The Mango Tree/La mata de mango

K-Gr 3–Two young friends enjoy time together in the shade of a mango tree until one of them is unexpectedly taken away in this wordless picture book. The two boys enjoy the delicious mangoes, fly kites, build homes for doves in the branches of the tree, take naps, and avoid friendly and possibly not-so-friendly animals waiting for them on the ground. When a sudden storm sweeps the mango tree away to the sea, one boy watches as his friend is carried away together with the tree. After a perilous journey, the tree and the boy arrive in a new place with unfamiliar people. He uses the only remaining mango, still clinging to a branch, to grow a new tree, and they soon share in its bounty. Having never forgotten his beloved friend, he sends a dove back carrying a mango, where his friend can now plant it on their island and grow a new bountiful mango tree. Riveting illustrations with greens, yellows, and reds show the joy the boys share together, and these are overtaken by darker blues during the storm and its aftermath, with lighter colors returning along with hope. No words are needed, as the spreads convey emotions on every page. Readers can return to each page to find something new with each read. An author’s note in both English and Spanish provides an even deeper meaning to the text.