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Maybe Marisol #1
Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey
Introducing eight-year-old Marisol Rainey!
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.
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.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published May 4, 2021
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November 5, 2020Hi, friends. Meet Marisol. She is sweet, kind-hearted, quiet, and sensitive. She's afraid of many things, like climbing trees or speaking in front of the class. She loves playing the Claw machine. She loves her stuffed animals. She loves her best friend, Jada. She loves cats, silent films, nachos, lumpia, and banana splits.
Marisol is basically me, when I was a little girl in Lake Charles, La.
She's happy to meet you, even if she's too quiet to say so.
Marisol is basically me, when I was a little girl in Lake Charles, La.
She's happy to meet you, even if she's too quiet to say so.
August 9, 2022
Welcome to the chapter book crowd, Marisol. Early readers are going to love meeting you. Some of them are also afraid to climb a tree like Peppina. I'll bet many of them also have a cat like Jelly Bean and maybe even several stuffed cats named after their favorite foods. Jada is so good at being your best friend and she has already figured out how to climb Peppina. Maybe maybe you will soon be able to join her. Don't worry, Marisol. There is plenty of time to climb that tree when you are bigger. For now, just keep on honoring the things around you with names of their own, get better at spying on Oz, and take good care of your mom while your dad is working on the oil tanker. I hope to see you in another book soon.
There's a new Marisol episode out today: Surely Surely Marisol Rainey. Check it out!
There's a new Marisol episode out today: Surely Surely Marisol Rainey. Check it out!
August 14, 2023
"Up there, like spies, seeing the world from way up high."
"Every time I went up, I felt like I was in a different world.”
It so turned out all the rain yesterday was a good thing to happen, because this amazing little story feels exceptional!
When the sun had gone in behind the clouds and the sheets of rain drove me home I found myself starting a new book - although, I already am in the middle of the other three. There were a newly acquired books lying on a table and this title with Marisol's last name to be Rainey caught my eye. Was the rain responsible I've chosen to be read this particular book? Maybe. :)
I loved the idea of giving a name to a tree. I have one, actually, a 15 year old Mulberry I named Higgayon. (the name came from a novel Many Waters by Madeleine L'Engle). It's a special tree, therefore it felt right to give him a name.
Mulberry was our childhood tree, we loved to play up there, some branches were tangled in such a way that we could to perfectly perch without having our parents to worry about that we might slip off the tree. I believe, it was our favourite among the trees that used to surround our place back then and I like to think that it was an ancestor tree of the one that is living in a home garden now :)
Oh yes! That ending! Hugs to Marisol and her best friend Jada! 💗
"That’s the thing about best friends. They don’t care about all the things you can’t do and you can tell the whole truth, if you want to."
"It’s 7:00 p.m., and Marisol, Oz, and Mrs. Rainey are all gathered around Dadhead."
"Refrigerators don’t usually have names like Buster, just as trees don’t normally have names like Peppina. But Marisol believes that all things—all important things, anyway—should have their own names. She wouldn’t want to be called “human” or “girl,” after all. Why should it be any different for refrigerators and trees?"
"Marisol also wonders if birds have their own names."
"Marisol loves taking trips with Ginny, even when it’s blazing hot outside. She likes the way the wind whips through her hair and blows it all around, and she’s proud of how fast she can go. She likes the way the wind feels against her skin."
Art by Erin Entrada Kelly
May 14, 2021
When I think of Erin Entrada Kelly's stories, I think of honesty. Here, for a slightly younger audience, she is honest about fears, about friendship, about jealousy, about family, and in the introduction, about herself.
Marisol's take on the on the world is fresh and creative and any reader will care about her, laugh with her, and understand that she, like them, has things they're afraid of that are actually friendly in the end, when ready to maybe maybe take them on.
"That's the thing about best friends. They don't care about all the things you can't do." p.15
"She wonders what it's like to be brave." p.44
"This sounds like a perfectly nice thing to say, but Marisol knows better, because she knows Evie Smythe. The words that come out of Evie Smythe's mouth are like darts." p. 73
"'Family can mean different things to different people,' Mrs. Ruby explained. 'And families can be very different from one another.'" p73
Marisol's take on the on the world is fresh and creative and any reader will care about her, laugh with her, and understand that she, like them, has things they're afraid of that are actually friendly in the end, when ready to maybe maybe take them on.
"That's the thing about best friends. They don't care about all the things you can't do." p.15
"She wonders what it's like to be brave." p.44
"This sounds like a perfectly nice thing to say, but Marisol knows better, because she knows Evie Smythe. The words that come out of Evie Smythe's mouth are like darts." p. 73
"'Family can mean different things to different people,' Mrs. Ruby explained. 'And families can be very different from one another.'" p73
July 9, 2021
Wow! One of the best glimpses into the mind and heart of a sensitive, anxious youngster that I have ever read. What I love here is that there is never anything "wrong" with Marisol. There are hints that some people feel she is "too sensitive" (her dad getting frustrated when she cries after he squishes a bug in the house, for example) but for the most part she is accepted for who she is and she accepts herself. Her sensitivity is not seen as a flaw. The catalyst for change comes not from without but from within. Marisol realizes one day that she is tired of being afraid of climbing trees, tired of missing out on what her friend experiences -- she wants to climb the tree so she has to find the courage to do so. Highly recommended especially for anyone who has been told they are "too sensitive" and I encourage parents and educators with "Marisols" in their life to read The Highly Sensitive Child: Helping Our Children Thrive When the World Overwhelms Them.
February 27, 2021
Won’t lie, I LOVED this middle grade book. It’s about a girl dealing with her fears and anxiety, it’s about how she relates to her friends and family and how in the end she conquers her fears. Very relatable and genuine. You’ll definitely be rooting for Marisol!
Got this ARC as part of a Goodreads giveaway.
Got this ARC as part of a Goodreads giveaway.
July 25, 2023
" و تساءلت كيف يشعر المرء إن كان شجاعًا."
كعادة أدب الناشئين يجعلني أقع في حب القراء مرارًا و تكرارًا هذا الكتاب ليس لطيفًا و دافئًا فحسب، بل ملئ بالمعلومات القيمة.
هل تعلم ما هي لغة الفلبين؟
أو كيف تم قتل سقراط؟
أو كم ارتفاع برج إيفل؟
حسنًا هل كنت تعرف أن قائد قطيع الفيلة عادة ما تكون أنثى و الكثير الكثير من المعلومات التي تكتسبها دون أن تشعر لأن ماريسول و جادا لديهما طريقتهما السحرية حيال كل شئ. كتاب لطيف.♡
كعادة أدب الناشئين يجعلني أقع في حب القراء مرارًا و تكرارًا هذا الكتاب ليس لطيفًا و دافئًا فحسب، بل ملئ بالمعلومات القيمة.
هل تعلم ما هي لغة الفلبين؟
أو كيف تم قتل سقراط؟
أو كم ارتفاع برج إيفل؟
حسنًا هل كنت تعرف أن قائد قطيع الفيلة عادة ما تكون أنثى و الكثير الكثير من المعلومات التي تكتسبها دون أن تشعر لأن ماريسول و جادا لديهما طريقتهما السحرية حيال كل شئ. كتاب لطيف.♡
May 5, 2021
What a charming, endearing character Marisol is! I adored this story. Marisol Rainey's mother was born in the Philippines. Marisol's father works & lives part-time on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. & Marisol, who has a big imagination & 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 w/a mother who was born elsewhere & a father who lives elsewhere (most of the time)--the only girl who's fearful of adventure & fun. You read her story, learn whether she will be able to salvage her summer w/her best friend Jada & have fun, if she can get annoying Evie Smythe(ohhhh I don’t like her!)to leave her alone, if she’ll ever get to spend enough real time w/her dad, & if she will ever find the courage to climb Peppina..maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe! Lol Early readers will love this story. Many will also find a very relatable character in Marisol..any kid who feels shy, awkward, or different in some way. I even related to her when she speaks about how she can be not moving at all, meanwhile her brain is going high speed w/it’s thoughts. I loved the names she gives everything-including the fridge & the couch! She worries herself sick about being too scared to climb Peppina when everyone else does it no problem. Had me rooting for her the whole way. Absolutely beautiful illustrations throughout the book-all done by the author! I even learned a few things in here as well-about silent films, some actors, crocodiles, & more! I had a great time w/Marisol on her journey battling w/her fears & anxiety, & I can’t wait to see more books w/her in the future! Thank you so much Harper Collins for sending me this to review! Highly recommend for early readers out there especially!💜
April 18, 2024
كتاب لطيف للغاية وخفيف الظل، ولا يخلو من المعلومات المدهشة المنثورة بذكاء داخل الصفحات.
عن المخاوف التي نحمل همها ونخشى مواجهتها فنتغص علينا حياتنا..
عن أشخاص في حياتنا نود أن يختفوا منها، وآخرون نتمنى لو ظلوا معنا طوال العمر.
عن الصداقة ومعانيها الحقيقية.
الكتاب من إصدارات عصير الكتب، طباعة ممتازة وخط مناسب للصغار ورسوم مضحكة.
"لو كان أبي هنا لقال إنك تأكلين كالعصفور.
فقالت السيدة رايني:
هذا لأن والدك لم ير من قبل طائرا يأكل، للطيور شهية جيدة، كان من المنطقي أكثر قول تأكلين مثل تمساح، لأنه يمكن للتماسيح - عندما تضطر - أن تعيش سنة كاملة دون أن تأكل".
عن المخاوف التي نحمل همها ونخشى مواجهتها فنتغص علينا حياتنا..
عن أشخاص في حياتنا نود أن يختفوا منها، وآخرون نتمنى لو ظلوا معنا طوال العمر.
عن الصداقة ومعانيها الحقيقية.
الكتاب من إصدارات عصير الكتب، طباعة ممتازة وخط مناسب للصغار ورسوم مضحكة.
"لو كان أبي هنا لقال إنك تأكلين كالعصفور.
فقالت السيدة رايني:
هذا لأن والدك لم ير من قبل طائرا يأكل، للطيور شهية جيدة، كان من المنطقي أكثر قول تأكلين مثل تمساح، لأنه يمكن للتماسيح - عندما تضطر - أن تعيش سنة كاملة دون أن تأكل".
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August 16, 2022Welcome to the chapter book crowd, Marisol. Early readers are going to love meeting you. Some of them are also afraid to climb a tree like Peppina. I'll bet many of them also have a cat like Jelly Bean and maybe even several stuffed cats named after their favorite foods. Jada is so good at being your best friend and she has already figured out how to climb Peppina. Maybe maybe you will soon be able to join her. Don't worry, Marisol. There is plenty of time to climb that tree when you are bigger. For now, just keep on honoring the things around you with names of their own, get better at spying on Oz, and take good care of your mom while your dad is working on the oil tanker. I hope to see you in another book soon. *Review by Darla from Red Bridge*
June 2, 2021
Disappointing. I've read other books by this author that I've enjoyed much more. It's a random, book about a young girl who is scared to climb a tree and succeeds in the end. The message is good, but the way the story it told is not appealing - random dialogues of the girl's imagination and all the nicknames she gives for things. It think it's meant to be endearing, but I find it just plain annoying. (Reminds me of the writing style of Dory Fantasmagory which was also annoying.) Apparently, this is the first in the series featuring Marisol Rainey. This author has much more talent than exhibited in this book.
June 7, 2021
Marisol Rainey, 8, lives in Getty, Louisiana with her Filipino mom, her brother Oz, 12, and her white American dad who is an electrician and works on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Three days a week, dad checks in with his family on the computer and one week a month he helicopters home to visit. Marisol is in the habit of naming things, for example, the refrigerator is named Buster Keaton, an old timey actor from a silent film Marisol watched. In the backyard is a tall magnolia tree named Peppina, named after another silent film called Poor Little Peppina, starring Mark Pickford. Peppina the tree is perfect for climbing, or at least that's what Oz and Marisol's best friend Jada George say. Marisol wouldn't know though, because she is afraid to climb Peppina. Well, really she is afraid of falling out of her. But maybe, just maybe Marisol will someday find the courage to climb that inviting tree.
Actually, Marisol has a great many fears and worries, and wonders why she is so scared of everything when it seems that no one else is. Luckily, she also has a best friend who never makes fun of her for being scared. Jada doesn't even care that Marisol has never climbed Peppina, although Jada climbs her all the time and dangles her foot from a comfy branch. Marisol is especially dismayed when finds out that her mother had climbed many trees back in the Philippines when she was a girl, the kalachuchi tree being her favorite. Will Marisol ever find the courage to climb Peppina and see the world from that new perspective?
But one day, just before Jada has to go home, she climbs Peppina higher that usual and discover a bird's nest with a feather and a pink ribbon. Marisol wishes she could see the bird's nest, too. Will this be the incentive she needs to gather her courage and climb Peppina?
This is Erin Entrada Kelly's debut chapter book. Not only did she write it, but she also illustrated Marisol's story with black and white spot illustrations throughout, and the result is just delightful. Told in the third person from Marisol's perspective, the chapters are short, with lots of white space between sentences, perfect for older elementary and younger middle grade readers. And I suspect that readers will find Marisol's worries, anxieties, and challenges completely relatable to their own. She also does have a nemesis of sorts, Evie Smythe, a girl who knows just how to put Marisol down and get under her skin to her make her feel bad (and make herself feel superior). But lest you think Marisol is ALL worry and fear, Kelly endows her with a loving family, lots of interests, curiosity, empathy, and she's really good at getting stuffies out of the claw machine.
There is no maybe about it, Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey is a book you won't want your young readers to miss. It is a appealing story exploring age appropriate themes like biracial families, siblings, friendship, courage, and facing fear. You might even want to think about pair it with Lenore Look's Alvin Ho series and Katie and Kevin Tsang's Sam Wu is not afraid of...series.
This book is recommended for readers age 8+
Actually, Marisol has a great many fears and worries, and wonders why she is so scared of everything when it seems that no one else is. Luckily, she also has a best friend who never makes fun of her for being scared. Jada doesn't even care that Marisol has never climbed Peppina, although Jada climbs her all the time and dangles her foot from a comfy branch. Marisol is especially dismayed when finds out that her mother had climbed many trees back in the Philippines when she was a girl, the kalachuchi tree being her favorite. Will Marisol ever find the courage to climb Peppina and see the world from that new perspective?
But one day, just before Jada has to go home, she climbs Peppina higher that usual and discover a bird's nest with a feather and a pink ribbon. Marisol wishes she could see the bird's nest, too. Will this be the incentive she needs to gather her courage and climb Peppina?
This is Erin Entrada Kelly's debut chapter book. Not only did she write it, but she also illustrated Marisol's story with black and white spot illustrations throughout, and the result is just delightful. Told in the third person from Marisol's perspective, the chapters are short, with lots of white space between sentences, perfect for older elementary and younger middle grade readers. And I suspect that readers will find Marisol's worries, anxieties, and challenges completely relatable to their own. She also does have a nemesis of sorts, Evie Smythe, a girl who knows just how to put Marisol down and get under her skin to her make her feel bad (and make herself feel superior). But lest you think Marisol is ALL worry and fear, Kelly endows her with a loving family, lots of interests, curiosity, empathy, and she's really good at getting stuffies out of the claw machine.
There is no maybe about it, Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey is a book you won't want your young readers to miss. It is a appealing story exploring age appropriate themes like biracial families, siblings, friendship, courage, and facing fear. You might even want to think about pair it with Lenore Look's Alvin Ho series and Katie and Kevin Tsang's Sam Wu is not afraid of...series.
This book is recommended for readers age 8+
March 8, 2022
Marisol is a young girl who has a fear of climbing trees and speaking up for herself. Will she be able to overcome one or both of these fears in this story? Thankfully, she has her best friend Jada, her cat Beans and a collection of stuffed animals
May 27, 2021
An easy, gentle story about friendship and overcoming your fears.
May 26, 2023
hilarious and heart-melting. cute illustrations & I can’t wait to read this to my little sister 💛
January 3, 2021
Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey is like when your favorite cool aunt sits next to you on the porch steps and listens to all your goofy childish stories and makes you feel like the most important person in the world at that moment. it is a chapter book, just 160 pages long, but it is so much more than that. Erin Entrada Kelly writes books that tell kids that their fears, their worries, their ideas are valid, and I'm delighted that younger readers will hear this message too. Marisol is a quirky kid with normal kid fears, worries, and moods. She is afraid of many things, but the awesome climbing tree in her backyard looms tall as the embodiment of all the fears she must face. Fears that separate her from her best friend, and that make her feel small. Children will relate to these feelings, as well as Marisol's quirky side - the way she names everything, and how she chooses their names. She is an endearing and funny character, and I hope we get more books about her and the way she tackles the problems that all kids face.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this sweet book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this sweet book.
May 5, 2021
I love middle grade, but it's usually too hard for many of my elementary school ESOL students to access. (Even too much for middle school students to access, if they're still a level 1 or 2.)
MAYBE MAYBE MARISOL RAINEY, though, is the kind of magical chapter book that hits the sweet spot of being written for younger kids without actually feeling childish. (Which is so SO hard to do.) I personally know several third grade girls who would both LOVE this *and* feel super proud for actually being able to read it themselves.
I listened to the audio for free thanks to @librofm , who celebrates teachers every single month (and not just once a year 😎), but I'd highly recommend the print if you have the means of getting it, since the book has tons of cute illustrations I unfortunately missed out on.
Definitely feeling grateful for Erin Entrada Kelly today. More Filipino-American rep in kid books, please! ❤️ (And more amazing middle grade authors writing chapter books too!)
MAYBE MAYBE MARISOL RAINEY, though, is the kind of magical chapter book that hits the sweet spot of being written for younger kids without actually feeling childish. (Which is so SO hard to do.) I personally know several third grade girls who would both LOVE this *and* feel super proud for actually being able to read it themselves.
I listened to the audio for free thanks to @librofm , who celebrates teachers every single month (and not just once a year 😎), but I'd highly recommend the print if you have the means of getting it, since the book has tons of cute illustrations I unfortunately missed out on.
Definitely feeling grateful for Erin Entrada Kelly today. More Filipino-American rep in kid books, please! ❤️ (And more amazing middle grade authors writing chapter books too!)
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May 10, 2021This is a really sweet early chapter book series starter about a young Filipino American girl who is intent on conquering her fear of climbing the tree in her backyard. Perfect for fans of gentle chapter books like Alvin Ho or Jasmine Toguchi, this book is also a wonderful example of a child embracing a growth mindset. Marisol can admit to herself and her best friend when climbing the tree feels like too big a challenge, but she's also determined to one day conquer her fear and she makes small steps towards that throughout the book. I can't wait to read more about Marisol!
June 10, 2021
This charming story about a girl facing her fears is delightfully illustrated by the author!
February 10, 2023
My daughter continues to enjoy this series. It was cute with themes of courage and perseverance. I also really enjoy the positive uplifting friendships in this story.
July 24, 2021
Eight-year-old Marisol Rainey has a proclivity for naming trees, bicycles, and even her stuffed animals. She has a vivid imagination, and she and her best friend Jada George love doing everything together, including learning snippets of other languages and riding their bikes around the neighborhood. But while Jada has no problem climbing Peppina, the large magnolia tree in Marisol's yard, Marisol is afraid of getting hurt while climbing it. Even though it takes several days and weeks before she can summon the courage to do so, prompted by quite a few maybes as she mulls over doing so, and yes, she has to rely on a boost from her friend's encouragement, but eventually Marisol conquers her fears. Many youngsters in elementary grades will be able to relate to her fears and her resolve to conquer them, possibly taking risks of their own after reading this book. While I liked the story and the black-and-white illustrations, I wondered how likely it would be that she'd know much about Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford. Her introduction to them is explained in the story, but it added a quirkiness to her character that didn't really work for me. Other readers aren't likely to have the same concerns, though, and will enjoy this book just as much as the Clementine series or the ubiquitous Judy Moodie.
March 20, 2022
Book is slow, but has a good lesson.
May 10, 2021
Marisol Rainey, half-Filipino daughter to a dad who works on an oil rig, and best friend to a most understanding and supportive gal, Jada, is experiencing some form of anxiety – she frets over many
decisions and the eminently climbable magnolia in her back yard makes her heart pound. Erin Entrada Kelly beckons readers into Marisol's world where they will share her concerns, love her cat, and value Jada's unwavering loyalty. Kelly tackles challenging content such as bullying, uncertainty, and family structure in an honest and uplifting way. Marisol's story validates children's experiences with realism, while highlighting sources of support.
I liked Marisol and Jada. T and I sometimes talk about if we would want to be friends with the characters in a book, and I think that grade-school-me would definitely befriend Marisol and Jada. They like to learn words in foreign languages to communicate privately. They'll spend an entire day secretly pretending to be animals. And they especially enjoy spying on Marisol's older brother. They are low-key kids who like to have fun outdoors. Although Marisol worries about the neighbor dog, the school bully, the magnolia tree, and so on, she is not worried about superficial things. She is a girl who knows who she is, would sometimes like to not be herself, but is also unbothered by her unusual interests. Above all, Marisol strikes me as genuine.
When T found out that I read Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey without him, he was displeased. It's aimed at an elementary age audience, and I have no doubt he'd like it, especially because her cat features so prominently. The font is a bit smaller and the illustrations fewer than other early chapter books we've read, so I think it would be more challenging that he needs right now. We'll hold off a few months before reading it together. He's eager for that day to come. And I will be happy to re-read.
Disclosure: Per FTC Guidelines, I hereby disclose partnership with The Children's Book Review and HarperCollins Publishers.
decisions and the eminently climbable magnolia in her back yard makes her heart pound. Erin Entrada Kelly beckons readers into Marisol's world where they will share her concerns, love her cat, and value Jada's unwavering loyalty. Kelly tackles challenging content such as bullying, uncertainty, and family structure in an honest and uplifting way. Marisol's story validates children's experiences with realism, while highlighting sources of support.
I liked Marisol and Jada. T and I sometimes talk about if we would want to be friends with the characters in a book, and I think that grade-school-me would definitely befriend Marisol and Jada. They like to learn words in foreign languages to communicate privately. They'll spend an entire day secretly pretending to be animals. And they especially enjoy spying on Marisol's older brother. They are low-key kids who like to have fun outdoors. Although Marisol worries about the neighbor dog, the school bully, the magnolia tree, and so on, she is not worried about superficial things. She is a girl who knows who she is, would sometimes like to not be herself, but is also unbothered by her unusual interests. Above all, Marisol strikes me as genuine.
When T found out that I read Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey without him, he was displeased. It's aimed at an elementary age audience, and I have no doubt he'd like it, especially because her cat features so prominently. The font is a bit smaller and the illustrations fewer than other early chapter books we've read, so I think it would be more challenging that he needs right now. We'll hold off a few months before reading it together. He's eager for that day to come. And I will be happy to re-read.
Disclosure: Per FTC Guidelines, I hereby disclose partnership with The Children's Book Review and HarperCollins Publishers.
July 6, 2021
I listened to the audiobook but will definitely need a physical copy to enjoy the illustrations.
I loved Marisol and how the book begins with her relationship with the tree, Peppina. It was a fantastic story for 3 reasons:
1-cyclical ending
2-imagination
3-being brave
I loved Marisol and how the book begins with her relationship with the tree, Peppina. It was a fantastic story for 3 reasons:
1-cyclical ending
2-imagination
3-being brave
April 8, 2021
Marisol Rainey is such a delightful character. Kids will laugh throughout the book with Marisol's names for everything (the tree, the car, even her dresser!) and the many anecdotes with her friend, Jada. Such a sweet family story, friendship story, and overcoming your fears story! A winner!
September 29, 2021
I LOVED THIS. So whimsical yet with the real-world issue of anxiety written in a realistic way.
Things I especially loved and/or could related to:
Things I especially loved and/or could related to:
Jada yelling her ideas like Socrates: "Ice cream for breakfast!"
Marisol worrying about where in the world to go: "She imagines Paris, but all she knows about Paris is the Eiffel Tower, which is very tall. Much taller than Peppina. What if she fell off the top of the Eiffel Tower?"
NOTE: I had a panic attack on the Scott Monument in Edinburgh because I thought I was going to slide through the wrought iron.
Marisol worrying about waiting in the car: "What if her mom takes too long and the car door won't open and Marisol is trapped inside? What if a maniac steals the car with Marisol in the backseat? What if the brakes malfunction and Charlie rolls into traffic?"
NOTE: I had these thoughts as a child. And nightmares about them happening.
Marisol being a "grumpy grandpa."
NOTE: When I was 15, my 5-year-old brother kicked me out his play he was putting on in the basement because I was "being too grumpy."
Marisol having a pity party.
NOTE: Obviously.
June 9, 2021
I listened to the audiobook and I was quite surprised when I've reached the end before I finished my afternoon walk. I wasn't expecting it to be that short and obviously I didn't check the length of the book.
Marisol is a very delightful character. She is very sweet and has a rich imagination. She loves to name everything (like their couch and fridge) around her. She named her stuffed animals after her favorite Filipino food and she calls the magnolia tree in their backyard Peppina. I liked that eventhough she's afraid of many things, like climbing Peppina, she is willing to face her fears. Her parents are very supportive and caring. Her bestfriend is amazing too and their friendship is just wonderful!
This book is about being brave. It's about overcoming our fears and at the same time, it also reminds us that it's okay to be afraid. I wish every kid could get a chance to read this book. Marisol reminded me so much of my niece so I'm definitely giving her a copy of this book. This is such a heartwarming and inspiring story with a very relatable character. Both young and adult readers will definitely enjoy this book.
Marisol is a very delightful character. She is very sweet and has a rich imagination. She loves to name everything (like their couch and fridge) around her. She named her stuffed animals after her favorite Filipino food and she calls the magnolia tree in their backyard Peppina. I liked that eventhough she's afraid of many things, like climbing Peppina, she is willing to face her fears. Her parents are very supportive and caring. Her bestfriend is amazing too and their friendship is just wonderful!
This book is about being brave. It's about overcoming our fears and at the same time, it also reminds us that it's okay to be afraid. I wish every kid could get a chance to read this book. Marisol reminded me so much of my niece so I'm definitely giving her a copy of this book. This is such a heartwarming and inspiring story with a very relatable character. Both young and adult readers will definitely enjoy this book.
April 28, 2021
Maybe, Maybe Marisol Rainey is an adorable illustrated chapter book about a young girl who despite being riddled with fears and anxieties, also has a strong desire to overcome them. Marisol is really a sweet little girl. She loves her stuffed animals, cat and her best friend, Jada. Her nickname is "Scraps" after a Charlie Chaplin movie and her favorite food is nachos. She's kind, sensitive and despite being considered quiet, she also seems to feel things deeply. She reminds me a lot of Matilda and Harriet maybe a little bit of Ivy and Bean too. Although the artwork in my ARC was only partially completed, it really complemented the gentle nature of the story. This will resonate with children who've been told that they're overly sensitive, or quiet and inspire other kids to be as supportive as Jada is to Rainey. As Jada so aptly put, "friends don't think of all the things you can't do." With its positive messaging and themes, this is a sweet story not to be missed. *Thank you to SparkPress and Netgalley for the E-ARC**
May 13, 2021
"But Marisol believes that all things—all important things, anyway—should have their own names. She wouldn’t want to be called “human” or “girl,” after all. Why should it be any different for refrigerators and trees?
Marisol is cute little pie that curious about anything around her. It tells story of marisol and her anxiety with the tree behind her house since she afraid to climb peppina. I really how the story push in Marisol relationship with her family and friends, and in the end she can overpower her anxiety and afraid of peppina. It's heartwaming story that suit to read with kids or Niece.
Marisol is cute little pie that curious about anything around her. It tells story of marisol and her anxiety with the tree behind her house since she afraid to climb peppina. I really how the story push in Marisol relationship with her family and friends, and in the end she can overpower her anxiety and afraid of peppina. It's heartwaming story that suit to read with kids or Niece.
February 21, 2021
Heart warming early chapter book about a young girl growing up in Louisiana and confronting some of her fears. Like tree climbing. Maybe. 😉
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