A Mango Shaped Space

I learned about a physical condition I had never heard about in reading today’s book, an interesting children’s book called A Mango Shaped Space by Wendy Moss.  Mia Winchell sees colors, and lots of them instead of seeing what most other people see when looking at math problems (numbers).  The story begins when Mia as a thirteen year-old girl in the midst of facing her long-time “demon” --- colors!  Mia is not aware of it quite yet, but she has a condition called synesthesia - a neurological phenomenon in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway (a mouthful!).  When she was younger and in school she told the class she was seeing colors when trying to answer a math problem and the students laughed at her, and she was sent to the principal’s office for “lying.”  Since that time she has hidden the condition, until this year and finally she tells her parents.  Thinking she may have a tumor, they bring her to a referred special neurologist in Chicago and she learns of the rare condition!  She will not die.  She meets others with the same condition.  While this is going on, Mia is also faced with the death of her cat, meeting and befriending a younger boy who sees colors, and a major class project, which brings her closer to a boy classmate.  This is a terrific story of family, challenges of school bullying, unidentified “conditions,” and dealing with day-to-day issues, such as the death of a pet.  Lot of things in this book which would be a great read for a younger adolescent, probably 8-10 years old.  Nice sweet story that has a cute message.  Probably not the best for someone looking for a bit more under the surface.