Imagine if words and sounds drew colored shapes in front of your eyes — wonderful colors no one else could see!
It’s called synesthesia and it’s what Mia, the main character and narrator of A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass has been hiding from everyone (even her best friend!) since she was 8-years-old, when she was called a “freeeeaaak!” (She was at the chalkboard for math and offered to put the numbers in their correct colors. Because we all know what those correct colors are, right? Wrong-o! The classroom laughed and pointed. Sad.)
Mia finally has to come clean five years later when she’s nearly failing Math and Spanish. See, the colors get her confused. Like, if the English word “mother” is purpley-red but the Spanish word “madre” is green — it doesn’t make sense they’re the same thing, right? Of course everyone thinks she’s nuts or sick with an incurable disease. Even her best friend is miffed.
I’d easily recommend this book. We all feel like freaks about something, and I like the fact that Mia learns more about herself, meets people who have similar colorful visions, and understands she doesn’t have to hide it. In fact, she finds that once people understand, they think it’s cool. (I wonder what color my name is!)
Let me know what you think!
— Jessica, Scholastic.com Staffer