Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
“Utterly endearing!” —Annie Barrows, New York Times-bestselling author of the Ivy + Bean books
“Hilarious and heart-melting.” —Sara Pennypacker, New York Times–bestselling author of Pax
Introducing eight-year-old Marisol Rainey—an irresistible new character from Newbery Medal winning and New York Times–bestselling Erin Entrada Kelly!
Maybe, Maybe Marisol Rainey is an illustrated novel about summer, friendship, and overcoming fears, told with warm humor and undeniable appeal. Fans of Clementine, The Year of Billy Miller, and Ramona the Pest will be thrilled to meet Marisol.
Marisol Rainey’s mother was born in the Philippines. Marisol’s father works and lives part-time on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. And Marisol, who has a big imagination and likes to name inanimate objects, has a tree in her backyard she calls Peppina . . . but she’s way too scared to climb it. This all makes Marisol the only girl in her small Louisiana town with a mother who was born elsewhere and a father who lives elsewhere (most of the time)—the only girl who’s fearful of adventure and fun.
Will Marisol be able to salvage her summer and have fun with Jada, her best friend? Maybe. Will Marisol figure out how to get annoying Evie Smythe to leave her alone? Maybe. Will Marisol ever get to spend enough real time with her father? Maybe. Will Marisol find the courage to climb Peppina? Maybe.
Told in short chapters with illustrations by the author on nearly every page, Maybe, Maybe Marisol Rainey is a must-have for early elementary grade readers. Erin Entrada Kelly celebrates the small but mighty Marisol, the joys of friendship, and the triumph of overcoming your fears in this stunning new novel for readers of Kevin Henkes, Meg Medina, Andrew Clements, Sara Pennypacker, and Kate DiCamillo.
Features black-and-white artwork throughout by Erin Entrada Kelly.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Marisol Rainey, an anxious eight-year-old who calms herself by watching silent films, lives in Louisiana with her teacher mother, who is Filipino; her white father, who works on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico; and her 12-year-old brother, Oz, a video game fanatic. As she does for most inanimate objects, Marisol has given the perfect climbing tree in their new home's backyard a name: Peppina. Though her best friend, Jada, who has dark skin and curly hair, makes climbing the large magnolia look easy, Marisol grows frustrated by the fear that keeps Marisol from mounting Peppina's branches. Infusing her protagonist with a number of endearing quirks—naming household objects and "rescuing" stuffed animals from a local claw machine—Newbery Medalist Kelly once again shows a knack for capturing a childlike perspective as Marisol navigates her feelings: avoiding a school bully and navigating her identity, finding the courage to ride her bike past a frightening dog, and debating whether to admit her fears to Jada. There is no calamitous "do-or-die" moment that forces Marisol to confront her fear; instead, Kelly lets Marisol ease her way through it, in the process offering a clear message about doing things in one's own time. Final art, by the author, not seen by PW. Ages 8–12.
