logo

100 pages 3 hours read

Merci Suárez Changes Gears

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2018

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Book Brief

logo
Meg Medina

Merci Suárez Changes Gears

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2018
Book Details
Pages

368

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Florida • Contemporary

Publication Year

2018

Audience

Middle grade

Recommended Reading Age

9-12 years

Lexile Level

700L

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina follows eleven-year-old Merci Suárez, a Cuban American girl in Florida, as she navigates her first year at Seaward Pines Academy. Balancing academics, sports aspirations, and family responsibilities, she struggles with fitting in at school and dealing with her grandfather's declining health due to Alzheimer's. Through these challenges, Merci learns the importance of family, resilience, and adapting to change.

Emotional

Heartwarming

Contemplative

Inspirational

Reviews & Readership

4.4

9,115 ratings

84%

Loved it

13%

Mixed feelings

3%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Meg Medina’s Merci Suárez Changes Gears paints a vivid portrait of a sixth-grader navigating middle school complexities and familial challenges. Critics commend its authentic portrayal of cultural identity, family dynamics, and adolescence, though some feel its pacing lags at times. Overall, it’s lauded for its heartfelt and relatable storytelling, making it a compelling read for young audiences.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Merci Suárez Changes Gears?

A reader who would enjoy Meg Medina's Merci Suárez Changes Gears likely appreciates heartwarming, realistic middle-grade fiction, rich in cultural diversity and family dynamics. Fans of R.J. Palacio's Wonder or Jacqueline Woodson's Brown Girl Dreaming will find this book's themes of growing up and navigating life's changes equally compelling.

4.4

9,115 ratings

84%

Loved it

13%

Mixed feelings

3%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

368

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Florida • Contemporary

Publication Year

2018

Audience

Middle grade

Recommended Reading Age

9-12 years

Lexile Level

700L

Continue your reading experience

Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.