Merci Suárez Changes Gears

XX min read

Author(s)	Meg Medina
Illustrator(s)
Age Group	9-12
Publisher	Candlewick
ISBN	978-0763690496
Year	2018

Merci Suárez 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 get scholarships. 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. This coming-of-age book gets to the heart of the confusion and constant change that defines middle school — and the steadfast connection that defines family.

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