Contemporary Literature for Younger Audiences: A Mango Shaped Space

One of my favorite reads for the past few years has been A Mango Shaped Space by Wendy Mass.

This novel is about a young teenager named Mia. When she was little, she thought she was just like everyone else, until that one day in elementary when she realized that she was completely different. Mia decided to keep it to herself to spare the teasing and bullying.

Now as a thirteen-year-old when she’s having trouble in school, she realizes that she might just have to tell her parents and friends her secret. But when it affects her relationship with her best friend, Mia starts to wonder what the outcome of this will be.

Eventually she finds out that she has a neurological condition known as synesthesia, which cause her to see random colors in the air, every day and everywhere. While Mia loves her colors and she can’t imagine life without them, is it really worth it when the result of it is bad grades in school?

I really enjoy this book. The characters are all extremely enjoyable and the character development is incredible.

A common theme in middle grade and YA modern literature is self-discovery. This topic is relatable to many junior high and high school students because this is the age where they are trying to figure out who they are and who they want to become. The main character in this novel beautifully demonstrates that journey of self-discovery eventually leading to self-acceptance. Young teens as well as older teens will appreciate that aspect of the book.

I would recommend this book to readers of all ages. It’s a fun, easy, and enjoyable read while also discussing more difficult topics like relationships, loss, and grief in a way that engages younger readers.

Here are my top eight reasons as to why I like this novel by Wendy Mass:

Fantastic character development.
Engaging storyline.
Humorous conversations.
Relatable.
I felt like I learned a lot about Synesthesia, a condition I didn’t know existed.
The relationships felt realistic.
It was obvious that the author put a lot of effort into creating unique characters.
I really felt like I was inside the book.

Place a hold for this book at your local library or order your own copy online! You won’t be disappointed.