Merci Su'rez Changes Gears, Hardcover

Contributor(s):

• Author: Meg Medina

Thoughtful, strong-willed sixth-grader Merci Suarez navigates difficult changes with friends, family, and everyone in between in a resonant new novel from Meg Medina.

Merci Suarez knew that sixth grade would be different, but she had no idea just how different. For starters, Merci has never been like the other kids at her private school in Florida, because she and her older brother, Roli, are scholarship students. They don't have a big house or a fancy boat, and they have to do extra community service to make up for their free tuition. So when bossy Edna Santos sets her sights on the new boy who happens to be Merci's school-assigned Sunshine Buddy, Merci becomes the target of Edna's jealousy. Things aren't going well at home, either: Merci's grandfather and most trusted ally, Lolo, has been acting strangely lately -- forgetting important things, falling from his bike, and getting angry over nothing. No one in her family will tell Merci what's going on, so she's left to her own worries, while also feeling all on her own at school. In a coming-of-age tale full of humor and wisdom, award-winning author Meg Medina gets to the heart of the confusion and constant change that defines middle school -- and the steadfast connection that defines family.
 
Review citations

• Booklist / Best Of The Best/Highly Recommended - pg. 99 - 06/01/2018
• Booklist / Exceptional Presentation - pg. 99 - 06/01/2018
• Booklist / Book Of Special Distinction - pg. 99 - 06/01/2018
• Booklist / Top 15 Book Of The Year - pg. 99 - 06/01/2018
• Booklist / Highly Recommended - pg. 99 - 06/01/2018
• School Library Journal / Best Of The Best/Highly Recommended - pg. 62 - 07/01/2018
• School Library Journal / Exceptional Presentation - pg. 62 - 07/01/2018
• School Library Journal / Book Of Special Distinction - pg. 62 - 07/01/2018
• School Library Journal / Top 15 Book Of The Year - pg. 62 - 07/01/2018
• School Library Journal / Highly Recommended - pg. 62 - 07/01/2018
• Kirkus Reviews / Best Of The Best/Highly Recommended - pg. 130 - 07/15/2018
• Kirkus Reviews / Exceptional Presentation - pg. 130 - 07/15/2018
• Kirkus Reviews / Book Of Special Distinction - pg. 130 - 07/15/2018
• Kirkus Reviews / Top 15 Book Of The Year - pg. 130 - 07/15/2018
• Kirkus Reviews / Highly Recommended - pg. 130 - 07/15/2018
• Publishers Weekly / Best Of The Best/Highly Recommended - 08/06/2018
• Publishers Weekly / Exceptional Presentation - 08/06/2018
• Publishers Weekly / Book Of Special Distinction - 08/06/2018
• Publishers Weekly / Top 15 Book Of The Year - 08/06/2018
• Publishers Weekly / Highly Recommended - 08/06/2018
• Horn Book Magazine / Best Of The Best/Highly Recommended - pg. 90 - 09/01/2018
• Horn Book Magazine / Exceptional Presentation - pg. 90 - 09/01/2018
• Horn Book Magazine / Book Of Special Distinction - pg. 90 - 09/01/2018
• Horn Book Magazine / Top 15 Book Of The Year - pg. 90 - 09/01/2018
• Horn Book Magazine / Highly Recommended - pg. 90 - 09/01/2018
• Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks - 09/01/2018
• Kirkus Reviews Fall Preview / Best Of The Best/Highly Recommended - pg. 63 - 08/15/2018
• Kirkus Reviews Fall Preview / Exceptional Presentation - pg. 63 - 08/15/2018
• Kirkus Reviews Fall Preview / Book Of Special Distinction - pg. 63 - 08/15/2018
• Kirkus Reviews Fall Preview / Top 15 Book Of The Year - pg. 63 - 08/15/2018
• Kirkus Reviews Fall Preview / Highly Recommended - pg. 63 - 08/15/2018