School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1--Maria's mom loves everything to match, but Maria longs to mix things up. The living room is a study in chintz. The bathroom is coated with sunflowers, even down to the kitschy toilet paper. Worst of all, Maria matches. On her way to school, her rainbow-themed barrettes match her dress, lunch box, and backpack. Heading to the pool, her whale-themed flippers match her arm floats. Her fluffy white dog even wears coordinating bandannas and bows! Maria finally hits her breaking point and stages a protest (including a manifesto). Seeking to convince her mom that clothes don't always need to match, Maria creates a wonderful collage showcasing the brilliant variety of styles, silhouettes, colors, and textures found in apparel. Putting on a fashion show featuring everything from a feathered-hat to a vintage crocheted cape, Maria soon has her mother abandoning themes and embracing unexpected combinations. Maria has a big, funny personality that pops off the page. The illustrations cleverly integrate textile patterns into line drawings, adding lovely texture and depth. The text avoids tropes indicating that interest in fashion is somehow girly or frivolous, instead celebrating fashion, fabrics, and patterns as wonderfully creative and visionary. VERDICT Young fashion-lovers will love this jaunty quest for sartorial independence.--Alyssa Annico, Youngstown State University, OH
Kirkus Review
Maria's clothes always match the occasion as well as her accessories, but she's about to "lose [her] matchy-matchy mind."The book's beautiful, flowery cover foreshadows the world Maria lives in. In the living room Maria's outfit blends in with the print of the comfy chair she's sitting in. At school her laces, lunchbox, backpack, and even the barrettes holding back her black hair match. One comical two-page spread shows Maria's flowery yellow underwear matching her dress. Maria's problem here, though, is not the outfits: It's her mom. "My mom picks out all of my clothes. She makes everyoneand everything match." Maria longs to mix it up, and in her fight for the right to self-expression, she rebels, conceals, debates, and marches. Finally, Mom concedes, even wearing her own unmatchy outfit: "Polka dots and petunias!" By the end of the book, Maria exults that "this is me. Marvelous, unmatching, mix-it-up me!" McGill's humorous illustrations mix patterns, textiles, and collage to great effect. Readers might want to pair this book with Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match/Marisol McDonald no combina, by Monica Brown and illustrated by Sara Palacios (2011), for a look at another child who rejoices in her individuality. Maria and her mother have black hair and olive skin; her school friends have a variety of skin and hair colors.As Maria shows, some things are worth fighting for. (Picture book. 5-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Whether clad in coordinating colors, patterns, or themes, Maria always matches--from head to toe, at home and at school--in outfits chosen by her mom, whose penchant for matching extends to her home décor and even the dog's ensembles. Maria, though, thinks she should be able to put together her own outfits, like her friends do, since, as she says, she's "about to lose my matchy-matchy mind." But convincing Mom isn't easy, even after Maria stages a protest in the yard, complete with signs ("Say no to sweater sets") and her own pro-mixing manifesto. However, Maria persists, showing her mom her inspiration boards and then, in a charming, exuberant montage, modeling various clothing combos, from "Feathers and fringe" to "Leopard and lace," with ultimately surprising, fun results all around. Maria's lively account gets delightful accompaniment from the vibrant illustrations, which incorporate cartoonish, detailed, mixed-media elements, in animated layouts with droll touches throughout. With sympathetic and festive flair, Maria and her experiences engagingly highlight a topic sure to resonate with kids--having a voice and choice about clothes--while celebrating the joys of creative self-expression.
