Newbery Medal Winner
A New York Times Bestseller

“The realistic depiction of a young Latina’s complex life is one many readers will identify with. . . . Medina gets to the hearts of readers.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

Merci Suárez knew sixth grade would be different, but she had no idea how different. For starters, as strong and thoughtful as Merci is, she has never been entirely like the other kids at her private Florida school, because she and her older brother, Roli, are scholarship students. They don’t have a big house or fancy boat, and they have to do extra community service to make up for the 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 off his bike, and getting angry for no reason. And Merci is left to her own worries, because no one in her family will tell her what’s going on. Winner of the 2019 Newbery Medal, New York Times best-selling author Meg Medina gets to the heart of the confusion and constant change that defines middle school—and the steadfast connection that defines family.

Ages 9-12

Product Dimensions: 5.56 x 0.95 x 7.81 inches