Dear readers,
Welcome to another edition of TGIFTF, but the book I have chosen to share doesn’t fall into the 398.2 category. Today’s book, Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match/Marisol McDonald no combina by Monica Brown, illustrations by Sara Palacios, is shelved in the everybody/easy/picture book section of the library.
Meet Marisol.
She doesn’t match. Or at least that’s what everyone tells her.
Her brown skin doesn’t match her carrot top.
Her pants don’t match her shirt. Her pattern mixing is over the edge.
Even her language – Spanglish – is a mix-match of Spanish and English.
She even eats her pb and j on a tortilla.
But Marisol doesn’t care.
She is confident in that brown skin of hers.
Until the rest of the world voices their collective opinions of her personal style so loudly that Marisol can’t help but hear them.
Their message?
Marisol couldn’t match if she wanted to.
The next day she decides to show them she can.
But nothing seems as fun,as ‘Marisol’ when everything matches.
Not recess, not lunch, not art class.
What’s a girl to do?
Follow her heart or get in sync with the rest of her world.
In the end it’s the love of an insightful teacher and a mismatched puppy save the day.
I don’t want to spoil the ending by giving away too much here but this story will resonate with my precious Panamanian-American, green-eyed, brown-skinned daughters and so many of my sweet students.
Monica Brown’s writes Marisol’s story in English and Spanish with a few Spanish words sprinkled into the English for good measure. The illustrations by Sara Palacios are as spirited and fun-loving as Marisol herself. Brown shares her reason for writing this story at the back of the book.
And even thought this story isn’t a fairy tale exactly, there is a good message to be shared as in all good folktales.
Marisol McDonald is written on a 2.8 (second grade, eighth month) reading level and is a title for which there is a quiz on the Accelerated Reader program. You can meet the author, discover some of her other books and find resources for her wonderful books on her webpage at http://www.monicabrown.net/. Learn more about illustrator Sara Palacios on her webpage at http://www.sarapalaciosillustrations.com/.
So, now for my reveal.
Yesterday I linked-up with The Blended Blog contributors for our seventh post in our “Style Perspectives” series. I shared two possible outfits for our prompt: cardi, tee, jeans, and statement necklace. Check them out here.
I asked you guys, my readers, to decide which outfit I should wear today on my flight to Ft. Worth to see Brennyn and Cady. The votes have been tallied and the winning look is:
(Adding this at 6:23, after this post went live at 5:00 – that rhymes)
Missed my plane.
Sitting on the floor of the El Paso airport, hoping to get on the next flight to Ft. Worth. PC got my suitcase upstairs and put it in the trunk and I thought he had gotten my suitcase downstairs, too. Trouble is, he didn’t know there was a suitcase downstairs. We didn’t realize until he unloaded the one suitcase from the trunk.
My PC drove all the way home to grab my suitcase and try to get it back to me in time but we were about five minutes too late.
Hope to get out on the next flight now.
All that and I look like a bag lady, no, Marisol McDonald, too.
If you would like a copy of Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match/Marisol McDonald no combina, click here
OR
enter my giveaway for a chance at winning a copy.
Click below.
Thank you to Monica Brown and Sara Palacios for creating Marisol.
She feels like one of my own students!
Hugs and kisses,
Carrie @ Curly Crafty Mom
Oh no!!! What a bummer to miss a flight! We almost did that for a VERY early Disney flight once. No fun!!! It sounds like PC tried his hardest to get the suitcase, tho! And, I love pattern mixing! I usually keep it pretty subtle, tho… but, I have done some crazier mixing before! 🙂
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
sara palacios
Hi Leslie,
Thank you for your wonderful review. I absolutely love your mismatched outfit , and Marisol loves it too!
Big hug to you!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you, Sara, for stopping by. I have seen, but not yet read, the second Marisol story and need to get the third book on my to-read list. Appreciate the spirited illustrations you have created to breathe life into Marisol. So glad my outfit was Marisol-approved and loved. She is one snappy fashionista. Big hugs right back to you.
Whitney @ Whitney a la mode
What a super cute story! And I’m still loving the colors in your outfit! Happy Friday!
Andrea@WellnessNotes
Sorry you missed your flight! Hope you made it to Ft. Worth okay!
I really like the brighter top! (I think I didn’t really vote but said I liked both, but it depended on my mood…)
The book sounds wonderful!
Have a fabulous weekend!!!
dan
Hi! I am new here …
What a sweet subject for post! The story is very cute and the illustrations are deligtful!
Have a wonderful weekend
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you! Really glad to have you stop by. I love children’s books and find so many life-lessons and truths in the simple 32 pages of a picture book. Please come back again!
Jill
I hope that you were able to get on the next flight and made it safely to Ft Worth! Marisol McDonald is such a cute story! Your outfit is definitely a winning look! Love the color combo and pattern mix!
Jill
Doused In Pink