Marisol McDonald and the monster /

Fans of the Marisol McDonald series will welcome their imaginative friend in this latest addition. While studying the letter m, Marisol realizes that she knows very little about monsters just that they are scary. When something goes bump in the night, Marisol is convinced a monster is to blame, in spite of her parents' reassurances that monsters don't exist. She takes matters into her own hands and makes a nice monster doll to live under her bed, instead of a scary one, because who better than Marisol McDonald to turn convention on its head? The nighttime bumps continue, and the family has a mystery to solve. This lively bilingual story is, in true Monica Brown style, both universal and culturally specific, highlighting an interracial, bicultural family and a common childhood fear. Palacios' cheerful illustrations in crisp colors are deceptively simple and wonderfully detailed, helping kids see that things hiding in the dark don't have to be so scary after all.--Chaudhri, Amina Copyright 2016 Booklist

In her third bilingual picture book, Marisol McDonald, who is of Scottish and Peruvian descent, highlights her love of words that begin with the letter m, except for one: monsters. After a couple nights of less-than-great sleep, Marisol takes control of her fear by making a friendly three-legged sock monster. Beyond the full Spanish translation of the story, Brown integrates occasional Spanish words into the English recounting in a way that feels natural to Marisol's daily experience ("If monsters were real, would they have mamis?" she asks her Mami). Her anxieties about the unknown are relatable, and Palacios's cozy mixed-media images never let things get too scary for readers with their own insecurities regarding los monstruos. Ages 5-8. Author's agent: Stefanie Von Borstel, Full Circle Literary. Illustrator's agent: Kendra Marcus, Bookstop Literary. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

PreS-Gr 2-Marisol McDonald is back and is as magical, mismatched, and marvelous as ever. Marisol loves Monday mornings, her favorite maestra, milk, mangoes, and lots of other things that begin with the letter m. According to her brother, Marisol is too old to be afraid of monsters, but that doesn't stop her from imagining the spookiest monster she can dream up. In an effort to take control of her anxiety, the ever-creative Marisol decides to make her own friendly, one-of-a-kind sock puppet monster, Melody, so that the idea of a monster doesn't seem as scary. But when she begins hearing loud bumps in the night, she convinces herself that her worst fear is becoming a reality: that there's a hairy, mean, sharp-tooth monster living under her bed! With the help of her loving and supportive family, Marisol faces her fears and finally solves the mystery. As with Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match and Marisol McDonald and the Clash Bash, the high-quality bilingual text is slightly mismatched, but the inclusion of two glossaries will ensure comprehension in both Spanish and English, making the tale an ideal choice for one-on-one reading. Whimsical and thoughtfully bicultural mixed-media illustrations lend themselves to the relatable nature of the story. Young readers will be inspired to talk about their fears and face them head-on with confidence and creativity. VERDICT A must-have for all collections.-Natalie Braham, Denver Public Library © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

When Marisol McDonald hears a bump in the night, her imagination goes wild, making her certain there must be a monster beneath her bed. As Marisol explores her fright, she is surrounded by a loving and supportive family. Her parents both reassure her she is safe and provide her the necessary independence to face her fear. After several sleepless nights, Marisol applies her signature pluck to the monster situation, finding a creative way to confront her anxiety head on. Palacios' mixed-media illustrations temper Marisol's jitters with whimsy, keeping the imagery on the light side of scary. One drawback to the text is that the effort to emphasize various words that begin with the letter "m" in both English and Spanish strays into didacticism, though the "m" words selected do display great care both from Brown and translator Dominguez, which lovers of words will appreciate. Marisol's mixed Peruvian and Scottish-American heritage is, as always, a vibrant part of who she is, but cultural identity is not the focus of this work. Marisol is a confident, bicultural girl who brings all parts of herself to the table to overcome a very common worry faced by children the world over. Marvelously mismatched Marisol McDonald brings her unique perspective to the exploration of the universal topic of fear. (author's note, bilingual glossary) (Picture book. 5-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.