The Interrupted Plans of Mango and Nan

by Hala Tahboub, Hala Tahboub (Illustrator)

Overview

From author-illustrator Hala Tahboub comes a silly story about how Mango and Nan make the most of a canceled ice-cream outing. Perfect for readers of all ages who love the warmth and whimsy of books like Saturday and Swashby and the Sea.

From the brilliant mind of Hala Tahboub comes a topsy-turvy tale of a boy and his grandmother. All they want is a summer ice-cream cone, but instead they get an all-over-the-town adventure. Silly and sweet, Mango and Nan find that sometimes canceled plans and disappointment are best served with sprinkles.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063254213
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	08/12/2025
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Hala Tahboub illustrates and writes books for children. Her love for vanilla ice cream dipped in hazelnut chocolate and served in a cake cone has been keeping her from trying other flavors, no matter how hard she tries. She lives in Montreal. Visit her at halatahboub.com.

Hala Tahboub illustrates and writes books for children. Her love for vanilla ice cream dipped in hazelnut chocolate and served in a cake cone has been keeping her from trying other flavors, no matter how hard she tries. She lives in Montreal. Visit her at halatahboub.com.

Editorial Reviews

(The Interrupted Plans of Mango and Nan) “Readers will come away knowing that amazing adventures can flow from best-laid plans.” — Publishers Weekly

(The Interrupted Plans of Mango and Nan) “Humorous…[and] playful.” — Kirkus Reviews

(The Interrupted Plans of Mango and Nan) “A message about how anyone is big enough to do their part wrapped in a wacky, sweet package.”  — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

(The Interrupted Plans of Mango and Nan) "Repeated readings are certain to be requested." — School Library Journal

(The Interrupted Plans of Mango and Nan) “Tahboub’s duo are endearingly quirky. A tale as sweet as ice cream (in any flavor).” — Horn Book Magazine

(Praise for Kevin Goes First) "A zany take on competitiveness, with subtle lessons in sequencing cleverly embedded." — Booklist

(Praise for Kevin Goes First) "[This] story successfully underscores the importance of being thoughtful and treating your friends as equals." — Kirkus Reviews

(Praise for Kevin Goes First) "Children will love discussing the different roles selected by Kevin’s friends and thinking about Kevin’s experiences . . . through the plot to its very funny and very just end. This book offers much food for thought in how we work together and take turns in different roles." — School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2025-05-30
When plumbing problems thwart the plans of a young boy and his grandmother, they seek a creative solution.

Mango and Nan are about to head into town for vanilla ice cream cones when they hear the plopping sound of a leaky faucet. Nan tells Mango that they’ll have to stay home and fix the drip: “We can’t let water go to waste. It’s not good for the planet.” What follows is a convoluted storyline in which Mango suggests fastening a fantastically long hose to the faucet so that it will retain all the drips (“Not a plop will go to waste,” declares Nan); the two of them hold the nozzle and let the hose snake behind them as they walk into town, sharing their water with those they encounter. They water their neighbors’ hedges, top off the swimming pool, and cool down hot sunbathers—all of which betrays the story’s internal logic by compromising Nan’s water-conservation ethos. Water pressure builds, and the pair soon lose control of the hose. They lament the wasted water, but when the skies open up, they “celebrate having made rainplops for all the town’s trees”—a confusing moment, given that Mango and Nan aren’t responsible for the downpour. Humorous illustrations outshine the text, with playful details and a great sense of movement. Mango and Nan are light-skinned; their community is diverse.

Fun to look at but hard to follow.(Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews