Best Selling Books by Meg Medina

Nora Lopez is seventeen during the summer of 1977, when New York is besieged by arson, a massive blackout, and a serial killer named Son of Sam. Meg Medina transports us to a time when tempers and temperatures ran high to share the story of a young woman who discovers that the greatest dangers are often closer than we like to admit.

The acclaimed author of "T''a Isa Wants a Car" presents a tender story about a little girl whose Spanish-speaking grandmother cannot read in English. A 2016 Pura Belpre Honor Book. Full color.

Winner of the 2019 Newbery Medal Thoughtful, strong-willed sixth-grader Merci Suarez navigates difficult changes with friends, family, and everyone in between in a resonant new novel from Meg Medina. Merci Suarez knew that sixth grade would be different, but she had no idea just how 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.

In Meg Medina''s follow-up to her Newbery Medal-winning novel, Merci takes on seventh grade, with all its travails of friendship, family, love--and finding your rhythm.

From Newbery Medalist Meg Medina, National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, comes a poignant salute to the caregivers who enter a child’s tender world. Ana cannot contain her excitement—her abuela is coming to stay with her and Mami for always! Abuela is sure to let Ana play whenever she wants instead of rushing her off to school, like her neighbor and babysitter, señora Mimí, sometimes does. In fact, as Ana’s classmate points out, she won’t need señora Mimí to babysit at all anymore! But señora Mimí is a good listener, and they have a lot of fun together feeding the squirrels and eating snacks. Maybe Ana isn’t ready to say goodbye to señora Mimí just yet? Masterful storyteller Meg Medina shares a reassuring tale that celebrates caregivers and community and their special role in children''s lives, paired with warm, expressive illustrations by Brittany Cicchese.

Sonia’s entire village believes she has a gift, but it’s only in leaving home that she finds out who she truly is. A compelling tale from a rich new voice in young adult fiction. Sixteen-year-old Sonia Ocampo was born on the night of the worst storm Tres Montes had ever seen. And when the winds mercifully stopped, an unshakable belief in the girl’s protective powers began. All her life, Sonia has been asked to pray for sick mothers or missing sons, as worried parents and friends press silver milagros in her hands. Sonia knows she has no special powers, but how can she disappoint those who look to her for solace? Still, her conscience is heavy, so when she gets a chance to travel to the city and work in the home of a wealthy woman, she seizes it. At first, Sonia feels freedom in being treated like all the other girls. But when news arrives that her beloved brother has disappeared while looking for work, she learns to her sorrow that she can never truly leave the past or her family behind. With deeply realized characters, a keen sense of place, a hint of magical realism, and a flush of young romance, Meg Medina tells the tale of a strongwilled, warmhearted girl who dares to face life’s harsh truths as she finds her real power.

In stunning prose, Medina creates a fantastical world in which a young girl uncovers the true meaning of family, the significance of identity, and the power of a mother''s love.

Tia Isa and her niece try to save enough money to buy a car to take the whole family to the beach.

La abuela de Mia viene a vivir con Mia y sus padres. Cuando Mia eomparte con ella su cuento favorito a la hora de dormir, descubre que la abuela no entiende inglés. Mia la ayuda con el inglés y a la vez ella aprende algunas palabras en español. Pero la abuela no conoce suficientes palabras en inglés para compartir las historias de familia con su nieta. Un dia, Mia ve un loro en una tienda de mascotas y descubre la manera de ayudar a su abuela.

In a satisfying finale to her trilogy, Newbery Medalist Meg Medina follows Merci Suárez into an eighth-grade year full of changes—evolving friendships, new responsibilities, and heartbreaking loss. For Merci Suárez, eighth grade means a new haircut, nighttime football games, and an out-of-town overnight field trip. At home, it means more chores and keeping an eye on Lolo as his health worsens. It’s a year filled with more responsibility and independence, but also with opportunities to reinvent herself. Merci has always been fine with not being one of the popular kids like Avery Sanders, who will probably be the soccer captain and is always traveling to fun places and buying new clothes. But then Avery starts talking to Merci more, and not just as a teammate. Does this mean they’re friends? Merci wants to play it cool, but with Edna always in her business, it’s only a matter of time before Merci has to decide where her loyalty stands. Whether Merci is facing school drama or changing family dynamics, readers will empathize as she discovers who she can count on—and what can change in an instant—in Meg Medina’s heartfelt conclusion to the trilogy that began with the Newbery Medal–winning novel.

Informed that a bully she does not know is determined to beat her up Latin American teen Piddy Sanchez struggles to learn more about the father she has never met, until the bully''s gang forces her to confront more difficult challenges.

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, ha

For Merci Suarez, eighth grade means a new haircut, nighttime football games, and an out-of-town overnight field trip. At home, it means more chores and keeping an eye on Lolo as his health worsens. It''s a year filled with more responsibility and ind

The 2020 Jumpstart Read for the Record Selection (2.24 million readers) * An American Library Association Notable Children’s Book * A Publisher’s Weekly Best Children’s Book of the Year * A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of the Year * A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year From Newbery Medalist and New York Times best-selling author Meg Medina comes the bittersweet story of two girls who will always be each other’s número uno, even though one is moving away. A big truck with its mouth wide open is parked at the curb, ready to gobble up Evelyn’s mirror with the stickers around the edge . . . and the sofa that we bounce on to get to the moon. Evelyn Del Rey is Daniela’s best friend. They do everything together and even live in twin apartments across the street from each other: Daniela with her mami and hamster, and Evelyn with her mami, papi, and cat. But not after today—not after Evelyn moves away. Until then, the girls play amid the moving boxes until it’s time to say goodbye, making promises to keep in touch, because they know that their friendship will always be special. The tenderness of Meg Medina’s beautifully written story about friendship and change is balanced by Sonia Sánchez’s colorful and vibrant depictions of the girls’ urban neighborhood.

“A pleasant selection about ambition, resourcefulness, and never letting go of one’s dreams.” — School Library Journal While Tía Isa wants to save money for a car that will take the whole family to the beach, her niece does odd jobs for neighbors. But it’s hard to save enough when half the money is set aside to someday bring family members who live far away to join them. Meg Medina’s simple, genuine story about keeping in mind those who are far away is written in lovely, lyrical prose and brought to life through Claudio Muñoz’s charming characters.

In these hilarious stories by some of the top authors of middle grade fiction today, each young character is coping with a minor superpower—while also discovering their power to change themselves and their community, find their voice, and celebrate what makes them unique. The kids in these humorous short stories each have a minor superpower they’re learning to live with. One can shape-shift—but only part of her body, and only on Mondays. Another can always tell whether an avocado is perfectly ripe. One can even hear the thoughts of the animals in the pet store! But what these stories are really about is their young protagonists “owning” a power that contributes to their individuality, that allows them to find their place in the world, that shows them a potential they might not have imagined. Because if you really think about it, we all have something special and unique about ourselves that makes us a little bit super. We all have the power to change as an individual, to change our communities for the better, to have a voice and to speak up. These playful, thought-provoking tales from some of today’s top middle grade authors prompt readers to consider what their own superpower might be, and how they can use it. Written by Pablo Cartaya, Nikki Grimes, Leah Henderson, Jarrett Krosoczka, Remy Lai, Kyle Lukoff, Meg Medina, Daniel Nayeri, Linda Sue Park, Mitali Perkins, Pam Muñoz Ryan, Gary D. Schmidt, Brian Young, and Ibi Zoboi; coedited by Leah Henderson and Gary D. Schmidt.

Merci Suárez navigates the trials and tribulations of middle school in this boxed set featuring the heartfelt trilogy from Meg Medina—Newbery Medalist and National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Merci Suárez Changes Gears Even without bossy classmate Edna and her extra community service as a scholarship student, Merci has enough worries, especially since her grandfather, Lolo, has been acting strangely—and no one in her family will tell Merci what’s going on. Merci Suarez knew that sixth grade would be different, but she had no idea just how different. Merci Suárez Can’t Dance Between a no-nonsense teacher who expects her to be as smart as her genius brother, a maybe-crush on her co-manager at the school store, the upcoming Heart Ball, and her grandfather’s worsening condition, seventh grade is going to be a real trial for Merci Suárez. Merci Suárez Plays It Cool For Merci Suárez, eighth grade is a year filled with more responsibility and independence, but also with opportunities to reinvent herself. With such change—and heartbreaking loss—in her life, who will Merci be?

Whether it is basketball dreams, family fiascos, first crushes, or new neighborhoods, this bold short story collection—written by some of the best children’s authors including Kwame Alexander, Meg Medina, Jacqueline Woodson, and many more and published in partnership with We Need Diverse Books—celebrates the uniqueness and universality in all of us. "Will resonate with any kid who''s ever felt different—which is to say, every kid." —Time Great stories take flight in this adventurous middle-grade anthology crafted by ten of the most recognizable and diverse authors writing today. Newbery Medalist Kwame Alexander delivers a story in-verse about a boy who just might have magical powers; National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson spins a tale of friendship against all odds; and Meg Medina uses wet paint to color in one girl’s world with a short story that inspired her Newbery award-winner Merci Suárez Changes Gear. Plus, seven more bold voices that bring this collection to new heights with tales that challenge, inspire, and celebrate the unique talents within us all. AUTHORS INCLUDE: Kwame Alexander, Kelly J. Baptist, Soman Chainani, Matt de la Peña, Tim Federle, Grace Lin, Meg Medina, Walter Dean Myers, Tim Tingle, Jacqueline Woodson “There’s plenty of magic in this collection to go around.” —Booklist, Starred “A natural for middle school classrooms and libraries.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred “Inclusive, authentic, and eminently readable.” —School Library Journal, Starred “Thought provoking and wide-ranging . . . should not be missed.”—Publishers Weekly, Starred “Read more books by these authors.” —The Bulletin, Starred

Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger, a chapter book series about women who spoke up and rose up against the odds--including Pura Belpré! Pura Belpré grew up in Puerto Rico surrounded by stories. When she moved to New York and was offered the chance to work at the New York Public Library, she was thrilled to be able to help share her stories with children—especially multicultural and multilingual children like her. She persisted in bringing Spanish and bilingual storytelling and books to libraries across the city and across the country, and she wrote books and stories of her own to bring even more of her culture to people everywhere. Pura gave Spanish speakers in New York and around the country the opportunity to read and find community in ways they never had before, and she changed the way libraries reach readers even to this day. In this chapter book biography by bestselling and award-winning author Meg Medina, readers learn about the amazing life of Pura Belpré--and how she persisted. Complete with an introduction from Chelsea Clinton, black-and-white illustrations throughout, and a list of ways that readers can follow in Pura Belpré''s footsteps and make a difference! A perfect choice for kids who love learning and teachers who want to bring inspiring women into their curriculum. And don’t miss out on the rest of the books in the She Persisted series, featuring so many more women who persisted, including Sonia Sotomayor, Diana Taurasi, Malala Yousafzai, and more!

Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger, a chapter book series about women who stood up, spoke up and rose up against the odds! In this chapter book biography by Meg Medina, the award-winning author of Merci Suarez Changes Gears and Mango, Abuela, and Me, readers learn about the amazing life of Sonia Sotomayor--and how she persisted. Sonia Sotomayor is the first Latina Supreme Court Justice in the history of the United States, but her road there wasn''t easy. She overcame many challenges along the way, including a diagnosis of diabetes at age seven. But she didn''t let that stop her from achieving her dream and inspiring children all over the world to work hard and believe in themselves. Complete with an introduction from Chelsea Clinton, black-and-white illustrations throughout, and a list of ways that readers can follow in Sonia Sotomayor''s footsteps and make a difference! A perfect choice for kids who love learning and teachers who want to bring inspiring women into their curriculum. And don’t miss out on the rest of the books in the She Persisted series, featuring so many more women who persisted, including Clara Lemlich, Nellie Bly, and more! Praise for She Persisted: Sonia Sotomayor: "Engaging and accessible . . . The compelling story of an inspirational role model." --Kirkus Reviews "This would be a good title for a unit on pioneering women or Latinx individuals. An engaging read for elementary classrooms and a welcome addition to library biography sections." --School Library Journal

La amable y tenaz Merci Suárez, estudiante de sexto grado, lidia con cambios difíciles en sus relaciones con amistades, familiares y el resto del mundo en una nueva y relevante novela de Meg Medina. Merci Suárez sabía que el sexto grado sería diferente, pero no tenía idea alguna lo diferente que resultaría. En primer lugar, Merci nunca se ha parecido a los otros niños de su escuela privada en la Florida, porque tanto ella como Roli, su hermano mayor, son estudiantes becados. Ellos no tienen ni una casa grande ni un yate elegante, y tienen que desempeñar servicios comunitarios adicionales para compensar por su matricula gratis. Así que cuando la mandona de Edna Santos se fija en el nuevo niño que la escuela le ha asignado a Merci como su “amigos de arco iris,” Merci se convierte en el foco de los celos de Edna. Las cosas no andan muy bien en su casa tampoco: Lolo, el abuelo de Merci, su aliado de mayor confianza, ha estado actuando un poco raro últimamente: se le olvida cosas importantes, se cae de la bicicleta y se enoja por cualquier cosa. Nadie en la familia le ha dicho a Merci qué es lo que le aflige, así que Merci tiene que lidiar sola con sus preocupaciones, a la vez que se siente aislada en la escuela. En una historia sobre los ritos de la pre-adolescencia, llena de humor y sabiduría, la galardonada autora Meg Medina llega al fondo del desconcierto y del cambio continuo que caracterizan el último año de la escuela elemental, así como de los lazos inquebrantables de la familia.

Uma garota surge de repente no caminho da adolescente Piddy Sanchez para avisá-la de que Yaqui Delgado vai acabar com ela. Piddy acabou de mudar de escola e nem faz ideia de quem seja Yaqui, muito menos do que pode ter feito de tão errado para apanhar. Mas Yaqui sabe quem ela é, e a odeia. Piddy Sanchez não tem descanso. Ser filha de uma imigrante cubana nos Estados Unidos e crescer sem pai já era bem difícil sem ter alguém a odiando. No ensino médio da nova escola, seu corpo atraente desperta tanto os olhares dos meninos quanto o da esquentada Yaqui, que começa atacando a novata com ameaças cruéis, mas demonstra ser capaz de muito mais que isso, tornando a vida de Piddy um verdadeiro inferno dominado pelo medo. Denunciar Yaqui não é uma opção. Fugir não adianta. O importante agora é sobreviver. O romance explora a questão do bullying nas escolas e fala de violência doméstica, assuntos que vêm sendo cada vez mais discutidos atualmente, por afetar muitas crianças e adolescentes.

A Bank Street College Best Spanish Language Picture Book of the Year/El mejor libro infantil en español del año Evelyn Del Rey es la mejor amiga de Daniela. Hacen todo juntas e incluso viven una al frente de la otra en la misma calle en apartamentos que son casi iguales: Daniela con su mami y su hámster, y Evelyn con su mami, su papi y su gato. Pero no después de hoy—no después de que Evelyn se mudé de su casa. Mientras tanto, las niñas juegan entre las cajas de mudanza hasta la hora de despedirse, y se prometen mantenerse en contacto, pues saben que su amistad siempre será especial. Esta es una tierna historia sobre la amistad y los cambios en la vida, bellamente escrita por Meg Medina, realzada con las ilustraciones coloridas y vibrantes de Sonia Sánchez que describen el vecindario urbano de las niñas.

In Meg Medina’s compelling novel, a Latina teen is targeted by a bully at her new school—and must discover resources she never knew she had. Una mañana antes de ir a clase, una chica le dice a Piddy Sánchez que Yaqui Delgado quiere darle una paliza. Piddy ni siquiera sabe quién es Yaqui, y mucho menos qué es lo que ha hecho para hacerla enfadar. Se dice que Yaqui piensa que Piddy es vanidosa, que se menea al caminar y que no es lo suficiente latina dada su piel blanca, sus buenas calificaciones y su falta de acento. Y Yaqui no bromea, así que mejor que Piddy se cuide su espalda. En un principio, Piddy está más preocupada por saber más sobre su padre al que nunca conoció y cómo equilibrar los cursos de honores y su trabajo de fin de semana en el salón de belleza de su barrio. Pero, a medida que el hostigamiento aumenta, el hecho de evitar a Yaqui y a su grupo empieza a ganar terreno y a ocupar un lugar importante en la vida de Piddy. ¿Existe alguna forma de que Piddy sobreviva sin aislarse o sin escapar? En esta novela fuertemente realista, Meg Medina retrata a una heroína solidaria que es forzada a decidir quién es verdaderamente..

De Meg Medina, ganadora de la Medalla Newbery y Embajadora Nacional de Literatura Juvenil, nos llega este conmovedor homenaje a los que cuidan a los niños y entran en su mundo lleno de ternura. Me quito la manta y me trepo en su regazo. Me pongo su trenza encima de la boca como si fuera un bigote y ella se ríe. Ana no puede controlar su entusiasmo. ¡Su abuela viene a vivir con ella y su mami para siempre! Seguro que Abuela va a dejar a Ana jugar cuando quiera, en vez de meterle prisa para que se vaya la escuela, como a veces hace su vecina y niñera, la señora Mimí. Es más, como le dice su compañera de clase, ¡Ana ya no necesitará que la señora Mimí la cuide! Pero la señora Mimí sabe escuchar, y se divierten mucho juntas dando de comer a las ardillas y merendando. ¿Tal vez Ana aún no esté lista para despedirse de la señora Mimí? Meg Medina, magistral narradora, ofrece una reconfortante historia que rinde homenaje a los que cuidan a los niños y a la comunidad, así como al lugar especial que ocupan en nuestras vidas. Una historia acompañada por las cálidas y expresivas ilustraciones de Brittany Cicchese.

Tía Isa and her niece try to save enough money to buy a car to take the whole family to the beach.

A sea ghost, a mortal boy, and a dangerous enchanted harpoon . . . A Newbery Medalist takes us far beneath the waves in this extraordinary foray into fantasy. In the deepest recesses of the ocean, Graciela—once an ordinary girl—now makes sea glass and assists her friend, Amina, as she welcomes newly awakened sea ghosts from their death sleep. Though Graciela’s spirit is young, she has lived at the bottom of the ocean for more than a hundred years. Meanwhile, in the mortal world on land, twelve-year-old Jorge Leon works in his family’s forge. He’s heard of the supernatural spirits living beneath the ocean’s waves—tales that do nothing to quell his fear of the water. But when Jorge discovers a hand-wrought harpoon with the power to spear a sea ghost, he knows he must destroy it any way he can. When the harpoon is accidentally reunited with its vengeful creator, unlikely allies Graciela and Jorge have no choice but to work together to keep evil spirits from wreaking havoc on both the living and the dead. If only the answer to saving what they care about didn’t lie within the depths of the abyss . . . Newbery Medal winner Meg Medina and illustrators Anna and Elena Balbusso have crafted a thoughtful tale infused with magic and high-stakes adventure that will leave readers wondering what power lies in the depths of the ocean—and inside each of us.

"Hoy es sábado, el día más ajetreado en la panadería, y desde la ventana de mi cuarto veo que el carro de tía aún está en la entrada. El estómago me pega un brinco. La gente aquí a veces guarda secretos acerca de cosas importantes. Ejemplo número uno: no me dijeron nada del Alzheimer de Lolo hasta que yo sola tuve que descubrirlo por mi cuenta el año pasado. ¿Y si ahora guardan otro secreto, esta vez acerca de tía?"--From back cover.

En este ameno final de su trilogía, Meg Medina, ganadora de la Medalla Newbery, nos presenta a Merci Suárez cuando ingresa en el octavo grado y pasa un año lleno de cambios —amistades que evolucionan, nuevas responsabilidades y dolorosas pérdidas—. Para Merci Suárez, el octavo grado significa un nuevo corte de pelo, juegos nocturnos de fútbol americano y una excursión de una noche fuera de la ciudad. También significa más quehaceres en casa y que tendrá que estar pendiente de Lolo si empeora su salud. Es un año repleto de más responsabilidades e independencia, pero también de más oportunidades de reinventarse. Merci siempre ha aceptado el hecho de que no es una de las chicas más populares, como Avery Sanders, quien probablemente será nombrada capitana del equipo de fútbol y siempre está viajando a lugares divertidos y comprándose ropa nueva. Pero entonces Avery comienza a hablarle a Merci más a menudo, y no solo como compañera de equipo. ¿Querrá esto decir que son amigas? Merci quiere hacerse la lista, pero con Edna siempre entrometiéndose en sus asuntos, Merci tendrá que decidir a cuál de las dos le debe lealtad. Ya se trate de los dramas escolares que confronta o los cambios en su dinámica familiar, los lectores sentirán empatía por Merci mientras ella descubre con quién puede contar —y lo que puede cambiar en un instante— en esta emotiva conclusión de la trilogía de Meg Medina, iniciada con su novela ganadora de la Medalla Newbery.

Inspirada en el bestseller #1 del New York Times Ella persistió / She Persisted de Chelsea Clinton y Alexandra Boiger, llega esta serie en Chapter Books sobre mujeres que sobresalieron, lucharon y se levantaron contra viento y marea, como Pura Belpré. Pura Belpré se mudó de Puerto Rico a la ciudad de Nueva York y se hizo bibliotecaria en un momento en que las bibliotecas estaban llenas de sólo libros en inglés. Pero ella sabía que a las personas hispanohablantes también les encantaría poder ir a las bibliotecas, por lo que persistió en implementar programas y libros bilingües en las bibliotecas de toda la ciudad. Ella también escribía sus propias historias y tradujo cuentos puertorriqueños al inglés para que pudieran llegar a un público más amplio. Pura Belpré cambió la manera en que las bibliotecas se acercaban a los lectores y les dio a las comunidades hispanas de toda la ciudad, y del país, la oportunidad de acercarse a los libros y formar ahí un tipo de comunidad que nunca antes habían tenido. En este libro biográfico escrito por la galardonada autora bestseller Meg Medina, los lectores aprenderán sobre la increíble vida de Pura Belpré y cómo ella persistió. ¡El libro incluye una introducción de Chelsea Clinton, ilustraciones en blanco y negro y una lista de maneras en que los lectores pueden seguir los pasos de Pura Belpré y así marcar la diferencia! ¡Y no te pierdas los demás libros de la serie She Persisted, con muchas otras mujeres que persistieron, como Coretta Scott King, Harriet Tubman, Sonia Sotomayor, Malala Yousafzai, Diana Taurasi y otras más!

«美國紐伯瑞文學獎金獎 «美國《出版人週刊》年度最佳童書 «美國夏洛特．哈克獎銀獎 «美國柯克斯書評獎決選 不過是換到難度比較高的檔位，我準備好了！ 升上六年級後，梅西發現一切都變了。班上的女王同學愛德娜對她百般刁難，而最親愛的爺爺又頻頻出現反常的行為。廚房裡大人的竊竊私語、懸宕在空氣中的疑問，讓梅西愈來愈擔心，並感到挫折。他們家不是一向沒有祕密嗎？要到哪一天，家人才不再對她有所隱瞞…… 梅西來自一個古巴移民組成的美國家庭，在一般人眼中可能有點特殊，她住的「小屋」是三棟相連的房屋：祖父母住中間，梅西和父母、哥哥住左邊，姑姑和兩個雙胞胎表弟住右邊，他們的生活緊密交織，彼此間感情深厚。然而，近來家中的大家長爺爺頻頻發生反常行為，認錯自己的孫子、騎車摔倒、性格變得易怒無常，讓梅西相當擔憂。面對梅西的疑問，爺爺選擇閃爍其詞，甚至要她幫忙保密，這讓梅西陷入困惑掙扎，因為他們家一向沒有祕密。 另一方面，相較於周遭家境寬裕的同學，梅西必須拿獎助學金才能進私立學校就讀，她不僅深切感受到物質上的差異，也必須多做好幾小時的勞動服務以換取就讀資格。明明自己的聰明才智不輸旁人，為什麼她就得努力證明自己？梅西深感不公平。 升上六年級後，梅西被迫加入「陽光學伴」社團，老師指派給她的學伴是新轉學生──高大帥氣的麥可，害她被女王同學愛德娜盯上，因為愛德娜顯然對麥可很感興趣。但梅西對於異性卻毫無想法，她只是納悶為什麼午餐時間一到，男生、女生自動走向不同的桌子？為什麼麥可對於愛德娜的殷勤舉動，他的回答竟是「也許喜歡」？那究竟代表什麼意思？ 家庭和學校生活的巨變狂潮襲來，梅西一面體悟改變的意義，一面摸索自我的定位。她下定決心，即使未來充滿不確定性，自己也已經準備好面對改變。 作者梅格．梅迪納擅長描寫青少年幽微的情懷以及青春期的躁動不安，被譽為美國新一代的茱蒂．布倫。她筆下的女主角梅西堅強果敢，勇於追求內心渴望的事物，對家人和朋友極為忠實。書中古巴裔家庭成員之間深厚的情感牽絆，讓人為之動容，即使至親失智症狀加劇，他們仍保持堅強樂觀，做彼此最溫暖的依靠。《梅西換檔上路》處處透露真摯的情感，真實呈現青少年成長過程中的茫然或是笨拙，而機智幽默、開朗熱情的梅西就如同一抹溫暖的光亮，照進我們的心房。

Seventh grade is going to be a real trial for Merci Suarez. She''s tangling again with classmate Edna Santos, who is bossier and more obnoxious than ever now that she is in charge of the annual Heart Ball. One thing is for sure, though: Merci Suarez can''t dance-not at the Heart Ball or anywhere else.

Tía Isa and her niece try to save enough money to buy a car to take the whole family to the beach.

Thoughtful, strong-willed sixth-grader Merci Suarez navigates the difficult changes with friends, family, and classmates. In Spanish.

Seventh grade is going to be a real trial for Merci Suarez. She''s tangling again with classmate Edna Santos, who is bossier and more obnoxious than ever now that she is in charge of the annual Heart Ball. One thing is for sure, though: Merci Suarez can''t dance-not at the Heart Ball or anywhere else. In Spanish.