Release: September 11th 2018
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Source: Amazon
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N
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Winner of the Newbery Medal
A New York Times Bestseller
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. But, 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 . He forgets important things, falling from his bike, and getting angry over nothing. No one in her family will tell Merci what’s going on. And 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.
About the Author:
Meg Medina is the author of the Newbery Medal–winning book Merci Suárez Changes Gears, which was also a 2018 Kirkus Prize finalist. Moreover, her young adult novels include Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass, which won the 2014 Pura Belpré Author Award; Burn Baby Burn, which was on the long list for the National Book Award; and The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind. She is also the author of picture books Mango, Abuela, and Me, illustrated by Angela Dominguez, which was a Pura Belpré Author Award Honor Book, and Tía Isa Wants a Car, illustrated by Claudio Muñoz, which won the Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award. The daughter of Cuban immigrants, she grew up in Queens, New York, and now lives in Richmond, Virginia..
Merci Suárez Changes Gears Review:
Life in Seaward pines Academy can be rough, and Merci finds herself amidst the drama in “Merci Suárez Changes Gears,” a beautiful middle-grade novel.
Firstly, I enjoyed the theme of the story and how the author executed it. It is refreshing reading various representations in middle-grade novels, and I loved how the author portrayed Merci. Merci is a strong protagonist as she stands up for herself and fights mean girls like Edna. Moreover, Merci comes from a large family and has to deal with various situations her family members go through.
Similarly, the author does a beautiful job of balancing Merci’s school life with her family life and how she has to tackle both of them. The author made me go through multiple emotions as I read this tale. I laughed out loud at the eyebrow incident and felt terrible for the family when Merci realized what was happening with Lolo. I loved Merci’s relationship with Lolo and found it one of the highlights of the tale. Merci goes through a lot in the story, and it was refreshing to see how she comes out strong from her experiences.
Moreover, even the supporting characters like Roli, Michael, Lena, and Hannah added nicely to the supporting cast. I liked how the author made the book feel as authentic as possible when we see quite a few Spanish phrases used in the conversations. Although my Spanish is rusty, I had no trouble following what they were saying.
Overall, “Merci Suárez Changes Gears” is a charming middle-grade realistic fiction that is worth reading.
