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.

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.

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.

Merci Suarez lives in Las Casitas with her family--those are three small houses in a row, where she lives with mom, dad and brother, Abuela and Lol and are next door, and Tia Inez and the twins are in the third house. She's got lots of family responsibilities but also lots of love at home. Merci is learning how to grow into herself this 6th grade year, when they don't have recess and they now have to change for gym, revealing whether you have a bra or not. But more that than, something is going on with Lolo, her grandfather, and it's changing things. He's forgetting things and getting mad. He's just not the same grandfather. What is happening?

There are definitely elements of a classic school story and a family story in here, but they feel so real and grounded in Merci's family. Medina's writing is spot on, everyone feels real and like they have a real story to tell even if you only see a snippet in this book. I'd happily read a pile of books about the Suarez family.

Medina's new book will appeal to both boys and girls. The strong and engaging voice moves the plot along nicely. Readers will love the story of family, especially those dealing with a family illness. This will be an excellent title to recommend to those students. Although not a new topic to be addressed in children's literature, this is the first title that I can remember that has dealt with family illness from the perspective of a Latina family.

E ARC from Netgalley.com



Merci lives next door to her grandparents, Abuela and Lolo, and her aunt and younger twin cousins. Her father has a house painting company, and she and her older brother Roli go to a fancy private school on scholarship so that they have every opportunity. Merci finds it a bit difficult to deal with her well-t-o-do classmates, especially the snooty Edna, who is one reason that Merci is saving up her money for a fancy new bike. Merci has to be a Sunshine Buddy and is assigned to Michael, a new student from Minnesota, and isn't thrilled to have to show him around, especially since Edna "like likes" him and makes life difficult for Merci. Merci doesn't need help with that-- her Lolo is having trouble with his memory, and her aunt needs someone to watch the twins, so Merci is not allowed to try out for the school soccer team. There are a lot of school projects being assigned, and Merci sometimes has to work with Edna on them, with disastrous results. As her grandfather's memory worsens, her brother applies to colleges, and the family has to deal with a number of struggles, Merci needs to learn to grow up and help her family instead of being focused only on her own personal concerns.

Strengths: It's nice to see multigenerational families living near each other-- my own neighborhood has a lot of that. The grandparents are especially fun, and the Cuban culture and food vividly portrayed. Merci's struggles with classmates, projects, and assignments, as well as her changing relationship with her brother, are all very realistic. This reminds me a bit of The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z, but set in Florida.

Weaknesses: The cover isn't particularly great, and there is a LOT going on in the book. Tightening it up would have put more of a focus on the important issues and saved some repetition of less interesting school aspects. Ah. This author has done several YA books, including Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass; it's hard to switch gears between these age groups, even though the author has also done some picture books.

What I really think: Definitely purchasing, although it always surprises me that families don't expect or discuss mental diminution in the elderly. After my mother was diagnosed with Parkinsons a dozen years ago, we told the girls exactly what to expect. My mother is doing fairly well for 84, but none of us are surprised when she is confused. I guess it makes a better story the other way, since almost all books dealing with grandparents and dementia react with denial.

Merci Suárez experiences both the ups and the downs of growing up and learns that change is an inevitable and necessary part of life.

Merci lives with her intergenerational family - her parents and her brother, her Lolo and Abuela, and her Tia and twin cousins. She attends a private school in exchange for community service and often feels out of place amongst her peers. Merci not only faces challenges with fitting in at school, but she is also trying to understand why Lolo suddenly seems to be acting strange. He forgets, makes mistakes, and displays anger that is uncharacteristic of him and, although Merci is worried, her family will not tell her what is going on.

Reading this book, I enjoyed the window into Merci's supportive and loving family. The bond between Merci and Lolo is especially sweet and the book gives insight into how grandparents might change as they grow older. Middle grade readers will also be able to relate to Merci's struggles to fit in and get along with classmates and can learn from the ways in which she manages to cope. With hope and humor, this is an engaging story and one that will touch the heart.

Captures the essence of middle school perfectly: the troubles of fitting in among, the frustration of butting heads with your parents, puberty and the confusing aspects of romance. It also tackles classism and the experience of being poor in an environment where everyone else is rich and the alienation that comes with it. I loved or loved to hate the characters and watching Merci grow was satisfying.

Friends. This is the read aloud for your classrooms next school year, please please make it happen ! It’s a beautiful interconnected inter generational story about relationships and change. It also gets into class/SES in such important ways and I wish I had this one as a scholarship kid at a private school growing up. I related to this book so dearly and loved the way the author created such a strong, authentic 11 year old voice for this super lovable main character, Mercedes. I adore her, and even better, she has an amazing cast of characters within her family too. Sometimes being in a tight knit family is hard, especially when it comes to giving everyone the space to change in their own lives while still functioning as part of a cohesive family unit. Watching our loved ones change is hard, and we’re not always (often not!) ready for it, but changing also brings new adventures that enrich our lives too. Change means trying again at friendships, trying again with our identities, or trying again at love. I’m so sad I won’t be directly in a classroom to do this one as a read aloud next year because it’s PERFECT for it. If you teach 3-5 this is the read aloud for your little classroom community. Please!

Well done, Meg Medina, you are a rockstar writer and you made something I cannot wait to share with kids, this is a new favorite. .