Lola Reyes is So Not Worried
COMING SOON!
LOLA REYES IS SO NOT WORRIED RELEASES 9/17/24!
Perfect for fans of The Doll People and The Total Eclipse of Nester Lopez, a Guatemalan American girl fights to stop her cursed worry dolls before they blanket her friends and neighbors in anxiety—and the grief she carries over the loss of her father—in this magical middle grade adventure by Cindy L. Rodriguez.
Lola Reyes doesn’t want to leave Guatemala, a place full of warmth and sun, laughter and music—where her abuela and prima and tíos and tías surround her with love. Back in Sunnyside, it’s cold. There’s schoolwork and chores. And her mama transforms into Lola’s super-serious school principal, Dr. Reyes.
Back at home… Lola can see, crystal clear, the empty place where Pop used to be. So Lola decides to bring a little bit of Guatemala—and Pop—back with her. She discovers his box of childhood worry dolls and sneaks them into her luggage, ignoring the warnings on the box not to use them. Later, when she tells them all her worries, from her friendship woes to the way Mama won’t talk about how sad she is, the worry dolls come to life! Worse—they escape!
Lola has to enlist her neighbor and nemesis, Chance Townsend, to recapture the dolls because she discovers they’re cursed! And as they absorb worries, they’ll grow bigger and bigger. If Lola can’t find a way to stop them, they’ll burst, releasing all the worries they’ve absorbed a hundredfold on everyone in town! But when breaking the curse might mean confronting her own anxieties and grief, will Lola be able face her emotions before it’s too late?
- Age Range: 8 – 12 years
- Grade Level: 4 – 7
- Hardcover: 304 pages
- Publisher: HarperCollins (September 17, 2024)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 006327681X
- ISBN-13: 9780063276819
Praise for LOLA REYES IS SO NOT WORRIED:
“With a perfect blend of humor and adventure, Rodriguez navigates Lola’s grief and shows young readers that their worries deserve to be expressed. Through unexpected friendships and the guidance of family, Lola discovers that loss is best handled in community–a timeless lesson for all ages.”
—Adrianna Cuevas, award winning author of THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF NESTOR LOPEZ
“A wildly imaginative book about navigating grief, worries, and friendship. Kids will fall in love with Lola Reyes and her adventures in fifth grade!”
—Angela Dominguez, award-winning author-illustrator of dozens of children’s books, including The Stella Diaz series, MARIA HAD A LITTLE LLAMA, and I LOVE YOU, BABY BURRITO
“Like many kids, Lola Reyes worries. And even though her challenges—like grieving her father’s death and accidentally unlocking Guatemalan magic—are unique, it’s easy to relate to this plucky, earnest fifth grader as she figures out how to problem-solve and handle the changes in her life, all while learning to have a little fun along the way.
“Rodriguez navigates the fine line between somber topics of grief and family and more fantastical elements to give the reader a multifaceted adventure.”
—Anika Fajardo, award-winning author of WHAT IF A FISH and MEET ME HALFWAY
“A healing book. Fast-paced and fun, Lola Reyes is So Not Worried is a new kind of quitapenas, sure to carry your worries away. Rodriguez crafts a story that is magical and hopeful without sweeping aside the troubles we’re all dealing with.”
—Anna Meriano, author of the LOVE, SUGAR, MAGIC series
“In Lola Reyes Is So Not Worried, Cindy L. Rodríguez deftly balances the zany supernatural stakes of Gremlins or Toy Soldiers with a compelling emotional arc. As the titular protagonist races against the clock to keep her town safe, she discovers the importance of leaning on friends, family, and her own inner strength to deal with worry and grief. Full of laugh-out-loud humor, well realized characters, and a deep understanding of the power of both sorrow and love, this middle grade novel showcases Cindy’s remarkable ability to explore the human condition through the rich details of a specific Latine experience.”
—David Bowles, award-winning author of They Call Me Güero and The Prince & the Coyote
“A magical, tender-hearted tale of the importance of trust, the security of family, and the wisdom of self-care.”
—Guadalupe García McCall, Pura Belpré Award Winning Author