the exquisite painting for this original tale.Daniel befriends a gentle giant who lives in a mango tree. As it turns out, Daniel and his nineteen-foot-tall friend have a lot in common--which is more than Mangaboom's three bumbling gentleman suitors can say. An original story with the flavor of a Puerto Rican folktale, with spectacular paintings by the Caldecott honor medalist.

About this title

About the Author:

Charlotte Pomerantz was born in New York City, where she still lives. Among her many popular books for children are Mangaboom, illustrated by Anita Lobel; Here Comes Henny (based on the wordplay of James Joyce), illustrated by Nancy Winslow Parker; Halfway to Your House, illustrated by Gabrielle Vincent; Flap Your Wings and Try and All Asleep, illustrated by Nancy Tafuri; and Posy, illustrated by Catherine Stock (a Christopher Award book).

From Kirkus Reviews:

Although this tale is somewhat disjointed, its tender bonhomie compensates. A boy, Daniel, happens across an enormous pink slipper at the foot of a huge mango tree. He clambers in and is hoisted aloft, where he meets Mangaboom--all 19 feet and 682 pounds of her--who tells him of her favorite pastimes: skinny-dipping and turning cartwheels. Two pieces of mail arrive with Daniel: an invitation to her aunt's for tea with three bachelor giants, and a love letter from someone named Grizwaldo. He begs Mangaboom to write, but before she can retrieve his address on the envelope, her goat eats it up. Crestfallen, Mangaboom heads off with Daniel to tea, where her suitors turn out to be dreadful rubes. Happily for Mangaboom, but unhappily for any potential drama surrounding the lost address, Grizwaldo writes the next day, saying he'll drop by that evening. Daniel takes his leave, though not without getting a glimpse of Grizwaldo (who looks a great deal like a giant Daniel). On the saucily suggestive last page, it looks as though they'll go skinny-dipping that night. Snippets of Spanish give this story an exotic air, and the affection the storyteller has for her characters is evident, even though a plot is not. Lobel's gouaches give a heroic touch to the proceedings, with Mangaboom's colossalness often bleeding right off the page. (Picture book. 5+) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: Greenwillow Books
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0688129560
• ISBN 13: 9780688129569
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Lobel Anita