ONLY, ONLY MARISOL RAINEY by Erin Entrada Kelly
I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and Libro.fm, online retailers that support independent booksellers. If you make a purchase by clicking through the links in this post, I will receive a commission. For more information, see my “About” page.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the publisher in order to write this review.
Nothing can dampen Marisol’s joy at riding her beloved bicycle Ginny–nothing except Daggers. Marisol doesn’t know whether her neighbor’s German Shepherd is really called Daggers, but she and her best friend Jada think it’s the perfect name for such a big scary dog. Fortunately, Daggers is penned up behind a fence where he can’t get near Marisol.
When Lost Dog posters appear around the neighborhood, Marisol is terrified. Daggers, whose real name turns out to be Gregory, could be anywhere! What’s to stop him from eating Marisol now? Determined to find Gregory and get him back behind the fence, Marisol enlists the help of her friend Felix, who can communicate with animals, in exchange for promising to teach him how to ride a bike. But as Marisol starts spending more time with Felix, Jada starts acting strangely grumpy, and with efforts to contact Gregory failing, Marisol will have to figure out how to be a good friend and neighbor even when it’s scary.
Third in the Marisol Rainey series, Erin Entrada Kelly’s latest is as charming, funny, and uplifting as its predecessors. Marisol’s emotions rise to the surface in simple, honest prose that invites connections and giggles at the warm humor and expressive illustrations. I’d recommend this one to younger middle grade and chapter book readers, fans of Ramona Quimby, Clementine, and Jada Jones.
Susan the Librarian 