The kickball unit is coming up in gym, and biracial (Filipina and white) Marisol is deeply worried. Her apprehension is amplified when classmate Evie brags about her kickball super skills and mocks Marisol’s lack of athleticism. Marisol is jealous of her brother Oz’s soccer prowess and angry that her dad’s oil rig job keeps him away from home, unable to provide the in-person coaching she wants. When she finally shares her concern during a family FaceTime call, her dad suggests asking Oz for help. (Oz’s main advice, which he makes Marisol repeat one word at a time: Never. Take. Your. Eye. Off. The. Ball.) Marisol’s small victory in a game (she manages to connect her kick with the ball and run to first base) is both plausible and satisfying. Authentic worries, strong emotions, and realistic drama centering on a child dealing with anxiety make this a strong follow-up to Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey. ©2022 Cooperative Children’s Book Center (Ages 6-9)

“Anyone who has ever had trouble feeling brave will be empowered by Marisol.”—NBC News

“Lively, realistic, and emotionally honest.”—The Horn Book (starred review)

“Engaging.”—Booklist

Everyone loves sports . . . except Marisol! The stand-alone companion to Newbery Medal winner and New York Times–bestselling Erin Entrada Kelly’s Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey is an irresistible and humorous story about friendship, family, and fitting in. Fans of Clementine, Billy Miller Makes a Wish, and Ramona the Pest will find a new friend in Marisol.

Marisol Rainey’s two least-favorite things are radishes and gym class. She avoids radishes with very little trouble, but gym is another story—especially when Coach Decker announces that they will be learning to play kickball.

There are so many things that can go wrong in kickball. What if Marisol tries to kick the ball . . . but falls down? What if she tries to catch the ball and gets smacked in the nose? What if she’s the worst kickballer in the history of kickball? Marisol and her best friend Jada decide to get help from the most unlikely—and most annoying—athlete in the world: Marisol’s big brother, Oz.

Told in short chapters with illustrations by the author on almost every page, Erin Entrada Kelly’s stand-alone companion novel to Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey celebrates the small but mighty Marisol, the joys of friendship, the power of being different, and the triumph of persevering. Surely Surely Marisol Rainey is ideal for readers of Kevin Henkes, Meg Medina, Judy Blume, and Beverly Cleary.