For fifth-grader Moyna, life is full: school, friends and parents who think the world of her. Her backyard just happens to be a vast mangrove delta, where herons stand as still as secrets, kingfishers flash like sparks over the water and where she has fallen asleep to stories of Bonbibi, the guardian of the forest. Out in the deep jungle, tigers still prowl.

But when her father is suddenly gone, Moyna s world begins to shift. Held gently by friends, neighbours and family, she learns that she doesn t have to face it alone-and that laughter can return, little by little.

Down by the Mangroves is a tender story about loving your world, watching it change and discovering that sorrow and joy can share the same space.