Newbery Medal Winner
Merci Suárez Changes Gears
by Meg Medina
Summary
Merci Suárez is a scholarship student at a private Florida school where she navigates friendships, family expectations, and the awkward early stages of growing up. As her beloved grandfather Lolo begins to change in ways she does not understand, Merci confronts the realities of aging and illness within her close Cuban American family. Meg Medina blends humor and tenderness in a coming of age story about identity, belonging, and the bonds across generations.
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Historical Context & Significance
Meg Medina became the first Cuban American author to win the Newbery Medal, and she later served as the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature.