From ALSC: "Eleven-year-old Cuban American Merci Suárez balances the demands of her multi-generational family with the challenges of being a scholarship student at a private school in Florida." From Kirkus: "Medina delivers another stellar and deeply moving story."

Been reading my way through the Newberrys and this one really hit home. Spoiler alert…. The book deals with Alzheimer’s and the family fails to share the diagnosis with the twelve year old protagonist. I lived with my grandmother when she succumbed to Alzheimer’s, and can attest to the authenticity of the incidents related, small things that are horrific. Still very sensitively dealt with. An excellent book ( )

A delightful realistic fiction book that has plenty of complicated real life situations without feeling bleak. Merci is a great character, unsure of herself in the world at an age most children are unsure, and yet confident, creative and a good friend. ( )

I read this and listened to the audiobook of [b:Darius the Great Is Not Okay|37506437|Darius the Great Is Not Okay|Adib Khorram|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1520460519s/37506437.jpg|58014975] at the same time. I had a similar reactions to both books:

1. Once I reached the end, I really liked it, but I almost quit in the middle because the plot (or lack thereof) wasn't holding my interest. I'm glad I stuck with both books, but I think they are both a little weak in the plot department. They are both very strong in the tugging-on-the-heartstrings department.

2. Generally, I really enjoy grandparent characters in children's and YA. Lolo and Abuela were the most nuanced characters in the books apart from Merci herself.

3. I appreciate an everyday life story about relationships that doesn't hinge on romance as so many upper MG and YA books do.

4. Thematically, both books felt kinda all over the place. This is true to life, obviously. Real, lived experiences are usually "all over the place." But I prefer novels to feel more intentionally crafted. I think I wanted to hold these books to a high literary standard because I read them after they won a bunch of awards. But if I had read them before they won the awards, I probably could've more easily enjoyed them for what they are, which is full of heart and very lovable. I hope they will be read and admired by many young people. ( )

4/5