Review Detail

Mari goes with her granny to see guavas each week at the market. While she’s there, she hears everyone shouting about the various things they are selling. On this day, Mari’s friend shared that a sugarcane truck is on the main road, blocking the way to the market. The vendors won’t make enough money to buy the things that they need without any customers, and this is when Mari comes up with a fantastic solution: what about a market swap?

What I Liked: This book introduces us to Mari and her granny by showing us the guavas that they are going to sell. The book uses a variety of descriptive words to highlight all of the fruits, vegetables, and foods that are sold in the market.

The illustrations highlight various details both in the town and the market that Mari goes to. The images are vibrant and do a great job of showcasing the various people who visit the market and how they come together.

The ending of the book contains more information about markets, the foods that are introduced in the book, and Creole languages. It was fascinating to learn more about things that are introduced throughout the book and also to understand the language that is used throughout the book. The way the people in the book speak is different, so it was good to understand that it was a mix of different English dialects.

Final Verdict: Mari and the Great Market Swap is a book full of innovative and creative ideas that introduces children to trading. Children ages 6 and up will enjoy learning about the solution that Mari comes up with and how she is able to encourage the others to trade with her.