La Luna Mango: Cuando La Deportación Divide a Una Familia
A Junior Library Guild Selection June 2019
Best Books for Kids 2019, New York Public Library
2020 Skipping Stones Honor Awards
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A Junior Library Guild Selection June 2019
Best Books for Kids 2019, New York Public Library
2020 Skipping Stones Honor Awards
"Ten-year-old Maricela stares at the mango-colored moon, reminiscing on the many nights during which she and her father did the same--before his deportation. Social worker and scholar DeAnda frankly presents simple responses to the questions immigrant children might have after being separated from their parents. This Spanish version of the simultaneous English publication is sometimes awkward in its phrasing, but overall this is a much-needed text for many libraries serving families in similar situations. Though the book covers a heavy subject, Cornelison's evocative, light-filled spreads add a hint of hope, even while depicting how Maricela's dad's plight affects the whole family--through finances, living situations, school performance. Touching and timely, this is a strong choice for picture-book shelves, especially where bibliotherapy is needed." -- Booklist
"A realistic portrayal of a family torn apart. Ten-year-old Maricela's mama picks her up from school on the day everything changes. She tells Maricela and her younger brother that their 'papi won't be coming home for a while.' Readers learn through simple prose that Maricela's undocumented father is being held in a detention center while he awaits deportation to an unnamed but 'dangerous' country. Every aspect of Maricela's young life is affected, from her now-coachless soccer practice to her after-school routine. She narrates the story with a sense of grief and honesty true to a child's understanding of a complicated and devastating situation. Cornelison's soft, impressionistic illustrations depict the all-Latinx family with light brown skin and straight, black hair and convey the overwhelming loss and sadness felt by a child longing for an absent parent. The unsmiling characters in the story feel authentic to the heaviness of this experience. Despite their separation, Maricela focuses on ways she can stay connected to her papi, through handwritten notes and especially looking up at their same mango moon. Author De Anda honors the real challenge that many children face when a parent is deported and reminds them that it's 'all right...to cry.' Available in both Spanish and English, this story validates a heartbreaking experience." -- Kirkus Reviews
