Lola Reyes Is So Not Worried

by Cindy L. Rodriguez

The Doll People meets The Total Eclipse of Nester Lopez in Lola Reyes Is So Not Worried, a middle grade novel that follows Lola Reyes as she 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.

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 thousandfold 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?

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Fiction, Grief, Childrens, Magical Realism

288 pages, Hardcover

Published September 17, 2024

About the author

Hi! I’m Cindy L. Rodriguez. My books are: WHEN REASON BREAKS (2015), VOLLEYBALL ACE (2020), DRILL TEAM DETERMINATION (2021), GYMNASTICS PAYBACK (2021), THE DOOMED SEARCH FOR THE LOST CITY OF Z (2021), THE MOUNT EVEREST DISASTER OF 1996 (2022) and THREE POCKETS FULL: A STORY OF LOVE, FAMILY, AND TRADITION (2022). I also have an essay in LIFE INSIDE MY MIND: 31 AUTHORS SHARE THEIR PERSONAL STRUGGLES (2018), and I have contributed to DOLL HOSPITAL #2. Coming in 2024 is LOLA REYES IS SO NOT WORRIED. I work for an educational publisher and live in CT with my husband, daughter, and two dogs.

Reviews

[Sharon Velez Diodonet · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Whatever the reason, Mama holds it in. So I do, too. We're like soda bottles, all shook-up and fizzing, praying the cap holds so we don't explode."

Lola Reyes Is So Not Worried by Cindy L. Rodriguez was such a delight to read. Lola recently lost her father and is dealing with her own feelings of grief, while navigating her mother's sadness and dealing with changes in her friendship with her best friend. Her anxiety is getting the best of her, and the one person who she can be her most authentic self with is her grandmother in Guatemala. She brings home her father's worry dolls to the U.S. after his life celebration and the adventures begin.

The writing really captured my attention from the beginning. Rodriguez does a great job of exploring grief through both a child's and spouse/parent's POV. I liked being in Lola's head as she examines how her mom is dealing with her grief and what mixed messaging she is receiving about ways to grieve. On the one hand, Lola is looking for something tied to her culture to give her relief with her anxiety and on the other she values science and logic and just wants to talk about her feelings with someone. Bringing back the worry dolls was her way of holding on to something of her dad's and at the same time trying to find out how they helped him deal with big emotions when he was a kid. Grief books always get me in my feelings, and I loved how this one balanced the heaviness with so many moments of laughter. It was a great reminder that it is OK to find moments of joy even when you're grieving.

Read this one for: Guatemalan culture and rep, exploring grief and anxiety, friendships, and girls who love science. Thanks to @harperkids @hearourvoicestours for the gifted copy and tour opportunity.

Some book recs that would pair perfectly with this one are:
📚 Iveliz Explains It All- Andrea Beatriz Arango
📚 Grow Up, Luchy Zapata- Alexandra Alessandri

[Glenda Nelms · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.”

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lola spends the summer in Guatemala visiting her Mama's and Pop's families and burying part of her Pop's ashes as he's requested. She finds a set of worry dolls that once belonged to her father, and takes them with her back to the US. But the worry dolls are actually cursed! They come to life, escape from Lola's house, and start growing as they feed off the emotions of Lola and her classmates. Will Lola be able to track them all down before they explode and wreak havoc on her town?

An excellent story that combines folklore, action, and emotion into a seamless narrative. Not only is Lola dealing with grief, she also has to balance having her mother as her principal, sharing her best friend with a new friend, and also competing to be the best with her neighbor. There are a LOT of emotions, but the humor of the giant talking dolls keeps the book from getting too intense and overwhelming. Highly recommend! The audiobook was great too!

[YSBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

What did you like about the book?  Lola Reyes and her Mama have spent the summer in Guatemala, visiting family and taking part in a memorial service for Lola’s father, who died recently, back home in Connecticut.  Lola loves being around her Abuela Gloria, her cousin Maria Elena, and other relatives, but is still having a hard time accepting Pop’s death.  During a game of hide and seek, Lola finds some of her father’s childhood mementos, including a set of traditional worry dolls, which are tightly bound in a box with a warning not to open it in her father’s handwriting; but thinking it might help her to have a connection to her father, Lola hides the box in her suitcase and brings it home.

School is starting back up when Lola and Mama return to Connecticut; Lola is frustrated with her mother who has been very distant and closed off since Pop’s death, which is only exacerbated by the fact that Mama is the principal of Lola’s school, and as such is in very serious, back-to-school mode.  On the social front, Lola is devastated to find that her best friend Ashlyn has bonded with a classmate named Josie over the summer, and annoyed that her obnoxious neighbor/academic rival Chance Townsend has not toned down his competitive spirit at all.  A few weeks into the school year, Lola is overwhelmed by her grief and anxiety and decides to confide in one of the worry dolls, completely disregarding her father’s warning that the dolls are cursed.  By the next day, the dolls have come to life and escaped their box, and are now roaming the town of Sunnyside, shrinking and growing based on the worry levels of the humans they come across.  Lola translates the Spanish warning that came with the dolls and finds out she has a week to round them up before they stay in their mischievous animate form forever. In the process of tracking them down, Lola forms an unexpected alliance with Chance, learns to accept Josie and the new friendship dynamic with Ashlyn, and figures out a way to talk to her mother about their shared grief and how to move forward.

11-year-old Lola is dealing with a lot, and readers will empathize with her as she negotiates life without her father, contends with her mother’s sadness, and copes with the changing nature of tween friendships.  This more realistic side of the narrative is relayed with a lot of heart and authenticity, and the human characters, especially the kids, are well-developed. Lola has to develop trust in others and learn how to ask for, and accept, help to solve her problem.  Ashlyn, Josie, and Chance are all going through personal struggles that Lola is only marginally aware of, until the worry dolls help her see that she is not the only one with challenges.  That magical element, the worry dolls, brings a great deal of humor and excitement to the story and introduces the audience to aspects of Guatemalan and Mayan traditions.  Her respect for her family and heritage helps her a great deal both in recapturing the dolls and rebuilding her relationship with Mama and accepting the loss of Pop. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Lola and her mother are in Guatemala, at her Abuela Gloria's house for her father's memorial service. He passed away suddenly from a heart attack, but Lola's mother maintains that they will be fine, and Lola is surviving. She does snoop around in her father's childhood bedroom, and finds a set of worry dolls in a wooden box. She's intrigued by them, and brushes off the notes that they are "cursed", figuring that her father put that warning on them in the same way people out notes on diaries. She smuggles them back home, where she is ready to start 5th grade. Her neighbor, Chance, is her academic rival, and her mother is the principal at her school, where she becomes "Dr. Reyes". Lola is a little worried that her best friend, Ashlynn, is going to drop her in favor of Josie, but she has bigger worries-- the worry dolls have come to life. She asks Chance for help when they are running around her back yard, and they think they corral them into a gardening bench, but they escape. Lola and Chance try to track them down, since there was a note that said they would grow and then explode after six days, releasing the worries that they have absorbed back into the world. They manage to find Mateo in the laundromat, and comfort Sabrina, an 8th grader at their school who is struggling with relationship problems, and find Isabel at school, where Ashlynn is worried about the fact her mom has lost her job. Ricardo is found at the pool, where Josie is worried about her swimming career, Mercedes at Chance's house, since he's worried about having friends, and Carlos in the art room at school. On the night of the school Open House, which Dr. Reyes has to plan, a seven foot tall Zoraid is on the loose, fed by Lola, Ashlynn, and Josie's friend drama, as well as Lola's concerns about her mother's appearance of doing okay. Clearly, once all the dolls are gathered, Lola must figure out how to control them, and she manages to figure out that some apologies are necessary to put the past to rest.
Strengths: On the surface, this was a somewhat goofy, magical adventure with some deeper messages that teachers and librarians will appreciate. It's good to see Chance and Lola working together, although even that causes some very realistic tension with her friend Ashlynn. The Guatemalan cultural connections work well in the story, and I would have loved to see more of Abuela Gloria. One of my favorite fantasy books is Waugh's The Mennyms, so life sized, sentient dolls made sense to me!
Weaknesses: This is one of those books that 6th graders will love, but 8th graders will not pick up because of the sentient dolls. If this had a different style of cover, and Lola was in 8th grade, it would find a lot more readers.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoy fantasy stories where a child deals with grief, like Grant's A Green Velvet Secret, Sugiura's Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind or Kelkar's That Thing About Bollywood.

[Elliy Luck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cursed dolls, secret missions, & teaming up with your nemesis all in one week! Talk about adventure. In Lola Reyes is so not worried you get a front row seat into the chaotic life of Lola Reyes. Things weren’t always that way though, it all started with a trip to Guatemala to celebrate her pops life after he passed. While spending time with family & a simple game of hide-and-seek things took a very mysterious turn when Lola found a suitcase full of some of her pop’s childhood things. Filled with grief but joy to have found a piece of her father she takes back a box of worry dolls she found tucked away ignoring the warning, NO ABRIR! Once home she comes to realize why her father had hid away those dolls, they were cursed! She teams up with her neighbor/nemesis in order to capture them all before the curse comes to fruition.

I really enjoyed this book because I am a kid at heart! There were many moments I literally laughed out loud, especially at the silly interactions with the worry dolls. This book is a very enjoyable & fun way to learn about facing big emotions like grief & anxiety as well as how to navigate school life which let’s be real, at that age, it means EVERYTHING! I was extremely delighted to see all the detail that was put into her culture as I am a proud chapina myself.

I highly recommend this book for middle schoolers & even adults who need a break from the seriousness of adult life. There’s so much you can take away from this fun book like being vulnerable, facing big emotions, not judging books by their cover, & not ignoring warning signs! It was heartwarming to see Guatemala’s heritage depicted in such a relatable way & I will be sharing this good read along to my 3 kids.

[mood_reading_maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

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! Highly recommend!

[Naomi Shibles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rising fifth grader Lola Reyes is reminded that her father passed away a year ago when she must attend a memorial for him at her grandmother’s house in Guatemala. Honoring the tradition of the most empathetic middle grade novels, this book weaves in aspects of Guatemalan and Mayan culture—especially Lola’s father’s worry dolls that she finds while snooping in a forbidden room of her grandmother’s house. She cares more about science than superstition, but the worry dolls quickly prove that anything is possible. Back home in Connecticut, when her academic rival and neighbor, Chance, witnesses the dolls’ power, she has no choice but to ask for his help.

Lola Reyes Is So Not Worried thoughtfully introduces the main character—readers get to know her as she plays a game with her cousin to avoid her grief about losing her father. It’s a reminder that play is important for kids to process big emotions. Her relationship with her cousin—more a sibling—is authentic, as are the shifting dynamics of her friendships. Lola’s adolescent experiences of grief, jealousy, and more complex views of the world and people around her come to life through Rodriguez’s authentic storytelling, voiced with understanding of this age group’s urge to follow their own intuition. Despite that, learning to process worry and communicate are important life skills explored by the author.

[Mysia · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Won a finished hardback copy of this book via a Goodreads giveaway.

Overall, I thought it was good! The plot worked pretty well and elevated the story, as it all came together in various ways and even surprised me re: Josie. However, though the overarching messages were sweet and well-intentioned, they came across as a bit didactic. For instance, Josie resolving not to pressure herself or worry about swimming and instead have fun was fine, but felt a little forced. Same with so many of the other ways the characters made the dolls shrink. This isn't to say they weren't wonderful reasons, but the delivery for me was too preachy and didn't sound like natural things fifth graders would say. I also thought we needed more moments or memories between Lola and Ashlynn and Lola and Chance to feel that she was best friends with Ashlynn and "enemies" with Chance. As-is, it wasn't super believable, so it was hard for me to really root for their resolutions when I didn't feel mired in the problem.

On the plus side: the writing was super smooth and flowed really well. I didn't feel confused by or caught up in any parts of the story. I enjoyed how Guatemala bookended it and I reveled in the joyous colors and delicious mangoes. I'd recommend this novel to maybe 2nd or 3rd graders.

[Sandy Grubb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fifth-grader Lola Reyes is indeed worried…all the time, but she and her mom and her friends are avoiding talking about it. During the summer vacation after her father dies, Lola visits her grandmother in Guatemala. She discovers a set of fascinating worry dolls hidden away deep in her grandmother’s closet. Myth says worry dolls can take away her worries. She so wants a quick solution to relieve her heavy burdens, and so, without permission, she brings them home. Big mistake! As the dolls come alive and begin growing to match the size of the worries around them Lola learns she must round them up, make them shrink, and return them to ordinary dolls or else a plague of worry will be released on her community and the world.

Rodriguez weaves together serious topics of grief and a family that stops talking about it with friendship angst as kids grow and change with rich Guatemalan culture with mayhem and chaos that have very fun laugh-out-loud moments. Readers will enjoy getting to know the brilliant Lola along with her old and new friends. There is so much in this story to enjoy and keep the pages turning.

[Lorraine Fernandez Quinones · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Mama, did you know that in Guatemala, kids have these things called Worry Dolls. Actually, they are called Quitapenas. They are little dolls that kids make to tell their worries to and then they hide them under their pillows and their worries go away while they sleep."

Quick #homeschoollanguagearts Word Study Lesson:
quita = to remove
pena = grief
quita+pena= to remove grief

What was your favorite part(s)?
"I really liked all the trouble everyone was getting into. It was pretty funny, but they should have talked about their feelings, so all of this could have been avoided *pause* But then, we wouldn't have a book. hahaha."

"You know, mama, I really liked the ending. I really liked it when Lola's mom shared her true feelings with Lola. I felt Lola's relief. "

Quick Review:
Lola Reyes is So Not Worried is about a child navigating her big emotions concerning her father’s death; dealing with worries and how to handle them. It also highlights the importance of asking for help when needed and talking things out with your mom.

[Shakera · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

In LOLA REYES IS SO NOT WORRIED, when her summer visit to Guatemala is drawing to an end, Lola finds her late father’s worry dolls tucked away with some of his mementos. Craving a connection with him, Lola decides to sneak them into her suitcase to bring home, ignoring the note of warning on the box. After she arrives home and shares her worries with the dolls, she finds that they have come to life—and are growing. When the dolls escape her room, Lola is forced to team up with her neighbor/academic rival Chance to capture the dolls. In the process, she’ll need to face her fears and confront her own feelings.

Navigating a very challenging time in her life, Lola is a rich, multi-dimensional character. A mix of humor and magical realism tempers the more serious issues around changing friendships and dealing with loss and grief that are the center of the story. The cursed worry dolls naturally infuse elements of Guatemalan traditions and culture throughout the story. A fast-paced, magical adventure with heart and depth!

[SOYAMRG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lola Reyes is so Not Worried by Cindy L. Rodriguez is magical realism for girls in grades three through seven.

The novel opens in Guatemala as Lola and the family bury her father and celebrate his life before Lola and her mom return to their home in Sunnyside, Connecticut. When Lola hides in a cubby hole as she and her cousin play hide and seek, she discovers a box of worry dolls. Although her cousin sternly warns her about the curse on the worry dolls, Lola hides the worry dolls in her luggage for the return flight to Sunnyside. Of course, the dolls come to life, escape, and grow larger and larger. Lola and her friend Chance are on a mission to locate the six worry dolls and get them back to their four inch size and hidden away in their box.

Rodriguez has written an engaging novel for middle grade readers that I recommend for purchase.

It is rich with the culture of Guatemala along with realistic family and friend drama and realistic resolutions.

C.S.
Ret. HS English Teacher

[Ashley Gulyas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lola Reyes Is So Not Worried by Cindy L. Rodriguez was such an enjoyable and fast-paced read!

Lola finds her dad’s old worry dolls when she and her mom are back with family in Guatemala for her dad’s celebration of life. She sneaks them home to Connecticut, ignores a note saying they’re cursed, and shares her many worries with one of the dolls.

Well, it turns out the dolls really were cursed, and now they’re alive! And…the more you worry, the larger they get. Can Lola get this situation under control before the ominous end of the curse comes to fruition??

This book blends the fantasy element of the cursed worry dolls perfectly with the SEL elements of friendship challenges, the shift in Lola’s relationship with her mom after her dad’s death (it was already a tricky relationship with her mom being the principal of Lola’s school!), and learning not to bottle up your feelings.

I highly recommend this recently released MG novel!!

[Vinsci Fernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I mean, it’s dangerous to teach children that their worries are going to disappear like magic. That doesn’t happen.”

A fantasy middle grade story about Lola Reyes, a Guatemalan American girl. Lola came back to the US after their visit to Guatemala to celebrate her late father's life. While there, she found a box of her father's worry dolls, which she brought back to the US. Bringing a piece of her dad back home. She eventually ends up sharing her worries and grief with the dolls. The dolls eventually come to life and escape. Lola must now chase the dolls as she realizes the dolls are cursed. Magical, funny, and a touching book. This book talks about how to navigate changes in life and grief. Another thing I love about this book are the pieces of Guatemalan culture shared in the story.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

A magical realism middle-grade fiction that balances the magical trouble (Guatemalan worry dolls that will spread anxiety and grief if they aren't contained) with the real anxieties Lola and her friends are going through in a time of change. I was skeptical that the idea anxieties and fears could be "handled" conclusively to satiate the worry dolls, but Rodriguez does a fantastic job of showing that these mental health issues affect all of us and will never truly go away, while also telling the fun story of little cursed dolls that just want to help. Taking our worries away completely was never the answer. A great J-fiction that handles its subjects with depth. My only concern is that it might be a little on the boring side for some young readers-though the humor and characters are all memorable enough to stick with it.

[Trey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this with my kiddos and it is a great read for talking about worries and feelings and what happens when we hold them in and don’t talk about and process them in a healthy way.

While visiting Guatemala following the death of her father, Lola finds a box of worry dolls and decides to sneak them home. She finds a letter attached that says the dolls are cursed but doesn’t thinks anything of it until she tells them her worries and they come to life and go missing! What follows is a journey to not only find all of the dolls but also a journey of working through some big feelings.

The story starts out a bit heavy as Lola is coming to terms with the loss of her Pop the year before, but the worry dolls coming to life brings in a lot of fun and humor. I have laughed out loud SO much during this book. I’ve actually had to read it on my own at times because I’m loving it so much. (Don’t worry, I reread the parts with my boys so they don’t miss anything 🤪.)

If you’re looking for a book that will spark great conversations with the littles in your life about feelings, worries, anxieties, etc. and the importance of working through them in a healthy way, add this one to your list!

[LS Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had so much fun reading this book! I'm not sure if it's because I empathised with Lola and her attempts to manage grief. Or if it was because I also have some worry dolls and now imagine that they will be coming to life (even though I haven't named them.) This was a classic team-up-with-your-enemy story, with an added component of Guatamalen heritage. I loved that each little worry doll had their own personality. Great, fun read with a serious underlying message about handling anxiety and grief.

[Khaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not read this but this is me rambling.

I have known cindy l rodriguez since september when i first had to read mypaths. She has such a generic formula that when i get a mypath by her I send a photo to my friend groupchat (titled “cindy l rodriguez”) and predict the story with normally 80% accuracy. she has become a meme. I have a pin (made by my friend) that reads “cindy l rodriguez wrote too many gosh darn mypaths”. Never stop writing mypaths, cindy. Just make them less generic for christs sake.

[K.G. Mach · Rating 5 out of 5]

This middle grade book has all the feels - and a great one for middle school students to start the school year with! (It's set at the start of a school year.)
Readers will fall in love with Lola and the worry dolls which each have their own personality and emotions. The author masterfully leads you up to the climactic moment and young readers will connect with the friendship challenges. (I cried!)
This is a wonderful book of friendships, healing, and understanding that none of us suffer alone.

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lola worries a lot until she discovers that her father had some magical dolls that, according to urban legends, are known to take worries away. The thing is... they are alive and the escape.
It is a fun element to a story of loss and grief. Guatemalan American family.
Amazing middle-grade read. Love a cursed traditional urban legend. Learned about the national flower too. Lesson: speaking helps to ease the pain. And sometimes a rival doesn't mean an enemy. Fun paranormal novel.

[Jame_EReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

👦🏻reviews: This is a fascinating book full of feelings—laughter, despair, drama, frustration, worrisome and love. Lola is such an interesting character with crazy curiosity and passion. Do I like this book? Yes I do because in the Philippines Filipinos have many traditions similar to the story. The part when Lola dealt with sadness when her abuelo passed away and her mom’s distance made this story wholesome. This is such a wonderful book!

[Stephanie Wildman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lola plays an innocent game of hide and seek with her cousin in Guatemala, awaiting her father’s memorial celebration. Her discovery during the game sets off a wild ride with supernatural worry dolls running amok when she brings them home to Connecticut. A page turner and fun for any age with “laughter and tears.” I loved this book and would love to spend more time with Lola.

[Judy Rath · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the characters in this one! The worry dolls aspect of the plot was a little uneven for me (liked all the cultural explanation but not so much the supernatural bits of them coming to life). Overall very readable with lots of heart!

[Jessica Homrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story about a fifth grader who experiences a loss, changes, and the worries that come with all of that. A great book to help kids talk about loss, worries, coping skills, and other cultures. As the book says, “let the lava out.”

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing and the presence of the characters take forever to start the story. I need a good story with strong characters’ presence for a good middle grade read.

[Laura Woollett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book with humor and heart!

[Jaclyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ended up liking this one more as it went on. Has some deep topics and a nice platonic female/male friendship