Thank you to Meg Medina and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Merci Suárez Changes Gears. This book is fabulous! I plan to buy it for my daughter as soon as it's out.

Entering middle school is a challenge for any kid. Merci has extra obstacles to face: she's a scholarship kid of a different race than most of her private-school classmates, she's not super rich, and she's noticing that something about her grandfather is not quite right anymore. Plus, her friends are starting to pair off into couples, and she's not ready for that. Merci must face down classmates who'll do anything to win, academically and socially. A good look at what it's like to be a 6th-grader under a variety of pressures.

Merci is growing up and leaving elementary school behind. Her first semester in 6th grade brings joys and triumphs, but also mistakes at school and troubles at home. When we grow up, we begin to learn more of the bad things about the world around us. We also have to learn to get along with others in our classrooms and in our homes despite circumstances that make it difficult. In this book we watch Merci stumble and pick herself up time after time. She is learning to deal with the changes and difficulties we find in our daily lives and middle grade readers will learn much from reading her story.
My older brain struggled a bit with the Spanish phrases throughout (I studied German back in the day), but I would guess that most elementary kids are exposed to more Spanish than I was at their age and will sail right through.

Thank you to Candlewick Press and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book.

“Thoughtful, strong-willed sixth-grader Merci Suarez navigates difficult changes with friends, family, and everyone in between.”

I absolutely LOVED this book for so many reasons. As a mixed Mexican and American household, I want my children to have an appreciation for their Mexican heritage and culture but our family life primarily follows my Minnesotan/Scandinavian family traditions. It is discouragingly difficult to find Latino characters in books without heavy themes of immigration. There is a growing number of mixed families like ours and even 100% Latino heritage families that are 1st and 2nd and 3rd generation Americans now. It is essential to have children’s literature that reflects on the normal experience of growing up as a minority American and not the over-tired, politically hot topic of immigration. This book delivered.

Meg Medina effortlessly entwined this wonderful story with subtle references to Cuban and Latino culture like having a big meal at 3 o’clock and then having snacks in the evening and multi-generational family living with everyone taking care of each other. I also loved the description of the different food they eat for Thanksgiving and at (Christmas Eve) Nochebuena eating the meal at 11 p.m. and having the festivities go in to the wee hours of the morning. That is one of the cultural experiences that stands out in my mind the most from spending time with my husband’s Mexican family, compared to my Minnesota one. The way Medina describes every family celebration is brilliant because she makes them sound beautiful and festive while Merci’s voice is pointing out how she knows it is different than the other kids at school. Different but not “wrong.” I have to mention her one stereotype of a Minnesotan that made me laugh... When Merci's Sunshine Buddy and new kid in school says "Uff-da." Yes, I'll admit.... we really DO say that in Minnesota =)

Medina managed to bring up negative stereotypes of Latinos without making them the focus of the story. Like when Merci and her Papi and Lolo (her grandfather) were painting bathrooms and she was looking at the fancy ballroom and ocean and the employee came up and asked what she was doing. “She looks at me like I’m up to no good. This happens sometimes on our jobs. Some customers watch us, as if we might take things when they’re not looking.” Another part reflecting on issues regarding Latino (or any minority) youth that is relevant right now is when Merci’s parents are discussing her going to the movie at night with her friends and decide her 17-year-old brother has to accompany her but even that makes them nervous because the theater is in an area where fights sometimes happen. “I’ve heard them talk to him [older brother] before he takes the car. What to do if he’s stopped by police, where not to be, how your hands never go into your pockets.”

It was interesting to see the dynamic between the children of the grandfather versus how Merci related to him. How Merci’s dad and her aunt argue over whose turn it is to take their father to appointments and have conversations between themselves about “what is best” for their aging parents. I think that is a very real portrayal of a situation like that where family is dealing with an older and ailing parent. Merci notices this and reflects on how her parents are treating the grandparents as if they were children and her confusion about the role reversal.

I have to admit that this book made me cry in a few spots. The emotions were so true and raw and relatable for anyone that has dealt with a family member showing signs of memory loss. When Merci talked about being embarrassed about introducing her grandfather to her friends and wondering if we would do anything “weird.” And then her moments of anger with him. And sadness. Ugh. I am crying even as I write these reflections because I see my own mother repeating stories she told me the day before, stumbling more than she used to, misplacing items more and more frequently, forgetting the fact that we used to watch “Murder She Wrote” together every Sunday during my whole childhood, even though it is one of my most cherished growing up “routines” with her. Alzheimer’s Disease or Dementia and the reality of losing someone piece by piece even though they are still physically with you is something that isn’t talked about in children’s literature despite the tens of thousands of children and their parents experiencing it. Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States with five million people currently living with the disease. Yet this is the first children’s book I’ve ever read that mentions the realities of the disease.

Finally, it is impossible to not appreciate the perfectly captured experience of entering middle school and all the moments of realization that sixth grade is very different from elementary school. The beginnings of puberty and training bras, the blooming of crushes and changing dynamic between boys and girls. Mean girls, making new friends, being left out, standing up against someone, disappointment and the ebb and flow of popularity and social dynamics. “How does it work that the same Kids who followed Edna around all the time really seemed to like seeing her in trouble? How can somebody popular have so many people glad to see her crash? ‘Maybe like’ might be confusing, but ‘popular’ is even weirder. Turns out, it’s not the same thing as having friends at all.”

I highly recommend this book to anyone with a 5th – 6th grader as it brings up lots of potential conversations about middle school social struggles and even the emotions of going from one teacher to having many teachers. For children with a grandparent or family member suffering from Alzheimer’s or Dementia this book is a must read. The book has enough diversity of characters to appeal to all children, but is especially good for Latino children who may not have as much exposure to seeing characters that are “like” them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for providing me with a free digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. I can’t wait for this to be released on September 11th so I can get a finished copy.

#MerciSuarez #NetGalley #CandlewickPress #MiddleGradeLit #MGLit #ChildrensBooks #LatinoLiterature #LatinoLit #Alzheimers

Merci Suarez is a delightful book for middle school students that deals with the changes and challenges of being a tween. Merci and her brother Roli are scholarship students at a posh private school in Florida, a situation that includes its own challenges, including extra community service hours. The author has done an outstanding job of depicting life in middle school and in a multi-generational family. Merci has to try to fit in, has her first crush, and has to deal with her beloved grandfather’s health issues. Other themes that the author dos a good job of addressing are the idea of rich versus poor and how important family is. Edna Santos is the bully in the novel and is portrayed realistically, as are the teachers in the book who touch Merci’s life. The Spanish language is used throughout the book, in a descriptive and natural conversational style. Merci is a likable young lady with a lot of challenges and a message for other tweens during puberty and facing the regular problems in middle school.

Growing up is full of complicated changes and Merci Suarez is learning how complicated life can get. Dealing with changing friendships, harder classes, and changing family life is proving to be overwhelming.
Merci is starting sixth grade at Seaward Pines Academy, a private school that she attends on a scholarship. Merci isn't showing up to school in a fancy SUV, she's showing up in her father's work van he uses for his painting business. Instead of expensive vacations at the beach, Merci spends her weekends working alongside her dad or babysitting her cousins. Also, no fancy houses for the Suarez family-they live in a group of three pink houses where are all family members come and go, regardless of who lives where. All of this is starting to make Merci frustrated about the things she doesn't have but when her grandfather's dementia becomes worse, Merci learns that her tight-knit family has everything they really need.
A wonderful story that shows the pressures children feel in school to be successful and how that pressure is amplified when you're constantly trying to prove that you belong. The author did an excellent job of depicting real childhood friendships and how popularity affects everyone. The Suarez family felt so real-the way they worked together, ate together, shared childcare, and how events in the story really impacted them. It was all written with such heart and feeling. A thoroughly enjoyable read that I can't wait to add to the shelf.

Merci Suarez is an eleven year old grappling with challenges like new classes, attending a posh private school where all her classmates are wealthier and a grandfather who's becoming more and more forgetful. Still, Merci is one of the most outstanding characters I've read. She's brilliant, confident and fiercely determined.

I loved so many things about this book: Merci's loud, big hearted family, whose voices I could literally hear while I read, her laugh-out-loud humor and the completely riveting experience that this book is. This is definitely in my top five this year! Just buy it, and read it. You'll laugh, and maybe even cry as you read this one! ALL THE STARS.

A great read! It started a little slow; I felt really pulled in at the time of her car accident. The ending was great! Loved how things like Michael and Rachel ended together, Edna got her due, and Vicente showed up at the end.

The running plot about her grandpa was heartbreaking, but drew me in well.

I loved how Merci's culture was not a thing of problem; it was part of her experience, and that made me love her family and background all the more.

This was a great story about changes…some good-some not. The changes took place within a school and family environment. Each setting set the tone for interesting and realistic interactions.
Merci had to deal with many different changes. At times she felt frustrated and rightfully so, especially when she learned about her beloved grandfather’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis. The author did a wonderful job describing the fear, confusion, and loss of self, not only for Lolo, but for the other family members as well in dealing with this devastating disease.
This was a very well written story about life’s many different changes-from the perspective of an 11 year old. It was both funny and sentimental and will be enjoyed by readers of all ages.
Very highly recommended!

My 84 yo father in law who has dementia lives with us so that part of the story was meaningful to me. There is a lot going on with this book and I wished that the plot was a bit tighter. There was the whole mean girl plot with the family trouble scenario and overall although I liked it, it could have been better.

This is a charming story about Merci as she navigates the jungles of 6th grade. We all remember it as a time where things change: friendships, feelings, family relations…nothing seems as simple as it once was. Experiences with the Queen Bee of the grade, a new boy in school, and friends all of a sudden becoming uninterested in old pastimes and instead turning attention to boys will be familiar to any middle-schooler. Add in a tight-knit multi-generational family that faces major changes and Merci certainly has her hands full. She tackles most of this with humor and a bit of self-deprecation, and learns a lot about people and herself along the way. One incident in particular teaches her that being popular does not necessarily equate to having friends, which is certainly a lesson every middle-schooler should learn. The title itself is clever. Throughout the story, it becomes apparent that it has multiple meanings. Ultimately relateable and told in a voice that will be easy for middle schoolers to understand, this is a book that should be in every middle school library. Thank you to NetGalley, Candlewick Press, and the author for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had the opportunity to read a NetGalley digital ARC of this middle grade fiction novel in exchange for this review. This book tells the story of sixth-grader, Merci Suarez, as she navigates the stresses at home and at school. At home, her grandfather keeps acting strangely and forgetting things, which makes it difficult for her family to take care of him and the younger children at the same time. At school, she has to deal with the changing tides of popularity, cliques, and the attention of boys.
The author does a terrific job of presenting all of this in an entertaining, engaging, and relatable way for middle grade kids. According to the author’s note at the end of the book, she “wanted to celebrate grandparents and families that live intergenerationally, the way we often see in Latino families. But I also wanted to write about change in families. We all change, especially as we grow up, but adults change, too. And, as we all know, not every change is a good one.”
Lolo, Merci’s grandfather, is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. As this disease progresses, his behavior becomes more erratic and unpredictable. The author captures the range of emotions that Merci experiences as this situation is revealed to her.
I really enjoyed this book. I think that it hits some very important themes for middle grade kids – change both in terms of growing up and the way circumstances around us change both for good and bad. This is definitely going to be a popular book this year.

Merci hates change, but sixth grade means other kids are starting to act differently (why are the girls giggling around the boys). She’s paired with a new boy in the Sunshine Club, which gives mean girl Edna ammunition to tease Merci relentlessly. And then there’s Merci’s grandfather, Lolo, who is changing in ways that none of Merci’s family wants to talk about.

I loved this middle grade novel, which perfectly captures what it feels like to be a tween in a large extended family, maneuvering through middle school. Life is not fair, and change is relentless, but Merci learns that her family will always be there for her and each other. I also felt tenderly toward Lolo. My own grandfather, who lived with us and was like my second father, also suffered from Alzheimer’s.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc.

I really enjoyed this book. I've read Meg Medina's Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass, but I had not read any of her work for younger readers before.

In this story we see Merci, a young girl who is adjusting to changes in her life (starting middle school, ageing grandparents, older brother about to leave for college) and finding she is starting to resent all the obligations that her extended family dumps on her, and sacrifices they expect of her, without ever including her in the conversation or decision making. Plus, her beloved grandfather who she has always had a special relationship with, begins to act strangely, leaving Merci with very mixed feelings when he asks her not to tell anyone about his "incidents".

This story deals with all the typical tween-angst of navigating friendships, frenemies, changing social structures in middle school, trying to become more independent, dealing with parental and familial expectations, all with the added nuances of the cultural expectations. There is the added conflict of having a relative with Alzheimer's, at first not understanding the odd behavior, angry outbursts, and forgetfulness, and then feeling angry and betrayed after finding out the family knew of the illness for some time and kept it from her.

I thought the story was well-written and well-paced, with great characters. I loved Merci's whole extended family, but I greatly emphathized with her resentment of the unfair expectations put on her. I think this is a great story for all young readers, but those who have similar close, extended family units would appreciate seeing that type of family represented.

Not only does Merci have to deal with ‘mean girl’ issues as a 6th grader, she also has family issues. Meg Medina writes Merci’s story in such a way that makes you laugh, cry, and get angry right along with the characters. So much is going on in the story, but what child’s life doesn’t have multiple aspects? Money. Being 11. Extended family chaos. Middle school. Friends. Change. Illness. And more. I loved this book and can’t wait to share it.

Excellent, well-written novel with appealing characters. Please write a sequel so we can find out what Merci does next!

It didn’t grab me right away—it seemed like it was going to be a fairly generic school story. But I liked the voice, the writing, and the sense of place--and of course the extended family! And it deepens a lot as it goes. The mean girl story is nuanced and the plotline about the grandfather is very moving.

I very much enjoyed this title. Merci is a well-rounded character that students will identify with and/or root for. Her struggles in school and with her family are realistic and well done. I will certainly purchase and recommend to students.

Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina

Note: My professional goal for this year is to read 50+ diverse books. As I attempt to read and review these books, I will be answering the following questions for each book:

Brief plot summary
Merci is a sixth grader in her second year at a private school. Merci and her brother are scholarship students and do not have as much money as the other students. Not only does she have challenges at school, her grandfather is also starting to act different at home. Merci is just a kid trying to figure out her place in the world.

How is the book diverse?
Merci’s family is Hispanic and live in an intergenerational family.

Opinion & reason for rating
I gave this book five stars. Merci’s point of view is both unique but also completely relatable to any sixth grade girl. It is an easy middle grade novel to read and the story flows well. The secondary characters are very involved in the story especially Merci’s grandfather who is getting forgetful and acting differently. Family is a strong theme throughout the book.

How does the book impact me as a person and as a teacher? Why does this book matter?
This book impacts me as a teacher because it helps to remind me that students come to school with home on their minds. Families are made up of many different types - Merci’s family just happens to be intergenerational. Some of my students may be able to connect with Merci in this way or in other ways like her love of soccer. She is a strong female protagonist who is very likeable and the reader is rooting for her to have a good sixth grade year. This book matters because so many protagonists are white and it is refreshing to read about a Hispanic family with a strong sense of culture and family. Every year only a small percentage of books that are published have a non-white protagonist. More students need to be able to see themselves in books so they can fall more deeply in love with books.

I would recommend this book to...
Sixth graders who are just starting middle school and can connect to Merci’s story. I will be recommending this book to my students!

Had to set this one down more than once because it was making me misty. There’s the grandmother who never fails to take care of the family (does she ever get tired?) and a grandfather that’s forgetting what the twins look like, falling, and wandering into the streets, oh my heart. Medina writes wonderfully without ever sugar coating the situation and at the same time, mixes in complexities of being just a little different in middle school.