FALL SPOTLIGHT: MEG MEDINA

Sonya Sones

Merci Suárez Plays It Cool (Candlewick, Sept. 13) is the hotly anticipated, heartwarming conclusion to Meg Medina’s award-winning Merci Suárez series. Readers first fell in love with the bold, brainy Florida sixth grader and her close-knit Cuban American family in Merci Suárez Changes Gears. Now entering eighth grade at Seward Pines Academy, Merci must contend with shifting friendships, first love, and profound loss. Medina answered our questions by email. Kirkus calls Merci Suárez Plays It Cool “a fabulous finale to a memorable trilogy.” What were you interested in exploring from Merci’s perspective this time around? For the third book, I wanted to continue exploring the many faces of friendship as we grow up. Friends feel so important to our sense of self when we’re Merci’s age. But what makes a good friend? Are there different kinds of friends? How can we be friends with people from divergent groups?

I also used Merci Suárez Plays It Cool to drill down into grief and loss when we’re young. It was a tough topic, but I wrote it with an eye to how our friends at school, our trusted school adults, and our families can help us survive it. What have been the pleasures and/or challenges of writing this unforgettable character over the course of three books? The greatest pleasure has been drawing Merci and her family as they evolved and faced difficult circumstances together. The trick, of course, has been in showing Merci’s growth in maturity and perspective while still keeping the story squarely in the middle-grade space. The other challenge was making sure that the third book could not only stand on its own, but also land the many storylines from earlier books. Not everything ends well, of course, but I hope her middle school years end in a way that is realistic and satisfying to readers. Would you ever consider expanding the series? For now, the story feels complete, although it’s never wise to say never, especially with a big cast like the one in “the Merciverse.” The pesky twins, Axel and Tomás, would make a wonderful duo for a chapter-book series. (Can you imagine what their poor teachers would be put through?) At the other end of the spectrum, we have Roli, Merci’s “genius” older brother. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t wondered about what has been going on for him at college and otherwise. He is such a pensive character, so brilliant and so duty-bound. I’d love to be inside his mind for a while.

What project(s) are you working on now? I’m working on a chapter book about Pura Belpré, and I’m writing a middle-grade fantasy set in the deep ocean. The worldbuilding and research on that one has been fascinating!

What fall release(s) are you most looking forward to reading? One that just pubbed is Tumble by Celia C. Pérez [Kokila, Aug. 6]. I’m also eyeing the galley for Undercover Latina by Aya de León [Candlewick Press, Oct. 11].

What kind of reader are you: digital or physical books? Audio or print? All of the above? I’m an old-school, ravenous reader: physical books and print. Books take up too much room in my house, but I love the whole tactile experience. That said, I do think that audiobooks are an asset when you’re taking long walks or drives.

Interview by Megan Labrise

Faruqi, Saadia Illus. by Ani Bushry Amulet/Abrams (144 pp.) $14.99 | Oct. 18, 2022 978-1-4197-6116-4 Series: Marya Khan, 1

A soon-to-be tween has big plans for her eighth birthday. Marya Khan can’t stand that Alexa R. was born two days before her. Alexa, her rich neighbor who wears gorgeous outfits (“Who even wears fancy dresses to school?”) and carries a glittery unicorn backpack, always has a big party for her birthday. Marya, on the other hand, observes the day by having pizza and cake with her family and her best friend, Hanna. Jealousy rears its ugly yet understandable head, and after seeing a girl on TV with henna on her hands, Marya decides she wants to throw an epic henna party. But her plan of buttering up her family with Operation Help the Khans keeps getting messed up, leading to mayhem, fun, and lots of shattered hopes, which make up for the slightly predictable ending. There’s so much to love about Marya. She’s spunky, persistent, and resourceful. Her best friend is supportive, her family exasperatingly adorable, and Alexa a worthy nemesis—though Faruqi makes clear that much of what makes her irritating is in Marya’s head. Each chapter is prefaced with an excerpt from Marya’s “Word of the Day” diary, offering a glimpse of what’s going to unfold next. Bushry’s charming black-and-white illustrations enhance this breezy read. Marya and her family are Pakistani American and Muslim; Alexa appears light-skinned in the artwork, while Hanna is tan-skinned.

expectations. (Chapter book. 69)

Gibbs, Stuart Illus. by Stacy Curtis Simon & Schuster (160 pp.) $12.99 | Nov. 1, 2022 978-1-5344-9928-7 Series: Once Upon a Tim, 2

Princess Grace of Merryland needs rescuing again, forcing two young knightsin-training to face a series of challenges, from hungry cave sharks to a minotaur

named Chad.

Actually, Princess Grace is perfectly capable of rescuing herself—again: see Once Upon a Tim (2022)—except that this time, kidnappers have stashed her in a room that’s locked and bolted on the outside…and in the middle of a maze billed, supposedly, as “the most complex and dastardly labyrinth in the world.” So it is that former peasants Tim and his more capable friend Bull—otherwise known as Belinda when she’s not disguised as a boy—plunge into a mess of dark and bewildering tunnels, armed with a ball of twine provided by the surprisingly sapient village idiot Ferkle, to face a series of deadly threats…though the most legendary of all turns out to be an amiable monster with the body of a bull and the head of, well, a dude. Throughout Gibbs’ lighthearted, laugh-out-loud tale, Curtis supplies proper notes of farce or stark terror as appropriate in flurries of line drawings that present most of the humans and the monsters with human features as White, though Belinda appears to present as Black. Along the way, Tim adds educational value to his narrative by flagging and then pausing to define vocabulary-building words like laborious and vexing.

ling twists. (Fantasy. 1012)

Hara, Kyoko Illus. by Kazue Takahashi Trans. by Alexandrea Mallia Museyon (80 pp.) $15.99 | Sept. 1, 2022 978-1-940842-66-0 Series: Forest Friends

Under a tall maple tree, a young Japanese girl reading stories attracts some

animal companions.

Though Yuka can read on her own now that she’s in first grade, she loves listening to her mother tell stories in different voices. When her new baby brother arrives, her mother is too busy to read her stories, so Yuka tries to find someone else to read to her. When no one is willing or able, Yuka rests under a large maple tree in the little forest growing in her neighborhood. Though Yuka usually dislikes the sound of her voice, there’s no one around, so she starts to read a story aloud. Soon, a squirrel, a rabbit, a monkey, and other creatures come to listen to her stories and request more stories that feature animals like them. Inspired by different folk and fairy tales, Yuka starts to write her own stories and even enjoys reading aloud to her new animal friends. This latest in the Forest Friends series is another charming tale about talking animals and unexpected friendships. The animals’ opinions and commentary are fun and add a comedic element. Readers may be spurred to read aloud and create their own stories. The cute, whimsical illustrations switch from black and white to color, adding a touch of playfulness. This Japanese import highlights a couple of Japanese folktales and other folk and fairy tales from around the world.

dence. (Fantasy. 58)

Harrington, C.C. Scholastic (336 pp.) $18.99 | Sept. 20, 2022 978-1-338-80386-0

In 1963, a child finds both a snow leopard cub and a way to live with her stutter in the Cornish woods. For aptly named Rumpus, the old forest in which he is abandoned is a harsh replacement for the cage at Harrods or the flat he tore up after being purchased as an ill-advised birthday gift. For 11-year-old Maggie, visiting her long-estranged grandfather, who lives near Wildoak Forest, provides welcome relief from her parents’ quarrels over her schooling and others’ humiliating mockery and impatience when she tries to speak. Grandpa Fred, a country doctor and amateur naturalist, turns out to be a perceptive sort. Still, he rejects her claim to have seen a leopard—until he helps her rescue Rumpus from shotgun-wielding locals and stands beside her as she overcomes her fears to deliver a halting but stout defense to those frightened by rumors of his ferocity. The author adds a wisp of magic in the woods that whispers “Be gentle with yourself. It is hard to be human,” to Maggie and helps Rumpus survive wounds inflicted by an illegal trap. In an epilogue, an adult Maggie wraps events up neatly while confidently owning her communication differences. Harrington packs her memorably atmospheric debut with compelling issues, but her sharply felt portrayals of two vulnerable youngsters of different species bonding as they find their ways in hostile worlds will make the deepest impression. The human cast presents White.

strength. (author’s note, resources) (Fiction. 913)

Henkes, Kevin Greenwillow Books (144 pp.) $16.99 | Sept. 27, 2022 978-0-06-324492-4

Henkes’ third book centered on the Miller family—after the Newbery Honor The Year of Billy Miller (2014) and Billy Miller Makes a Wish (2021)—follows Billy’s 4-year-old sister, Sal. Sal’s New Year’s Day has plenty of big moments of misunderstanding—and understanding. She is full of feelings today and sheds more than a few tears. Two people in her household seem like interlopers—the new baby, just over a week old, who doesn’t yet have a name, and Papa’s younger brother, Uncle Jake, whose exuberance and habit of calling her Salamander are extremely irritating. Plus, she’s misplaced a treasured gift from Santa—her favorite pair of a set of seven flower-themed underpants. Henkes’ keen awareness of the ways it is hard and constantly revelatory to be a child gives this simple family story a sense of heart and happiness. Endearing spot drawings—Sal imagining elves making underwear, for example—convey whimsy and cheer. The third-person narrative sticks close to Sal, observing this close, loving household from her perspective. Though Sal knows that Uncle Jack and Papa are brothers, her surprise when she realizes that her uncle is her father’s younger brother (“…she never thought of them as kids. And she never thought about who was older. All adults seemed generally the same age to her”) is a realistic example of how children make sense of family relationships and the world. Henkes channels the inner lives of his protagonists with sensitivity and respect—his audience will feel seen. Characters are cued White.

Quietly, delightfully superb. (Fiction. 59)

Hirahara, Naomi Illus. by Illi Ferandez Running Press Kids (128 pp.) $17.99 | Oct. 18, 2022 978-0-7624-7965-8

“No one is powerless when we come together. No one can make us invisible when we demand to be seen.”

Following an introduction and a foreword, this collective biography opens with a display of portraits of its subjects, a striking array of multi-toned, uplifted faces with proud expressions. Concise, informative entries, written clearly and thoughtfully, cover a diverse group of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, among them Lebanese painter Etel Adnan; surfer Eddie Aikau, who fought for Hawaiian people to be included in the sport they developed; Korean American swimmer Schuyler Miwon Hong Bailar, the first openly transgender college athlete to take part in a Division I sport; Manny Cristomo, a Pulitzer Prize–winning photojournalist from Guam; and Laotian antiwar activist Channapha Khamvongsa. Themes of exclusion, discrimination, racism, xenophobia, and appropriation manifest clearly and thoughtfully in evocative accounts that weave together Asian American and Pacific Islander history and personal experiences. An introduction from Lisa S. Sasaki, director of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, touches on the hate crimes against Asian Americans since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and discusses the importance of covering Arab Americans and Pacific Islanders—voices often left out of Asian American histories but laudably included here.

nities. (reflection guide) (Collective biography. 611)

Maloney, Brenna Illus. by Dave Mottram Henry Holt (384 pp.) $19.99 | Oct. 11, 2022 978-1-250-80103-6

Insects: the why, what, where, and how.

Nearly every page of this volume has a fabulous fact or story to relate. The tone is informatively jocular, with a waggishness sure to appeal to middle-grade readers but content sophisticated enough to intrigue and educate teens. In addition to relaying scientific information on fascinating insect behavior (fire beetles lay their eggs in the midst of forest fires) and physiology (a cockroach can live without its head for 168 hours), the author relays her own insect adventures. She gleefully embarks on an experiment to observe Madagascar hissing cockroaches—a bit of curiosity that gets out of hand—and shares her phobia of grasshoppers, thereby tacitly giving readers permission to be skeeved out by insects while still being interested in them. As entertaining as these stories are, scientific research is the foundation of this superb book. It explores insects’ vital role as pollinators, describes their potential as human food, hilariously relates their important role in decomposing dead things, and much more. The examination of the human-caused sixth extinction (as well as a bit about the previous five) and what that means for insects and people strikes a more somber note. Occasional sprinkles of appealing, anthropomorphic, blackand-white insect illustrations add fun visual interest and will encourage readers to look up photos to receive the full effect.

list, works cited, index) (Nonfiction. 1018)

Mann, Michael Peachtree (320 pp.) $17.99 | Sept. 6, 2022 978-1-68263-518-6

A supernatural story of one boy’s survival in the darkest of times, set in a dystopian London. It has been two years since Luke Smith-Sharma last saw his family. Kidnapped along with thousands of other children, he spends his days shoveling coal in Battersea Power Station, hidden away from the world. The setting is palpably Dickensian, covered in steam and soot, and controlled by Cruella de Vil–like villain Tabatha Margate. White and Indian Luke is also half-ghost, able to see things others cannot. Aiding Luke in his efforts to escape are richly developed supporting characters: his best friend and bunkmate, Ravi; plucky new girl and plumber’s niece Jess; and Alma, a ghost girl yearning for closure. Along with Luke’s newfound ghosting skills, Alma teaches him how to leave the physical world and fly above steampunk London, where he gains a larger perspective on their predicament. The situation becomes harrowing as he learns of Margate’s despicable plans. Some of the content is quite gritty and dark as the novel critiques social inequities; it feels like Charles Dickens, Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials, and Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book rolled into one. Mann creates empathy for Luke, who shows clear hope and compassion for others during this evil time. The quick-witted humor and fast pace keep the entertainment factor high.

Thrilling. (Fantasy. 812)

Medina, Meg Candlewick (352 pp.) $18.99 | Sept. 13, 2022 978-1-5362-1946-3 Series: Merci Suárez, 3

Eighth grade brings Merci more challenges at home and school. Merci Suárez is about to start her last year of middle school at Seaward Pines Academy in Florida. The family is on high alert, as Merci’s grandfather Lolo, who has Alzheimer’s, has declined considerably. Brilliant big brother Roli is back home to work at Walgreens, attend community college for a semester, and save money before returning to university. When school starts, Merci—who has a stylish new haircut—must balance her core group of best friends, Hannah, Lena, and former rival-turned-pal Edna, with new attention from popular soccer teammate Avery. Then there’s Wilson, the boy Merci can’t stop texting and feeling fluttery around, even though these new feelings about her friend confuse her. Like the previous two installments, this is a story that focuses on characterization, self-discovery, and growth. There’s also an indepth exploration of grief and the differences between forever and fair-weather friends. Although it’s accessible to new readers, the story’s conclusion will particularly resonate with existing fans of Merci and her Cuban American family. Medina finishes the heartwarming story arc of her plucky, curious, strong-willed young protagonist with the same well-crafted dialogue, humor, and cultural exploration readers expect.

A fabulous finale to a memorable trilogy. (Fiction. 913)