Marbles and Mangoes. Mapu Moe Mango

This is the first book in a series in written in both English and Tongan about growing up in Tonga in the nineteen fifties and sixties. It's about village children playing marbles including with the hard shell fruit nuts used traditionally as well as the glass and ceramic marbles introduced by Europeans. The rules of each type of game are included as well as what happens when someone decides to break into a game and run off with everyone else's marbles. Each story is told in English and Tongan to assist readers to develop their skills in both languages. Tapani Mangisi has written it especially for those Tongans living overseas who are keen to strengthen their cultural ties and to preserve the Tongan language. He hopes to encourage other Tongans to share their stories about growing up in Tonga with the younger people in their families and their community.