Picture Book: The Big Orange Splot – When Mr. Plumbeans’ house is splashed with bright orange paint, he decides a multi-colored house would be a nice change. This is a story that celebrates creativity and individuality. https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780590445108

Short Story Collection: Flying Lessons and Other Stories – Great stories take flight in this adventurous middle-grade anthology crafted by ten of the most recognizable and diverse authors writing today. Among the other amazing stories and authors included in this book, we selected this anthology for the story “Sol Painting” by Meg Medina. This story is an introduction to the character Merci Suárez who wants to own a painting business one day to continue her fathers legacy.  https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781101934623

Novel: Merci Suárez Changes Gears – Merci Suarez knew that sixth grade would be different, but she had no idea just how different. For starters, Merci has never been like the other kids at her private school in Florida, because she and her older brother, Roli, are scholarship students. They don’t have a big house or a fancy boat, and they have to do extra community service to make up for their free tuition. So when bossy Edna Santos sets her sights on the new boy who happens to be Merci’s school-assigned Sunshine Buddy, Merci becomes the target of Edna’s jealousy. Things aren’t going well at home, either: Merci’s grandfather and most trusted ally, Lolo, has been acting strangely lately — forgetting important things, falling from his bike, and getting angry over nothing. No one in her family will tell Merci what’s going on, so she’s left to her own worries, while also feeling all on her own at school. In a coming-of-age tale full of humor and wisdom, award-winning author Meg Medina gets to the heart of the confusion and constant change that defines middle school — and the steadfast connection that defines family. https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780763690496