Merci Suarez Plays it Cool

 by Meg Medina

Genre:  Realistic Fiction


8th grader Merci Suarez is finding that navigating friendships can be very challenging.  She spends most of her time with Hannah, Lena, and Edna, but she also plays soccer and sometimes thinks it would be cool to spend more time with Avery and the other soccer girls.  Merci notices though, that Avery doesn't seem to want to include her other friends, which leaves Merci feeling stuck.  Things have gotten more challenging at home too as Merci's grandfather's Alzheimer's disease continues to progress. Merci wants things to go back to the way they were...easy friendships and a grandfather who remembers her.  Unfortunately, life brings changes, and Merci is going to have to navigate some big ones.

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