Only Only Marisol Rainey

Written by Erin Entrada Kelly

Narrated by Amielynn Abellera

When a neighbor’s big, scary dog goes missing, it seems like only Marisol is worried he’s up to no good. But is there more to this lost-dog story than meets the eye?

From Newbery Medal– and Newbery Honor–winning author Erin Entrada Kelly, Only Only Marisol Rainey is a young middle-grade novel about friendship, facing your fears, and the power of compassion, friendship, and empathy. This stand-alone companion to Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey and Surely Surely Marisol Rainey is perfect for fans of Ivy + Bean, Merci Suárez, and Ramona.

 A dangerous beast is on the loose in Marisol Rainey's neighborhood! At least, Marisol thinks it’s a dangerous beast. She's never actually met the neighbor’s dog officially, but surely a big German shepherd can’t be anything else. That’s why she and her BFF Jada nicknamed him “Daggers.”

When the Missing Dog posters around town reveal that his real name is Gregory, Marisol's fears don’t ease up one bit. He may be Gregory at home, but when he’s freely roaming the neighborhood with nothing to hold him back, he’s Daggers and nothing else.

When Marisol tries to sleep, the image of Daggers and his sharp teeth comes to mind. Marisol doesn't even want to ride her bike anymore. What if Daggers leaps out of the bushes, knocks her over, and eats her? She feels like she can’t rest until she knows Daggers has been returned to her neighbor’s backyard. Strangely, no one else seems all that concerned for their safety. Only Marisol.

Is Daggers big and super scary looking? Maybe. Is Marisol afraid? Surely. Will she eventually learn that there’s more to Daggers than meets the eye? Only if she faces her fears.

Only Only Marisol Rainey is told in short chapters, making it perfect for listeners ready for a short and accessible novel. Erin Entrada Kelly’s stand-alone companion to Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey and Surely Surely Marisol Rainey celebrates the small but mighty Marisol, the joys of friendship, the power of compassion, and the triumph of persevering. For readers of Kevin Henkes, Andrew Clements, Judy Blume, and Beverly Cleary.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: May 2, 2023
• ISBN: 9780063307605

Erin Entrada Kelly

Erin Entrada Kelly was awarded the Newbery Medal for Hello, Universe and a Newbery Honor for We Dream of Space. She grew up in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and now lives in Delaware. She is a professor of children’s literature in the graduate fiction and publishing programs at Rosemont College, where she earned her MFA, and is on the faculty at Hamline University. Her short fiction has been nominated for the Philippines Free Press Literary Award for Short Fiction and the Pushcart Prize. Before becoming a children’s author, Erin worked as a journalist and magazine editor and received numerous awards for community service journalism, feature writing, and editing from the Louisiana Press Association and the Associated Press. Erin Entrada Kelly’s debut novel, Blackbird Fly, was a Kirkus Best Book, a School Library Journal Best Book, an ALSC Notable Book, and an Asian/Pacific American Literature Honor Book. She is also the author of The Land of Forgotten Girls, winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature; You Go First, a Spring 2018 Indie Next Pick; Lalani of the Distant Sea, an Indie Next Pick; Those Kids from Fawn Creek, named to numerous best-of-the-year lists; and three acclaimed novels for younger readers, Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey, Surely Surely Marisol Rainey, and Only Only Marisol Rainey, which she also illustrated. She lives in Delaware.