{"product_id":"merci-suarez-changes-gears","title":"Merci Suárez Changes Gears","description":"\u003cb\u003eWinner of the Newbery Medal\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e Bestseller\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eThoughtful, strong-willed sixth-grader Merci Suarez navigates difficult changes with friends, family, and everyone in between in a resonant new novel from Meg Medina.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eMerci Suarez knew that sixth grade would be different, but she had no idea just \u003ci\u003ehow\u003c\/i\u003e 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMeg Medina\u003c\/b\u003e, the 2023­­­­-2024 National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, is a Cuban American author who writes for readers of all ages. Her middle-grade novel \u003ci\u003eMerci Suárez Changes Gears\u003c\/i\u003e received a Newbery Medal and was a \u003ci\u003eNew York Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e Notable Children's Book of the Year, among many other distinctions. Its sequel, \u003ci\u003eMerci Suárez Can't Dance\u003c\/i\u003e, received five starred reviews, while \u003ci\u003eMerci Suárez Plays It Cool\u003c\/i\u003e received four stars, with \u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e calling it \"a fabulous finale to a memorable trilogy.\" Her most recent picture book, \u003ci\u003eEvelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away\u003c\/i\u003e, received honors including a Charlotte Zolotow Award and was the 2020 Jumpstart Read for the Record selection, reaching 2.24 million readers. She received a Pura Belpré Author Award Honor for her picture book \u003ci\u003eMango, Abuela, and Me\u003c\/i\u003e. Her young adult novel \u003ci\u003eBurn Baby Burn\u003c\/i\u003e earned numerous distinctions, including being long-listed for the National Book Award and short-listed for the Kirkus Prize. Meg Medina received a Pura Belpré Author Award and a Cybils Award for her young adult novel \u003ci\u003eYaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass\u003c\/i\u003e, which has been adapted and illustrated as a graphic novel by Mel Valentine Vargas. She also received an Ezra Jack Keats Writer Award for her picture book \u003ci\u003eTía Isa Wants a Car\u003c\/i\u003e. When she is not writing, Meg Medina works on community projects that support girls, Latino youth, and literacy. She lives with her family in Richmond, Virginia.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Candlewick Press (MA)","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50608505127186,"sku":"9780763690496","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_4ba6ea2c-6829-4cca-bc74-909f28538ca7.jpg?v=1732322232","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/merci-suarez-changes-gears","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}