This is the kind of middle-grade book that stays with you. Meg Medina won the Newbery for a reason—she nails the specific anxiety of being a scholarship kid at a fancy school while also weaving in a genuinely moving family story about a grandfather's decline.

Merci is a great protagonist: flawed, trying, sometimes making mistakes, but always caring deeply about her family and figuring out how to navigate a world that doesn't always make room for her. The social dynamics are spot-on for middle school without being melodramatic, and the economic inequality angle is handled with nuance.

The Lolo storyline is what elevates this from good to great. It's sad, yes, but it's also a beautiful look at how families handle hard things together. Kids who've watched grandparents age will recognize the confusion and fear, and kids who haven't will gain empathy for what that experience is like.

A must-read for middle schoolers, especially those who feel like outsiders or are navigating their own family challenges.