Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match Marisol McDonald No Combina by Monica Brown

1. Bibliography:

Brown, Monica. Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match Marisol McDonald No Combina. Ill Sara Palacios. Children’s Press Book. New York: 2011. ISBN: 978089292353

2. Plot Summary:

Marisol loves to miss match in what she wears, eats, paints, writes, and play. The people around her continually tell her she does not match. One day she decides to match and fit in like everyone else. At the end she finds what is best for her. 

3. Characters:

This story is told in the first-person point of view Marisol. Marisol has a unique way of expressing herself with the way she mixes different things in her life. With this view point it displays the positive sentiment feeling towards life, and creates a feeling that some children can relate to being themselves.

Mrs. Apple is a minor character that becomes a dynamic character in the story. She positively changes Marisol’s by a simple gesture of writing a note.

4. Setting:

This setting is in a general area of a home and a school. The culture diversity of Peruvian and Scottish are supported with the dissimilar physical features of her brown skin with her carrot colored hair, and her freckles. Other ways this is expressed is in what she wears, and how she eats a peanut butter and jelly burritos. This mix of cultural food is a nice way to blend both and be recognized.

5. Illustrations:

The bright, bold colors eccentric patterns clash with other patterns. This symbolizes Marisol’s feelings in expressing herself. Other key features are the mix of water colors and drawings put together to have another form of expression. One very notable illustration is the use of Spanish newspaper print used as a pattern in the teacher’s skirt, and buildings found throughout the illustrations. This really symbolizes the mix diversity of not only her, but the other minor characters found in the story. The illustrator created a wonderful mix culture set in the school with not only Marisol as a diverse, but her teacher and other student as well.

6. Theme:

The theme to this story is it is okay to be who you are. The author does a beautiful job in supporting this theme at the turning point in the middle when the teacher gives her a note that says, “I want you to know that I like you just the way you are…”This is validation that it is perfectly fine to be who you are and express who you are in different ways.

7. Cultural Marker:

The author does a wonderful job of not putting cultural stereotypes. She blends the cultures and creates acceptance of all differences. Several of the characters are multiethnic and multiracial. The authenticity is a unique way to talk about being from two very different cultures, and it is okay to like and become things from both cultures. The book has evidence that has facts from several cultures not just the main character’s diverse background. The author does not put source notes in the book. The author does provide a reason why she wrote the book, a little biography of herself and the illustrator. This does show evidence that she is qualified to write books on this culture. One of the diverse cultures is similar to Marisol and that they are both Peruvian American. The illustrator is from Mexico and has a degree in Graphic Design illustration. The minority characters are shown as equals. When Marisol begins to become unsure her teacher reinforces her first belief of herself and she is equal. The non-English words are not all correct in this book. Some of the translations are off a little because of the way English accepts the mix matching and Spanish language does only in colors and quantities. This is explained in the back of the book about the translations. Other words may be a regional word. The word “blando” means soft in Spanish, but the English word that was used was “mushy”. Other than the translations, the spelling is correct. This book is independent of the multicultural characteristics. It is supported better with the main character being from diverse cultures.

8. Connections Teacher and Library Corner:

The students will create a poster using different medians. The students focus is creating a new way of looking at two regular activities. This could be brushing your teeth with soap. This activity is made to be silly or serious. Once the poster is complete the students will present their idea and discuss what different medians, they used like Marisol did in the story.

Extra! Extra! Come and get it! Here is an activity lessons from the author.

9. You Tube

There is not an official book trailer, but another TWU student created this book trailer.

Mrs. Brown talks about writing Marisol McDonald.

10. Review Excerpts:

“Marisol McDonald has brown skin, freckles, and hair the color of fire. She pairs polka dots with stripes and eats peanut butter and jelly burritos. She's a Peruvian-Scottish-American who is perfect just the way she is. Why not have a game of soccer-playing pirates or mix cursive with print? That makes sense to Marisol. But others seem to see things differently. When another student issues a matching challenge to Marisol, she has to decide if she will conform simply to show that she can. In this lively bilingual book, Marisol is brought to life in both English and Spanish through Brown's dynamic prose, Palacios's vibrant illustrations, and Dominguez's outstanding translation. This fun book allows readers to meet a wonderful character. Children get a glimpse of what it means to grow up in a biracial family and have other people trying to define what is "normal." The story encourages readers to embrace their uniqueness and be exactly who they are.” School Library Journal

“A little girl celebrates her multiracial background and pride in her individuality through a creative and non-conformist attitude. Marisol McDonald loves her fire-red hair and her brown, freckled skin, feels artistic pleasure in pairing polka-dotted shirts with striped pants and enjoys eating PB&J burritos. Misunderstood by her peers, she is continually teased for not ever matching until one day, confidence diminished, Marisol decides to conform and arrives at school in the same-colored clothes, chooses pirates over soccer rather than playing both simultaneously and eats a peanut butter/jelly sandwich on mushy bread. Bored and unhappy, Marisol is delighted when her teacher gives her a note that boosts her self-esteem with this very positive message: "the Marisol McDonald that I know is a creative, unique, bilingual, Peruvian-Scottish-American, soccer-playing artist and simply marvelous!" Double-page illustrations in assorted media match Marisol's eclectic style and include everything from childlike crayon-and-pencil drawings to more sophisticated cartoon art that combines paint and newsprint collage. The bilingual, first-person story works well in both English and Spanish despite, as explained in an editor's note, the difficulty of finding the most appropriate Spanish term for the title's English phrase. Marisol's varied, distinctive lifestyle and multiracial family affirms our increasingly blended society and clearly celebrates independent thinking. Brava!” Kirkus Reviews  

“A mestiza Peruvian American of European, Jewish, and Amerindian heritage, renowned author Monica Brown wrote this lively story to bring her own experience of being mismatched to life. Her buoyant prose is perfectly matched by Sara Palacios' engaging acrylic illustrations” Good Reads

11. Children’s Review:

Something different here is a video of a young girl giving a review about this book.  

12. Awards and Recognitions:

2012 International Latino Book Award

2012 Pura Belpré Honor

2012 ALSC Notable Book

2011 Junior Library Guild Selection

13. Book Suggestions by Monica Brown

If you enjoy Marisol McDonald great news, she is a series!

Marisol McDonald and the Monster/ Marisol McDonald y El Monstruo ISBN: 978089239326

Sarai and the Around the World Fair ISBN: 9781338260953

Lola Levine Is Not Mean! ISBN: 9781338300093

Other books:

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson ISBN: 9780399246531

All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold ISBN: 978-0525579649

14. Official Website:

Check out her official and colorful website and other wonderful work she has created.

Do you Facebook? Follow and like her on Facebook.

15. Rating:

I give this book 5 stars. This book is a wonderful book to let young children know that it is wonderful to be you. The author explains in simple terms that any age can relate to.