The mango monster

A pair of resourceful cousins endeavors to trap a mango thief in Mascarenhas's conversationally told picture book about pitching in for a larger purpose. The morning that Marianne wakes up to ripe mangoes outside, she and cousin Zoe discover that the tree's lower branches have been picked over. When a neighbor hints at the presence of a mango monster ("They've been stealing from mango trees since before I was born"), the children imagine a purple entity with long claws and an orange tongue. They try various methods of detection--sprinkling ashes to track footprints, placing bells and pots in the branches to sound an alarm--before solving the mystery of the filched fruit. Oranges, purples, and greens dominate Repka's engaging digital illustrations, which hint logically at the culprit throughout while leaving room for whimsy. Characters cue as South Asian. Ages 4--7. (Sept.)

PreS-Gr 2--Perfect for fans of Gaia Cornwall's Jabari Tries, this sweet picture book uses a mango mystery to exemplify teamwork and problem-solving. Cousins Marianne and Zoe are ecstatic about the start of their favorite time of year: mango season. When they reach for the freshly ripened fruit from their backyard tree, they find it already picked over! The pair resolve to find the sticky-fingered Mango Monster, setting up a series of clever traps to catch it in the act. Although some of their plans fail, they use each outcome as a learning experience, walking readers through their thought processes as they interpret their results and create new traps based on what they learned. The cute and colorful illustrations employ different perspectives to keep readers interested as they solve the mystery alongside the protagonists. VERDICT There are not enough mysteries aimed at this age group, who love being in on the puzzle and helping figure it out. This is a safe choice for the shelves.--Maria Bohan