On the first day of summer, Marisol watches as Jada, her best friend, climbs into the magnolia tree, sits on a branch, and whispers that she's found a bird's nest made of twigs and interwoven with a pink ribbon. Marisol longs to see the nest, too (after all, it's in her backyard), but a strong fear of falling keeps her firmly on the ground. Sometime later, after she admits her anxiety to Jada, she finds that she can pull herself up onto the tree's lowest branch, but will she ever find the courage to climb higher? Kelly's lively, expressive black-and-white illustrations appear throughout the book's 21 short chapters. From the author of the Newbery Award--winning Hello, Universe (2017), this perceptive story focuses on Marisol, an imaginative Filipina American girl who names the magnolia tree (Peppina), her bicycle (Ginny), and the refrigerator (Buster), and she sometimes talks to them as well. Set in Louisiana, the first volume in the Maybe Marisol series is an immediately engaging and ultimately rewarding choice for readers moving up to chapter books.

Kelly (Newbery medalist for Hello, Universe, rev. 3/17, and honoree for We Dream of Space, rev. 5/20) reaches out to a younger audience in an approachable chapter book about thoughtful worrier Marisol. Marisol has what everyone describes as the perfect climbing tree in her Louisiana backyard, but the list of things she fears is long, and the magnolia tree she's named Peppina (after a Mary Pickford character -- she's a silent movie buff) is at the top of the list. She can't imagine giving a book report without quaking, or visiting her extended family in the Philippines -- much less what it would feel like to be brave enough to climb the tree. The story covers several days during summer vacation when Marisol decides that she will, like her idol Pickford, face up to frightening things and climb Peppina. Kelly's writing has the unhurried pace of an unscheduled summer day (Marisol and her best friend Jada spy on Marisol's brother Oz, act out silent movies, and ride bikes around the neighborhood). 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. Give this to readers of Dominguez's Stella Diaz Has Something to Say (rev. 5/18) and Henkes's Billy Miller books (rev. 9/13 and 3/21). Maeve Visser Knoth May/June 2021 p.135(c) Copyright 2021. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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. (May)

Gr 3--7--"That's the thing about best friends. They don't care about all the things you can't do:" wise words from a timid adolescent girl. Marisol is a young Filipina living in Louisiana, while also residing in her own little world. She notices things that most people would overlook, like the sights and sounds from a refrigerator. With a fascination with silent movies and a habit of assigning names to everything (even inanimate objects), endearing, relatable Marisol is also plagued by anxieties of all sorts. This story contains adorable yet thought-provoking conversations between friends, allowing for readers to feel as though they have been transported into the imagination of the main character. The main antagonist in the story is a bully of sorts, and causes grief for Marisol. Readers will be rooting for the main character, Marisol, throughout the story, as well as her kind best friend Jana. VERDICT This title is a great read for upper elementary children. With occasional, whimsical illustrations, it will keep even the most reluctant readers entertained.--Megan Honeycutt, Univ. of West Georgia, Carrollton

Marisol spends her summer mulling over climbing a tree. In Marisol Rainey's Louisiana backyard stands a magnolia tree that she has named Peppina. (Believing that "all important things…should have their own names," she's given names to appliances, furniture, and the family car, too.) The tree is perfect for climbing, and everyone loves Peppina. Everyone except Marisol, that is, who is afraid of falling. She has a big imagination, which often causes her to get lost in the what ifs. Marisol spends the summer days with her best friend, Jada, playing and making movies. Jada loves to climb Peppina, and maybe, just maybe, this will be the summer Marisol finds the courage to climb Peppina too. Narrated in third person, present tense, this is 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 (her dad works on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico), and having a parent from another country. Her story is an expression of daily life and feelings that many children will find familiar. The short chapters help move the quiet story along, as do the amusing black-and-white illustrations sprinkled throughout. Fans of Ivy + Bean will enjoy Marisol's story. Marisol is biracial, with her Filipina mom's dark hair and eyes; her dad presents White. Jada presents Black. There's no maybe about it; readers will enjoy this charming story. (Fiction. 6-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.