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Beyond the Mango Tree by Amy Bronwen Zemser

Summary

Sarina and her family have moved to Liberia from Boston eight months ago. Her mother ties her to the mango tree in their front yard, terrified of losing her. It's never for long, and Sarina knows her mother doesn't mean to hurt her. But things just seem to get harder the longer her family stays in this country so far from home. On good days, when Sarina's mother is feeling better, she sets her daughter free. On bad days, Sarina dangles her feet in the puddles and mud until dusk, waiting for someone to rescue her, wishing for the one thing her mother fears most: a friend. Then one day Sarina meets Boima, a Liberian boy, and he becomes Sarina's cherished secret. He takes her to places outside her dirty yard, and shows her the ocean, the trees, and the people of Liberia. Together they discover what friendship means and that there is a world of joy, hunger, and hope waiting just beyond the mango tree.

166 pages, 5th grade and up

Discussion questions

Warning! Some of the questions contain key elements of the plot. Do not read if you don't want to know what happens!

  1. The book opens with Sarina tied to the mango tree. Why do you think the group of Liberian children are so interested in her? Why do they pinch her and touch her?
  2. Why is Sarina's family living in Liberia? How does each family member adjust to it?
  3. Much of the dialogue is written in the Liberian-English dialect. Did you like reading this unfamiliar pattern of speech? Was it difficult? How do you think it sounds?
  4. What is wrong with Sarina's mother? Why do you think she isn't properly medicated?
  5. What is TeTe and Sarina's relationship like? Why was TeTe stealing? Do you blame her?
  6. How do you think it would feel to be so needed by your mother for her physical and emotional health?
  7. Is Sarina's dad fair to her? What has he asked of her? Is it too much?
  8. How do you think Boima feels after Sarina saves him from the snake in the lagoon?
  9. What happens in the end to Boima?
  10. What has Sarina learned from her time in Liberia?
  11. Do you have hope for Sarina and her family at the end of the novel?

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