Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey by Erin Entrada Kelly (review)

The beautiful magnolia tree in her backyard is a constant source of anxiety for eight-year-old Marisol; her brother and her best friend, Jada, aren’t afraid to climb up in its branches, but Marisol just cannot bring herself to do it. Marisol worries about a lot of things (seeing her mother’s family in the Philippines, dealing with mean girl Evie Smith, a maniac stealing their car), and she also worries that she worries so much, wondering, “Why do I have to be scared of everything all the time? No one else is.” 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. The conflict with the tree provides a defined focus for this easy reader, but the book also touches on the family and friend dynamics that shape and are shaped by her insecurities; the relationship between Marisol and her happy-go-lucky dad, for example, is a complicated connection that buoys Marisol in some moments and deflates her in others. The subject matter and format with cartoony spot illustration echo Lenore Look’s Alvin Ho series, and kids who found a kindred spirit in Alvin will likely find one in Marisol as well.