Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match (2011)

 Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match by Monica Brown is about a child facing cultural expectations of sameness. The insightful title captures one crucial quality of the main character—Marisol is multiracial. She has brown skin and fiery red hair. She also chooses green polka dots and purple stripes in the same outfit. She loves peanut butter and jelly burritos and cursive beside print. She’s “a creative, unique, bilingual, Peruvian-Scottish-American, soccer-playing artist and simply marvelous!”

 On the first page, we learn an essential message: people tell Marisol she doesn’t match. Family, friends, and a classroom teacher disparage her difference. Later, Ms. Apple may recognize her own blind spot when she validates Marisol’s multiracial heritage and creative choices. 

 Sara Palacious’ mixed media illustrations have a playful quality for the young reader. The story is in English and Spanish with vocabulary that’s not challenging. Maybe this book will help children see the conformity they learn at a young age.

This book is read aloud online in English by The Reel Read Kidz Corner. It’s read aloud in Spanish by Harmony At Home.

 My Picture Book Talk lesson for this story is here.