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Carina Ho
Author
Mighty Mara
Young Mara lives in Sametown, a place where everyone fits in because they like the same stuff and do the same things—everyone but Mara, that is. She loves to dance, but Mara is…different. Can Mara put her fears aside to bring a new type of dance to her school’s talent show? Mighty Mara is an authentic story loosely based on co-author Carina Ho’s experience with a physical disability, showing readers that being different doesn’t mean that we’re not the same. Mara feels as if she doesn’t fit in and wants more than anything to be able to be herself and have friends that understand her. When she signs up to dance at her school’s talent show, her teacher expresses concern about her dancing in front of the whole school. But Mara is determined to show everyone that dance makes her special and that she’s good at it. Mara begins diligently training for the event, incurring snickers and stares from her peers. In cleverly illustrated pictures that depict Mara in ways where her lower body is obscured, the reader will not know of Mara’s true strength and courage until it is revealed at the talent show that she uses a wheelchair. The illustrator’s color scheme further adds meaning to the story by visually separating scenes featuring a vibrant and spirited Mara from the pastel and more muted tones of Sametown and its people. Mighty Mara wraps up in a gratifyingly unsentimental and original way, with Mara’s talented dancing being well-lauded by her peers, but not placing in the show. Discussion prompts at the end of the book invite readers, families, and educators of young children to further dialogue with readers both with and without disabilities.
Reviews
In their enthusiastic and inspiring picture book for young children, Ho and Byrd encourage kids to let their differences shine. The story introduces a little girl named Mara who lives in a bland village called Sametown, where everyone “grills the same foods, chants the same chants, [and] plays the same games.” Colorful, confident, and ebullient, Mara is not content to blend in with the crowd. Determined to meet friends who also dare to stand out, she decides to perform a dance in the school talent show, where, hilariously, everyone else has chosen to do a magic routine.

Not until she is taking the stage at the talent show do readers learn that her differences go beyond her preferences for vibrant clothing–Mara uses a wheelchair to get around. Cleverly concealing this bit of information until near the story’s end highlights the fact that Mara is just as capable as her peers. Even though her method of self-expression is unlike anything Sametown has ever seen, she earns huge cheers at the talent show and public recognition for her skills. Mara’s journey also draws attention to some of the challenges individuals with disabilities face in accessing the same opportunities and spaces as those who are able-bodied.

Ho’s real-life experiences inform Mara’s fictional ones, as Ho also uses a wheelchair while traveling, dancing, and making music, often receiving the same surprised reactions as Mara. Monica Paola Rodriguez’s lively illustrations breathe even more life into Mara’s tale, showing her smiling and wearing rainbow-colored clothes amid the mostly brown and gray Sametown backdrop, where even the balloons are khaki. (The people, though, are diverse in background, despite their shared sameness.) The book ends with a series of questions to help parents or teachers start discussions with children about fitting in, accessibility, and finding their talents, making this not only a delightful story but also a valuable educational tool.

Takeaway: The inspiring story of a young girl who livens up Sametown with vibrant clothing, dancing, and self-expression.

Great for fans of: Amy Webb’s When Charley Met Emma, Anitra Rowe Schulte’s Dancing with Daddy.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

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