The Newbery Medal was named for
eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery. It is awarded annually by
the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the
American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished
contribution to American literature for children.
2019 Medal Winner
Merci Suárez Changes Gears, written by Meg Medina, published by Candlewick Press.
Using humor and grace, Merci, a charming
and plucky protagonist, cycles through life’s challenges with the support of
her intergenerational family. This richly nuanced novel tackles the complexity
of navigating a multicultural identity amidst changing family dynamics.
“Meg Medina’s warm and honest novel
masterfully depicts one Cuban-American family’s life with authenticity and
empathy,” said Newbery Medal Committee Chair Ellen M. Riordan.
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.
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