Marisol, the anxious heroine of Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey (rev. 5/21), makes lists of favorite and least favorite things, with gym class -- specifically the kickball unit -- topping the latter. Although she has never played before, she dreads it because she knows that "the spotlight shines on you when you kick. The spotlight shines on you when you pitch...Surely Marisol will burst into flames under all those spotlights." Her worries only grow as classmate Evie brags about her own kickball prowess. Kelly shows her deep understanding of the emotional lives of her characters. When Marisol is angry and embarrassed about Evie's unkind comments and her own poor skills, she lashes out at best friend Jada. "Marisol thought it would make her feel better to snap at Jada, but it doesn't. She only feels worse." The action takes place over two weeks, during which Marisol tries a variety of techniques to first avoid and then overcome (at least a little) her fears. Supporting characters -- Marisol's father, away all week working on an oil rig; her athletic older brother, who teaches her the Ultimate Rule of Kickball; classmate Felix, who claims to talk to animals -- are all fully developed and engaging contributors to the lively, realistic, and emotionally honest story. When Marisol finally kicks the ball and makes it to first base, readers will be cheering "way to go, Marisol" along with her classmates, teacher, and family members. Maeve Visser Knoth July/August 2022 p.124(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Both Marisol and Jada, her best friend, keep lists of their favorite and least favorite things. Topping each girl's "Least Favorite Things to Do" list is gym class. And when Coach Decker announces that for the next two weeks they will be learning to play kickball, they dread it more than ever. Marisol's older brother, a soccer player, gives them a little coaching, which boosts their confidence a bit, but Marisol needs even more support to overcomes her fears. She manages to control her anxiety and succeed in kicking the ball only after a heart-to-heart talk with another member of the household: Beans, the cat. Completely accessible even to children who haven't read the first book in the series, Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey (2021), this concisely written third-person narrative takes readers a little further into Marisol's world by including her experiences at school as well as at home. Kelly's expressive grayscale drawings illustrate this appealing transitional chapter book, an engaging choice for independent readers or for teachers reading aloud to their classes.

Marisol Rainey is back with more worries. Gym class is Marisol's least favorite thing. She's not great at sports, but for once, she'd like to hear "Way to go, Marisol!" rather than "Nice try, Marisol!" or "Great effort, Marisol!" When their gym teacher announces that they'll be doing a unit on kickball, Marisol and her best friend, Jada, get nervous. The Brain Train, Marisol's term for her string of thoughts and worries, chugs along, making it hard for her to sleep and focus at school. Surely things would be easier if her dad were home to teach her kickball, but he's on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. But with some helpful ideas and advice from her friends and family, Marisol eventually faces kickball with fewer worries and a little more confidence. This stand-alone companion novel to Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey (2021) is a charming, delightful story that readers, especially those with fears and strong emotions, will find relatable. Marisol and her friends all have their quirks, like Jada asking "Would you rather?" questions, adding to the fun. The black-and-white illustrations provide humor and help move the story along. Marisol is biracial; her mother is from the Philippines, and her dad presents White. Jada presents Black. Surely surely a book readers will enjoy. (Fiction. 6-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Gr 2--5--Amielynn Abellera, who shares Kelly's Filipina American heritage, returns for her fourth Kelly collaboration, this time the sophomore title of the "Maybe Marisol" series. Returning listeners will be relieved that Abellera's anxiety-heightening performance, which marred Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey, is considerably improved here. Marisol--whose mother is Filipina, her "Dadhead" white--and best friend Jada continue to be list-making experts: for now, their "number-one Least-Favorite Thing to Do" is "GYM CLASS." But two weeks of kickball loom, and Marisol and Jada must learn to play. Marisol has no choice but to ask her "generally gross and annoying" but athletically gifted brother Oz for help. And the game is on! Fellow Filipina American writer Mia P. Manansala gets a shoutout: mystery-novel addict Mrs. Rainey reads Arsenic and Adobo. VERDICT Gentle lessons in controlling the "Brain Train"--Marisol's many worrying thoughts--gets an empowering audio boost.