A Mango Shaped Space

A Mango Shaped Space, by Wendy Mass is an interesting (and sad) book about a young girl with a condition called "synesthesia" in which sounds, objects and words have colour.  Because she faces ridicule at school, Mia, the protagonist, hides her condition for as long as she can.  She eventually has to admit it, though, and as a result of a diagnosis from a specialist, meets a boy with the same condition.  There is a crush and obsession and forgetfulness that often accompany a first crush.  During this period of extreme distraction, Mia forgets to bring her beloved cat, Mango, in from the cold one night and, spoiler alert, the cat dies.

This is a book about being different, coming of age, acceptance, loss and love.  It is a multiple award winner and well worth reading at any age although it is recommended for grades 5 - 8.