Back at Seaward Academy for seventh grade, Cuban American Merci has been tapped by the principal to revitalize the school store with classmate Wilson Bellevue. Meanwhile, Merci’s nemesis, Edna, in charge of planning the upcoming school dance, is capitalizing the time of Merci’s friend Hannah, straining Merci and Hannah’s friendship. At home, Lolo’s Alzheimer’s is progressing and Tía Ines is dating Papi’s employee Simon. It’s too much change, and with the exception of spending time with Wilson, Merci doesn’t like any of it; her warm feelings about Wilson, meanwhile, leave her confused. Merci’s resistance to moving outside her comfort zone is further challenged by Tía’s new dance studio and the expectation to participate. There are so many authentic characters and moments in this story, from some of Merci’s bad but believable decisions, especially around a borrowed iPad accidentally broken while in her care, to peer and family dynamics; from the matter-of-fact presentation of Wilson’s disability (he “swings one hip forward so his right leg can clear the ground. He says it doesn’t hurt or anything. He was born that way”) to the memorable scene in which Merci, talking to the principal about racist remarks, says, “It’s like getting paper cuts all the time, miss. They don’t look like much, but they hurt, especially if you get a lot of them, day after day.” Although Merci thinks she can’t dance, in the end she does, thanks to the support of her family and friends. (Ages 8-12)