ALA Booklist (Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2016)

The author of I Love Cake! Starring Rabbit, Porcupine, and Moose (2016) here reworks Sarah Josepha Hale's rhyme about a girl and her lamb in order to spin a tale of fashion and accessories. "Mary had a little glam / that grew into a LOT. / And everywhere that Mary went, / she wasn't hard to spot." Mary stylish African American girl rives at school dressed to the nines and soon begins embellishing the garb of her drab classmates using boas, beads, and glitter glue. All goes well until recess, when the decked-out kids discover how difficult it is to play in fancy duds. Luckily, Mary also knows a thing or two about deaccessorizing, especially in the service of fun. Brantley-Newton's exuberant digital illustrations capture both Mary's flair and her joie de vivre as she twirls through this story in complete control of her world. Mary's enthusiasm is catching among her multiethnic classmates, who have a ball in both their sparkles and mud splatters on the playground. An inventive and fun read-aloud for groups or one-on-one.

Horn Book

Brown-skinned Mary is an ultra-fashionable girl who commands the spotlight wherever she goes because of her glamorous accessories. She makes-over her fellow Mother Goose Elementary students, but will recess wreck the outfits? The revamped nursery-rhyme characters are diversely portrayed in Brantley-Newton's collaged digital illustrations for this zippy rhyming story with a lesson for young fashionistas: "sometimes less is more!"

School Library Journal (Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2016)

PreS-Gr 2 Move over, Fancy Nancythere's a new glamour queen in town! Mary's number one goal for her new year at school is to look absolutely fabulous. Covered in accessories, including her bedroom curtain, Mary struts down the block, attracting the attention of townsfolk and resident pooches. Arriving at Mother Goose Elementary, Mary is shocked to see her teacher and classmates dressed in bland clothing from eras long past. Swooping in to save the day, she offers fashion suggestions to all of the students and teachers. Even Clark, the classroom pet snake, gets accessorized with a monocle and top hat. The newly fashion-forward educators and kids incorporate style into school traditions such as storytime, art class, and music class. However, when recess arrives, the students are in a panic. Looking to Mary, they exclaim, "We're clearly dressed all wrong for this!" Mary thinks fast, tosses her silk-lined cape, and jumps right into play, with her classmates following quickly behind. Brantley-Newton's bright and busy illustrations full of racially diverse children and adults appeal to the eye without distracting from the text, while Sauer's quick and witty rhyme will keep children engaged and on their toes. VERDICT This fun and lively read-aloud with an African American protagonist is suitable for any children's collection. Marian Mays, Washington Talking Book &; Braille Library