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maurakeaney's review against another edition
4.0
This is an enjoyable follow-up to Newbery-winning Merci Suarez Changes Gears, which I loved more than this friendship-centric story set during Merci's 7th grade year. There is less focus on Merci's relationship with her grandfather Lolo than I had hoped for, though brief mentions make clear that his Alzheimer's is worsening, and Merci still mourns the closeness they used to have. Merci navigates the developmentally appropriate and very confusing emotional maelstrom swirling around the development of romantic feelings toward a peer, and she hits rocky waters several times as her relationships with her two best friends evolve and change.
I loved the closeness of Merci's family and wished there were more family scenes in this sequel, especially more scenes with Lolo and with her dad. I kept having to remind myself that it's developmentally normal for Merci to be more focused on her friends than on her family.
At times, Merci's diverse cast of friends (Filipino, Korean, Dominican, Cajun) feels a bit like checking off boxes for a required amount of diversity, though Edna's Dominican identity at least features in this plot line rather than feeling like performative check-boxing.
I enjoyed that Merci is appropriately imperfect and sometimes makes very poor decisions, which all readers will relate to. Her rich private school seems to me to be unrealistically idyllic and welcoming of children from low socioeconomic backgrounds, but perhaps such a place does exist somewhere.
4 rather than 5 stars for the simple fact that I wasn't interested enough in the story to keep reading...I kept abandoning it and then coming back to force myself to finish. I can't identify any particular deficiency compared to Changes Gears but I think, overall, I found the first book in the series more emotionally compelling.
As an aside, I wish the publisher had kept the original cover illustration for the first novel, of Merci zooming on her bike! The paperback edition, which matches this new sequel hardcover, is much more juvenile and shows her in a more passive stance.
I loved the closeness of Merci's family and wished there were more family scenes in this sequel, especially more scenes with Lolo and with her dad. I kept having to remind myself that it's developmentally normal for Merci to be more focused on her friends than on her family.
At times, Merci's diverse cast of friends (Filipino, Korean, Dominican, Cajun) feels a bit like checking off boxes for a required amount of diversity, though Edna's Dominican identity at least features in this plot line rather than feeling like performative check-boxing.
I enjoyed that Merci is appropriately imperfect and sometimes makes very poor decisions, which all readers will relate to. Her rich private school seems to me to be unrealistically idyllic and welcoming of children from low socioeconomic backgrounds, but perhaps such a place does exist somewhere.
4 rather than 5 stars for the simple fact that I wasn't interested enough in the story to keep reading...I kept abandoning it and then coming back to force myself to finish. I can't identify any particular deficiency compared to Changes Gears but I think, overall, I found the first book in the series more emotionally compelling.
As an aside, I wish the publisher had kept the original cover illustration for the first novel, of Merci zooming on her bike! The paperback edition, which matches this new sequel hardcover, is much more juvenile and shows her in a more passive stance.
bookabecca's review against another edition
3.0
I’ve been reading so many heavy novels and memoirs that I needed some YA joy, and this surely brought some. This is the second book in the Merci trilogy, and I like them because they have such a loving family base from which to launch a middle school kid into the big, exciting and something scary world.
I felt like some of the subplots (Edna, Jason) were not fully resolved, and overall, I was a little less invested in the central tension. But the family dynamics are so lovely, and I enjoy getting to know these characters more.
I felt like some of the subplots (Edna, Jason) were not fully resolved, and overall, I was a little less invested in the central tension. But the family dynamics are so lovely, and I enjoy getting to know these characters more.
bernadette_kearns's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
n_g_reader's review against another edition
4.0
What a wonderful addition to the Merci Suárez series! This deals with a lot of heavy topics - Merci dealing with peer conflict, family responsibilities and change, new emotions and feelings. She doesn't always make the best choices, but she makes understandable ones. A wonderful contemporary/realistic novel that's perfect for middle school/early teen readers.
long4thelibrary's review against another edition
5.0
There's always a worry whether a second book will live up to the first, especially when the first one was so well-received and engaging. Merci Suárez Can't Dance does not disappoint. It's as if you have simply turned the last page of the first book and her story continues (albeit a year later) with the same multidimensional characters and keeping-it-real storyline. What I love the most is that young readers will connect and see themselves in the situations and characters. Merci and the other characters aren't one-dimensional, just like in real life. Merci makes mistakes and compounds them with less than helpful reactions, just like real middle schoolers. As Merci says, "Why are people so complicated? Bad guys should always just be bad guys, and good guys should always be good guys." Meg Medina creates these beautifully complicated, complex characters. She nails the emotional rollercoaster that pre-teens go through, including budding relationships, frenemies, and family. In the end, Merci shines by discovering truths about her whole self and the importance of standing up for herself and friends.
I received an advance reading copy of this book from the Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review.
I received an advance reading copy of this book from the Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review.
greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition
4.0
"Now I'm finding out that 'one day' doesn't arrive all at once. It creeps up on you a little bit at a time, like a skilled assassin."
Merci Suarez is back for another middle school adventure. This book is definitely geared at middle grade readers, but it paints such a realistic picture of the thoughts of middle schoolers. In this book, Merci starts to become more aware of the boys in/around her life. She starts paying attention to the adult men who are in her/her family's life and wondering what their romantic status is. She starts to worry about the boys at school and how many of them have kissed a girl and what exactly leads up to that first kiss. While Merci is navigating all of these thoughts, she finds herself spending more time with a boy while she manages the school store during lunch, managing her complicated relationship with Edna - who is planning the annual Heart Ball, and navigating her grandfather's dementia, which only seems to be getting worse. Merci has a lot on her plate! When Merci is put in charge of the photo booth at the Heart Ball and some of the equipment gets damaged, Merci has to figure out how to handle this new challenge in her life.
I personally really enjoyed this next installment in Merci Suarez's story. I appreciate how genuine Merci is navigating a variety of problems at the same time: friends, family, school, romance, and figuring out what her values are. As someone who works with middle schoolers on a regular basis, I know there is a lot going on in the heads of my students. It was refreshing to see all of these worries and troubles laid out on the page in a very age appropriate manner. I appreciate that Merci tried to solve her problems herself (as many middle schoolers do) but it ended up not working out the way she intended (as things so often do). It's refreshing to see a new, diverse, voice in the world of middle grade lit. I am very excited to read the next part in Merci's middle school adventures ([b:Merci Suárez Plays It Cool|60540089|Merci Suárez Plays It Cool|Meg Medina|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1655406083l/60540089._SX50_.jpg|95413484]). I love how each of these books follows a different year of Merci's middle school years, much like the [b:Front Desk|36127488|Front Desk (Front Desk, #1)|Kelly Yang|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1507986199l/36127488._SX50_.jpg|51903030] series.
TW: dementia, bullying, racism
Merci Suarez is back for another middle school adventure. This book is definitely geared at middle grade readers, but it paints such a realistic picture of the thoughts of middle schoolers. In this book, Merci starts to become more aware of the boys in/around her life. She starts paying attention to the adult men who are in her/her family's life and wondering what their romantic status is. She starts to worry about the boys at school and how many of them have kissed a girl and what exactly leads up to that first kiss. While Merci is navigating all of these thoughts, she finds herself spending more time with a boy while she manages the school store during lunch, managing her complicated relationship with Edna - who is planning the annual Heart Ball, and navigating her grandfather's dementia, which only seems to be getting worse. Merci has a lot on her plate! When Merci is put in charge of the photo booth at the Heart Ball and some of the equipment gets damaged, Merci has to figure out how to handle this new challenge in her life.
I personally really enjoyed this next installment in Merci Suarez's story. I appreciate how genuine Merci is navigating a variety of problems at the same time: friends, family, school, romance, and figuring out what her values are. As someone who works with middle schoolers on a regular basis, I know there is a lot going on in the heads of my students. It was refreshing to see all of these worries and troubles laid out on the page in a very age appropriate manner. I appreciate that Merci tried to solve her problems herself (as many middle schoolers do) but it ended up not working out the way she intended (as things so often do). It's refreshing to see a new, diverse, voice in the world of middle grade lit. I am very excited to read the next part in Merci's middle school adventures ([b:Merci Suárez Plays It Cool|60540089|Merci Suárez Plays It Cool|Meg Medina|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1655406083l/60540089._SX50_.jpg|95413484]). I love how each of these books follows a different year of Merci's middle school years, much like the [b:Front Desk|36127488|Front Desk (Front Desk, #1)|Kelly Yang|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1507986199l/36127488._SX50_.jpg|51903030] series.
TW: dementia, bullying, racism
drew3486's review against another edition
5.0
Merci’s adventures continue! I may have liked this book even better than the first. Her friendships that begun in the first book evolve and deepen, her rivalry with Edna Santos takes some twists and turns, and I loved seeing her grapple with the possibility of liking her friend Wilson, a character I really like and who works well with Merci. Another fun, touching, and eventful read!
wardo2700's review against another edition
4.0
This is a nice followup story to the author's Newbery Award winning book. I enjoyed this one just as much as the first book as it is a heartwarming story of family and friendships from the perspective of a middle schooler. Granted there might be just a bit too much emphasis on relationships with boys for my interest but I think that is quite likely realistic. The underlying story of her grandfather's dementia was just sad but provides a good contrast. I would recommend this book to any young reader 10 and older especially those interested in the middle school social scene.
brandypainter's review against another edition
5.0
Meg Medina writes relationships so well. Merci is such a wonderful character to have in the MG literary canon too. Her voice is so authentic, and the problems that she faces are realistic and yet tackled through a distinctly MG point of view. She is does such ridiculous stuff sometimes, but it's stuff every single middle schooler or anyone who remembers what it's like to be a middle schooler can relate too. I actually loved this even more than [b:Merci Suárez Changes Gears|38185346|Merci Suárez Changes Gears|Meg Medina|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1561068468l/38185346._SX50_.jpg|50140884]. I liked the friendship dynamics of this one even more as well as the family interactions. I think this reads well on its own too. Student who picked this volume up first won't be lost if they haven't read the first book. I sincerely hope we get more of Merci's life and stories because she is just so great.
heatheradoresbooks's review against another edition
4.0
4⭐
Genre ~ middle grade
Series ~ Merci Suárez #2
Others in the series ~ [b:Merci Suárez Changes Gears|38185346|Merci Suárez Changes Gears|Meg Medina|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1676668789l/38185346._SX50_.jpg|50140884]
Setting ~ Florida
Publication date ~ April 6, 2021
Page Count ~ 372 (49 chapters)
Audio length ~ 8 hours 2 minutes
Narrator ~ Frankie Corzo
POV ~ single 1st
Merci is back and now in 7th grade. Middle school is a lovely time for a young lady with mean kids, puberty and crushes.
She and Wilson are working in the school store together and they develop a friendship. She wonders why she starts getting butterflies in her stomach when he's around because ewww gross.
Merci makes a mistake and tries to fix it on her own, which I can appreciate, but sometimes it's best to get an adult involved for the best resolution, even if you might get grounded.
In the last book we learned that Lola has Alzheimer's and that has progressed, which is really sad to see, but realistically written.
I love how Merci is so close with her Tia Inés. When Inés decides to follow her dream of opening a dance studio the whole Suárez family, plus a few of Merci's friends, pitch in to make it happen.
Overall, this is a cute little series. I'm ready to see what's up next in ~ [b:Merci Suárez Plays It Cool|60540089|Merci Suárez Plays It Cool|Meg Medina|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1676670285l/60540089._SX50_.jpg|95413484].
Series notes:
I am reading this series because I accidentally agreed to read book 3 before I knew it was a series, so here I am. I do think it's best to go in order with them.
Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the info above for reference.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ middle grade
Series ~ Merci Suárez #2
Others in the series ~ [b:Merci Suárez Changes Gears|38185346|Merci Suárez Changes Gears|Meg Medina|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1676668789l/38185346._SX50_.jpg|50140884]
Setting ~ Florida
Publication date ~ April 6, 2021
Page Count ~ 372 (49 chapters)
Audio length ~ 8 hours 2 minutes
Narrator ~ Frankie Corzo
POV ~ single 1st
Merci is back and now in 7th grade. Middle school is a lovely time for a young lady with mean kids, puberty and crushes.
She and Wilson are working in the school store together and they develop a friendship. She wonders why she starts getting butterflies in her stomach when he's around because ewww gross.
Merci makes a mistake and tries to fix it on her own, which I can appreciate, but sometimes it's best to get an adult involved for the best resolution, even if you might get grounded.
In the last book we learned that Lola has Alzheimer's and that has progressed, which is really sad to see, but realistically written.
I love how Merci is so close with her Tia Inés. When Inés decides to follow her dream of opening a dance studio the whole Suárez family, plus a few of Merci's friends, pitch in to make it happen.
Overall, this is a cute little series. I'm ready to see what's up next in ~ [b:Merci Suárez Plays It Cool|60540089|Merci Suárez Plays It Cool|Meg Medina|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1676670285l/60540089._SX50_.jpg|95413484].
Series notes:
I am reading this series because I accidentally agreed to read book 3 before I knew it was a series, so here I am. I do think it's best to go in order with them.
Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the info above for reference.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter