This was a funny and great way to approach coping with grief. Lola loses her father, and she and her mother travel to Guatemala to celebrate him. She comes across his worry dolls and takes them with her. There’s one small problem… the dolls are cursed. The more you worry, the bigger the dolls get.

Throwing caution to the wind, Lola ignores her father’s warning… and well, comedy ensues. The dolls’ actions are hilarious, and I found myself looking for them on every page. I enjoyed the friendship between Lola and Chance. It may not have started off great (they were rivals), but what blossomed was wholesome (and quite comical).

I know that I keep emphasizing how funny this book is, but it’s also quite emotional. We see how a child navigates the loss of a parent and her mother’s grief. We see how she deals with her grief and anxiety. (Personally, my anxiety doll would have exploded…) This is an excellent book for middle-graders who are dealing with anxiety or loss. It’s also a brilliant way to introduce Guatemalan culture. Highly recommend!

Rating: 4.5

LOVED this heartfelt story about grief, family, and courage.
When Lola returns home from Guatemala with her late Pop’s worry dolls, they mysteriously come to life, expanding with every worry she shares. Now, Lola must capture the cursed, ever-growing dolls, by teaming up with her nemesis, Chance Townsend. The blend of magical realism with themes of cultural heritage, emotional bravery, and friendship, come together into a captivating story as Lola learns that facing fears is the first step toward healing.
Highly recommend this book.
Thank you Harper Collins and Netgalley for the complementary arc.

TW: Grief and death of a parent

Welcome to my book tour stop for the Latinx middle grade book, Lola Reyes is so not worried by Cindy Rodriguez.

It’s about 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.

After attending her dad’s celebration of life in Guatemala, Lola 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 and escape. The cover is colorful and beautiful. It’s a magical, tenderhearted tale.

Thanks to hear our voices tours, Harper kids and author Cindy L. Rodriguez for the opportunity to spotlight this Latinx middle grade book. I really the cover.

Favorite Quotes

“That’s what he wanted, for us to remember the good instead of mourning what we lost.”

“Having emotions isn’t stupid.”

“Food is like air, water and shelter—basic needs.”

“I guess I’m not doing a great job of shallowing my feelings.”

“I’m torn in half like those cartoons with Angel on one shoulder and the Devil on the other.”

CAWPILE RATINGS:
Characters: 8
Atmosphere: 8
Writing: 8
Plot: 8
Intrigue: 8
Logic: 7
Enjoyment: 8

This was the absolute cutest story, but it also approached grief and self-doubt in such a profound way, especially for a middle-grade book. Lola Reyes Is So Not Worried follows Lola after her beloved Pop passes away, leaving her and her mama to pick up the pieces. When they travel to Guatemala to celebrate his life, Lola finds her father’s childhood worry dolls with a note saying not to open them. But, needing this connection to him, she throws caution to the wind. Only when the dolls come to life does she realize the warning might have been more than a joke.

I loved how this story touched on all the relationships in Lola’s life, especially her connections with family and friends. It also made a strong point about how our own perceptions of ourselves can be skewed, influencing how we believe we show up in the world. Overall, this was such a fun, heartfelt way to introduce grief management to young readers, and I’ll absolutely be passing it to my little brother to read soon.

Thank you to Cindy Rodriguez, Hear Our Voices Tours, and Harper Collins for the ARCs in exchange for an honest review.

This middle grade book sparked all the emotions! You know how you watch the Disney movie UP and within the first five minutes are ugly crying but then spend the next hour and a half on an adventure that fills you with joy and hope? That’s exactly what Lola Reyes Is So Not Worried was like.

I absolutely adored this and am so excited to read it with my 4th grader. Exploring themes of grief, friendships, and vulnerability while embarking on a fun and humor filled adventure along the way. This books also spotlighted Guatemalan culture with so much joy and care.

While I initially thought that it felt very “grown up” for a middle grade book, I recognize just how valuable it is for a book exploring these themes to model examples of language and emotion and thought processing for its intended audience. More to the point, when it finally dawned on me that the story was being told in first person point of view (Lola’s POV), its thoughtfulness was made all the more clear. By narrating the story through Lola’s voice, it becomes clear to the reader just what she is feeling and thinking as this adventure plays out. It was a reminder that there is often so much more to children than meets the eye. They have big emotions and worries and need space to communicate them with honesty, safety, and vulnerability. It’s hard for Lola to find the words to express her worries and feelings of grief with her mother, because her mom feels the need to always put on a brave face for her daughter. I loved the way that the worry dolls played into this plot thread. Not to mention that each doll had a little personality of its own.

Such an excellent read!

I am in the tour for thos one soon will update review and links ASAP. Thank you for having me in this fun read ..

What would you do if you found a box of your deceased father's belongings with a giant sign warning that the contents are cursed?!?! Well, if you're Lola Reyes (and me, and probably you too) you'd open that box right up. How was she supposed to know that the worry dolls inside the box were magic, and about to unleash a whole lot of mayhem on her town and life? Sure, she could have heeded the warning, but then she'd have missed an opportunity to connect with the father she's missing with all her soul.

So begins Cindy Rodriguez's magical middle-grade debut (while you're here please check out her other books including the beautiful Two Pockets Full!) LOLA REYES IS SO NOT WORRIED is a fast-paced adventure chock full of mayhem, magic, and the complexities of adolescence. Lessons are learned, and bonds are tested, but what makes this book even more special is the path to healing for Lola's heart from the unimaginable loss of her father.

I highly recommend this to all readers and note to educators that the connections to Guatemalan culture are an extra added incentive for a full class read.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read the E-arc

4.5 stars rounded up!

My daughter, who is in a dual language Spanish program, really enjoyed this story about a Guatemalan girl, Lola Reyes, who relocates to America with her mother after the death of her father. There is an element of magical realism involving her worry dolls, which come to life, escape, and hide all over her town. Lola and her neighbor, Chance, are tasked with capturing her worry dolls and their friendship develops as they work together. The books has an important message for middle grade readers as Lola learns the importance of sharing her emotions, rather than bottling up her sadness and grief.