Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey

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.

Critical Praise

“Erin Entrada Kelly is supremely perceptive, as always, and Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey is utterly endearing! Anyone who has ever felt shy or shaky will find a soul mate and an inspiration in Marisol.” — Annie Barrows, New York Times–bestselling author of the Ivy + Bean books

“Hilarious and heart-melting—Marisol charmed me! More, please.” — Sara Pennypacker, New York Times-bestselling author of Pax

“From the author of the Newbery Award–winning Hello, Universe, this perceptive story focuses on Marisol, an imaginative Filipina American girl . . . The first volume in the Maybe Marisol series is an immediately engaging and ultimately rewarding choice for readers moving up to chapter books.” — Booklist (starred review)

“Marisol is a young Filipina living in Louisiana, while also residing in her own little world. She notices things that most people would overlook . . . Endearing, relatable Marisol is also plagued by anxieties of all sorts. This story contains adorable yet thought-provoking conversations . . . A great read for upper elementary children. With occasional, whimsical illustrations, it will keep even the most reluctant readers entertained.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

“Kelly reaches out to a younger audience in an approachable chapter book about thoughtful worrier Marisol. . . . She can’t imagine what it feels like to give a book report without quaking, or to visit her extended family in the Philippines—much less what it would feel like to be brave enough to climb the tree. . . . The story’s tension is built from the skillful accumulation of small moments and the strong character development. Frequent delightfully quirky line drawings by the author add humor and personality.” — Horn Book (starred review)

“A book of truths, witty insights and metaphors, and — for the first time — Kelly’s own illustrations, which are lightheartedly poignant.” — New York Times

“A sweet story of a girl trying to overcome her fears and anxieties. Marisol’s story also touches on friendship, bullies, siblings, having a parent who lives away from home, and having a parent from another country. . . . There’s no maybe about it; readers will enjoy this charming story.” — Kirkus Reviews

“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 . . . 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.” — Publishers Weekly

“Marisol worries about a lot of things, and she also worries that she worries so much . . . Kelly offers a compassionate portrait of an anxious kid, and Marisol’s inner dialogue—and particularly her inner criticism—will likely ring true for any kid who’s been accused of being too sensitive.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“A delightful, relatable story about friendship and courage . . . Anyone who has ever had trouble feeling brave will be empowered by Marisol.” — NBC News

Product Details

ISBN: 9780062970428
ISBN 10: 0062970429
Imprint: Greenwillow Books
On Sale: 05/04/2021
Pages: 160
List Price:23.99 CAD
Ages: 8 to 12
BISAC1 : JUVENILE FICTION / Social Themes / Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
BISAC2 : JUVENILE FICTION / People & Places / United States / Asian American
BISAC3 : JUVENILE FICTION / Social Themes / Friendship
BISAC4 : JUVENILE FICTION / Humorous Stories

Erin Entrada Kelly

Biography

Erin Entrada Kelly was awarded the Newbery Medal for Hello, Universe and a Newbery Honor for We Dream of Space. She grew up in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and now lives in Delaware. She is a professor of children’s literature in the graduate fiction and publishing programs at Rosemont College, where she earned her MFA, and is on the faculty at Hamline University. Her short fiction has been nominated for the Philippines Free Press Literary Award for Short Fiction and the Pushcart Prize. Before becoming a children’s author, Erin worked as a journalist and magazine editor and received numerous awards for community service journalism, feature writing, and editing from the Louisiana Press Association and the Associated Press.

Erin Entrada Kelly’s debut novel, Blackbird Fly, was a Kirkus Best Book, a School Library Journal Best Book, an ALSC Notable Book, and an Asian/Pacific American Literature Honor Book. She is also the author of The Land of Forgotten Girls, winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature; You Go First, a Spring 2018 Indie Next Pick; Lalani of the Distant Sea, an Indie Next Pick; Those Kids from Fawn Creek, named to numerous best-of-the-year lists; and three acclaimed novels for younger readers, Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey, Surely Surely Marisol Rainey, and Only Only Marisol Rainey, which she also illustrated. She lives in Delaware.